The Rolling Stones Un-reviewed

This is a belated report on the recent Rolling Stones gig I attended. Recent being July! I know, I've been really bad in keeping up with the demands of the blog; I do apologise to those very few people that check it very rarely!

Now, as per the legend it is the Stones, a review in the traditional sense is not appropriate now, is it? Still, we, common humans are entitled to an opinion (I hope).

Just to give a bit of a background, I may or may not have posted a really indignant piece on the price tags for the Stones mini-tour last year. Truth is I was broke, didn't have £300 to spare even for the Stones, and quite bitter I could not attend. Being hypocritical as we all are, I did spend money to watch them after all; this time though it was £100ish. Quite reasonable for such a legendary band, right?

This was a festival sponsored by Barclays bank (enter irony [here]) and for those unfamiliar it entails a number of useless opening bands before the good stuff come on stage. In this case the useless bit was infused with brit-pop, alt-"rock" (or whatever they are) bands.

These are bands that:

a) Somehow think that by putting a "The" in front of their name makes them reach the standards of legends like the The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Animals, The Who etc etc. It doesn't.

b) Probably invented the whole worthless hipster sub-culture. I am sorry BUT wearing glasses when you can see perfectly is... well.... kindly put.... messed up!

c) Sound the same. Seriously, copy.... paste.

d) Are more mundane than Steven Seagal's acting. Kidding! Who doesn't like the odd Seagal marathon with 50-year old dad.

Back to the Stones. This was their first gig in Hyde Park after 44 years. I spent about £20ish of my ticket (the part that I guess goes to the above-mentioned bands) going to the toilet, queuing for beer, eating, relaxing, posing for photographs (!) and trying not to listen to background noise! I do have to admit Mr. Gary Clark Jnr., probably the only one worth seeing, was there and also played on stage with the Stones. For the blues fans out there, search for him, he is kind of amazing.

This is what I've been doing while "The" bands played; Unflattering, annoyed, beer-filled poses!

The Rolling Stones...What a show! Not surprisingly, they were (ridiculously) incredible. Charlie played the drums like the veteran that he is and Ronnie was being The Ronnie from all the legendary "The" bands he was part of in the past. Mick sang and danced and played his harmonica like he had the lungs of a 17 year old. Seriously, that energy, those moves! I thought he may dislocate a hip before the end of the gig but how wrong I was; that guy is F-I-T physically and vocally. And Keith, aka Keef, played his skillful blues, wore a green jacket, and kept being as cool as always. He is officially the best ancient "thing" I've seen live in my life. And I've seen lots of ancients like Ozzy, Lemmy, Tyler, Dio* and the lot.

All in all, I feel honoured and very very lucky that I got to see them. I felt like this was my last chance and I managed to do it! Now, considerably poorer from all the summer festivals, I get to take a break from gigs for a while. Ok, perhaps not that long; maybe 'till November when Lemmy comes back.

[*Disclaimer: Dio was and will forever be my top gig-attendance accomplishment. Period.] 

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Review of Download Festival 2013

A review of the happenings at Download Festival 2013, Saturday 15th, Donington Park, UK

This year I almost didn't go. Yeah, I know! What was I thinking, right? Well, the line-up was average, money was tight, and our group was minimizing. Damn you economic depression! But then I thought: Iron Maiden. And I went. We stayed in the Main Stage for the whole day because of the mud, rain, wind, and errr the poor line-up I mentioned above. Sadly, we missed UFO and got in just in time for the the rest.

BLACK STAR RIDERS (AKA THIN LIZZY)

The latest incarnation of Thin Lizzy. I had no idea they changed their name and re-introduced themselves as such! I saw Thin Lizzy back in 2011 at High Voltage festival and enjoyed them very much. This time, refreshed I guess by the recent name change was no different. It took me a while to realise I was listening to and watching Thin Lizzy to be honest. They were quite good although lacking the energy I saw in 2011. Old age you say? Bollocks I say! I'd give them a 7/10 purely because of the short time slot which didn't allow them to play a longer setlist. It seems the boys never left town after all!

MASTODON 

Trying to decide between them and Katatonia, we decided to go for them. I wanted to see Mastodon for a while so it was the perfect chance. I don't claim to be a huge fan as I don't follow them too much but their latest album was really good. By the end of their set I was neither impressed nor disappointed which says a lot. I was left feeling indifferent and only slightly more interested in them. They were good but lacked enthusiasm. Despite that, I would see them again just in case! I give them a 6/10 with the hope that next time they'll surprise me more. By the way, they are a weird-looking bunch of guys aren't they?

ALICE IN CHAINS

Yeah what a surprise. Me, watching a grunge band. I liked Alice in Chains and although I don't enjoy grunge I always wanted to see them. The people there seemed to enjoy them so that says more than I can say. After listening about bones, rivers, brains and some roosters I catch my self yawning repeatedly. Sorry guys as much as you hate to admit it you are a grunge band and definitely not metal. There is so much grunge you can listen before you end up either brain-dead or killing your self because there is no hope left. I give Alice in Chains a 7/10 because they had good energy (only as much energy a grunge band can have!) and made people go nuts.

MOTORHEAD

 By this time you'd think "why did she even bother going then?". Here's your answer. Lemmy!!! Oh, and the waiting around impatiently was so worth it. Motorhead managed to do what none of the previous bands did; wake us up with a sound punch in the face. This year's Download suffered a lot from sound problems as the strong winds and rain did not make it easy for our ears. Lemmy fixed it. He turned up the volume to 11 and played his heart out. You'd probably say I'm very subjective as I'm known to be in love with Mr. Kilmister but I dare anybody to give me an example of a gig feat. Motorhead that they did not like. Lemmy talked to us but we did not understand. Then Lemmy played his bass and sang his songs and we didn't care about anything anymore. The special appearance of Phil Taylor was a pleasant surprise. The setlist was less than enough and I felt desperate thinking of what was to follow.  After all, they are Motorhead and they play rock n' roll and they always get a 10/10.

Rhetorical questions from our group expressed that night: Isn't Lemmy ready to settle yet? If diabetes didn't make Lemmy stop drinking what would? Is Motorhead's tour bus full of Jack Daniels, cokes, and Big Bang Theory box sets? Was there any single person who managed to get Lemmy drunk? How come Lemmy is still so humble?  Are Motorhead deaf yet? 

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

What a load of bullshit! What the hell is wrong with the Download organisers? Is it JUST me that believes bands like them don't belong in Download main stage line-ups? Especially before Iron Maiden and after (!) Motorhead! Honestly, I really don't get it. I spent that time sat down resting my legs, preparing mentally for Iron Maiden, re-filling my pint, and voiding my bladder! And they were still playing after all these. Sorry Queens of the Stone Age fans out there, this band sucks, big time. I won't bother rating the experience as I blocked the noise out. Photo is included for the sake of the review.

IRON MAIDEN

The legends! As their status requires, they were introduced by a spitfire which we thought was piloted by Bruce himself. Then they enter the stage and history is written. Whatever I say about them is not going to be enough really. I screamed and screamed 'till no voice was left. I danced around, banged my head, and smiled 'till my jaw went numb! The energy, the pyro, the show, the setlist, the Eddie re-incarnations, their brilliance! The show was not enough. I wanted more. Do I need to mention I give them a 10/10? Steve Harris is genius. Who writes songs like these? And Bruce... What Bruce's voice may be lacking nowadays (always in relation to when he was younger) he makes up for in energy, stage presence, enthusiasm, and all-round excellence! Sometimes I do wonder if Bruce managed to find that fountain of youth that Captain Sparrow was looking for. He is too good to be true, is he not?

THINGS I LEARNED/REALISED AT DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2013:

1. I prefer my metal pure.
2. Download gets less and less creative in it's line-ups.
3. Mastodon is a really good band but they seriously need to re-think those hairstyles.
4. Grunge is definitely not my cup of tea. Definitely.
5. Lemmy must be god. He subtly proves it every time he picks his bass and steps on the stage.
6. I want to know what it is that people like about Queens of the Stone Age as I personally don't get it.
7. There should be a National Iron Maiden day declared in the UK. Just because you people are so lucky they are British.
8. I could imagine myself putting a food stall and selling souvlaki next to the main stage at some point in the future!
9. Once a year is not enough; make Donwload a twice-a-year happening.

Limited videos arriving soon on my YouTube channel here.

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Review of Marilyn Manson & Rob Zombie (Twins of Evil Tour 2012)

Review of Marilyn Manson & Rob Zombie (Twins of Evil Tour 2012 - O2 Arena, London, UK)

I wish I could really mark each of the two (Manson, Zombie) separately for this post, but since the tour is called Twins of Evil, it's only appropriate to have a single, complete, and always brilliant review! It will become obvious why...

Venue: O2 arena is great. Good acoustics and seating/standing arrangements for all tastes. 8/10

Quality & Versatility: First time I ever saw both of them. Based on previous lives I've seen circulating on the net, Manson was, well, simply put... bland. I have to say though I did not go to this gig to get impressed nor because I think Manson is a great musician; I went because I respect him more as an all-round artist and a human being. Rob Zombie on the other hand was a surprise for me. I admit, I am not a fan purely because there is too much music out there for me to like. I only knew him for a couple of songs and admittedly I was left more interested in him. Due to Manson's ok (I guess) performance and Zombie's showmanship I'll give a 7/10.

Passion: Manson's presence and passion was not in line with his whole show. I would expect more enthusiasm from him considering his history. Zombie  was energetic, engaging and simply awesome. 6/10

Running Time: Around 2 1/2 hours. Would expect slightly longer sets. 8/10

Set List: Not much knowledgeable on their discography as a hardcore fan would be but some gems were not missing. "Coma White", "Beautiful People" on one side and "Dragula" and a cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" on the other. 10/10

Crowd: One thing was surely going to be ace. The crowd was awesome, full of excitement and energy. All sorts of people were present; from the typical goth fan to the less hardcore softies! 10/10

Show: I haven't seen so much confetti in a gig before! Highlights were Manson dressed up as a priest and mostly Zombie's demons, robots, LED lights etc etc etc. 9/10

Overall Experience: Well, one thing I gained from this gig was not the goosebumps but my increasing interest in Rob Zombie. The "God of Fuck" was disappointing enough to make me not wanting to go to another of his shows in the future. Well, maybe a gallery show. Zombie on the other hand, will be a more regular visitor in my playlists from now on. Oh, and did I mention...I only just realised that he wrote and directed one of my favourite horror movies (i.e. The Devil's Rejects). Oh the ignorance! 8/10

Videos can be seen here: (coming soon!)

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Review of Alice Cooper (Raise the Dead Tour 2012, Halloween Night of Fear)

Review of Alice Cooper (Raise the Dead Tour 2012 - Halloween Night of Fear, Wembley Arena, London, UK):

Venue: Wembley Arena is a nice venue yet the acoustics, as I said many times before, are not great. 6/10

Opening Acts: Duff McKagan's Loaded & Ugly Kid Joe. Well, I was not familiar with either of their work but I was impressed. Well I knew Duff I just didn't follow him after GNR. Both acts were energetic and gave us a good warm-up. 8/10

Quality & Versatility:  Is there even a doubt that Alice Cooper is the definition of versatility? He's been doing this for the last 40 years and he's only become better at it. And that gal Orianthi, she's stunning in every sense! I wish I had her talent. 10/10

Passion: Frankly, being 65 years old and pulling off such a production is admirable to say the least. Alice is surely devoted to his work and his fans. The tribute to some of his late friends (i.e. John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix & Keith Moon) was a pretty awesome touch! 9/10

Running Time: Four hours in total! 1 hour & 45 for Alice Cooper. 10/10

Set List: Brilliant! From the classics like Poison, Welcome to My Nightmare, and School's Out to 70's covers, the list is endless. 9/10

Crowd: Well, the crowd was enthusiastic but they were lacking in numbers. Still, many showed up dressed up for Halloween, which was great. 7/10

Show: Show is synonymous to Alice Cooper; everything you would expect from the lord of shock rock. Theatricality is paramount so the inclusion of fog machines, confetti, balloons, horror movie props, a straight jacket, whips, and the infamous boa constrictor were not absent. The only thing I really wanted to see is the guillotine but I guess there is only a certain number of things you can fit into a show! 9/10

Overall Experience: Since Download 2011, when I missed Alice Cooper closing the second stage for another act (damn peer-pressure!), I waited and waited for the time I get to see them live. I have no regrets for waiting really. Alice Cooper himself is a legend and I'm more than glad I had the opportunity to experience his horror show. 'Till next time! 8.5/10

Videos can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyzuwe_kJsZ44TOyt-TL5fh-N7OTBuQXw&feature=mh_lolz
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Review of Sabaton (Live at Kingston Rock City)

Review of Sabaton Live at Kingston Rock City 2012 (Limassol, Cyprus)

Venue & Organisation: Small and intimate rock bar, quite a famous hangout amongst Cypriot rock fans. It kind of reminded me of O2 Academy Islington in London. The sound was a bit off at times but it was a perfect choice for such an event. Ticket price was very reasonable. Same problem with too many oversized t-shirts and not enough in human sizes but that was the band's "fault" I was informed. 8/10   

Quality: I haven't got anything bad to say about Sabaton. No, really! This was the first time I saw them live, so it was quite an experience. I'm sure Wacken will give me a more well-rounded opinion. 8/10

Passion: You crazy Scandinavians! Although clearly underestimating Cypriot climate and the 30C temperature by appearing with knight armours etc, they pulled through the whole show without getting naked on stage. Passion is what defines this band. I think it's pretty safe to say that by the end of the gig everybody was ready to follow Brodén to battle much like Leonidas with his 300. Oh, and did I mention that we were at arm's length when he came to the bar to get a beer while still singing? My friend nearly followed him to the stage! 10/10

Gig Running Time: About 1 1/2 hours. I remember leaving with that feeling of an unfulfilled promise. But I think that whatever the running time was, I would still be depressed while parting ways even if they played a personal 3-hour gig especially for me! 7/10

Opening Acts: Oblivion and Stormcast. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on them because at that time we were buying ice cream and beer from a nearby shop! Judging from the couple of songs I heard from outside, I am sure I missed a lot.

Set List: It seems that what everybody expected to hear was "Coat of Arms" and "Primo Victoria". And they did. They played/sung "The Carolean's Prayer (Karolinens Bön)" in Swedish, live for the first time ever! My Swedish friend was particularly excited. 9/10

Crowd: Need I comment on our crowd? Again, from small children to older adults all banging their heads. Cypriot metal fans may only add up to a few thousand in total but as Sabaton themselves put it (and I am only slightly paraphrasing here), the warmth and energy of a few hundred Cypriots is stronger than that of thousands in large arenas. They also commented on how quick and easy it is to excite our crowd (i.e. halfway through the first song everybody was already half-naked and sweaty). I guess we are not into foreplay that much! 10/10

Overall Experience: If Sabaton was not in my "bands to see live before I go to hell" list, they surely are now. Even if this time ticks the box, I still want to see them.... well, a few more times. And to summarise my whole experience I will just quote what my "irrelevant" (= not listening to or not familiar with even the "basic" metal) friend said to me after the gig.

"You know what? I've decided to move to Sweden. [me baffled] I loved them! Especially the singer. I'm going to tell my man that I'm just going there to buy some furniture from IKEA for our house.... And then never come back!" 8.5/10

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Review of Iced Earth (Live in Ancient Kourion 2012 DVD Recording)

Review of Iced Earth Live in Ancient Kourion 2012 (Live DVD Recording, Limassol, Cyprus)

Venue & Organisation: Where do I even begin? Acoustically it was the perfect choice. Practically not so much. Cypriots are known to be heavy smokers (all sorts), heavy drinkers, and frankly quite lazy. The 15 mins climb to the top was rather unpleasant to say the least. Having mastered your urge to climb the rocks like Spiderman ignoring the possibility of instant death, you reach the top thirsty and parched. You can't wait to grab a seat and gulp down the first few pints for which you happily paid £3 for. While you manage to juggle four pints in two hands, you reach the entrance where... surprise! NO DRINKS ALLOWED! The patient men inform you about the rules while understanding that a few extra words could lead to a raid. NO FOOD ALLOWED either and I am sure FARTING is prohibited too. You, having arrived late as a proper Cypriot would do, try to drink as much of your precious beer as you can so that you go inside just in time to get a couple of good seats. You throw away the rest and walk down the amphitheatre swearing at the organisers, the promoters, the doormen, the band, the venue, the few remaining ancient monuments, Cyprus, and the government. Dear organisers, this is a metal concert. Therefore, my dearest organisers please keep in mind that if the rules remain the same, the next one will be less busy. Also, a few more t-shirts in human sizes would be much appreciated! 3/10

Iced Earth Quality & Versatility: Having seen them live twice with Barlow and twice with Block, I have to admit I prefer my IE the old way. Yet, things change and bands progress. In my opinion, Stu is a worthy successor in all aspects. The Iced Earth we grew up with and love have still got some aces up their sleeves, I reckon. 8/10

Passion: Well, we all know these guys don't make enough money for what they put out there for us, yet their performances are always great. 9/10

Gig Running Time: Good three hours. 10/10

Set List: Everything one should expect but I have a thing with Dark Saga which was not played this time. Still, Dante's Inferno was in there and that made me very very happy. 9/10

Crowd: There is a reason why they chose Cyprus for their live DVD recording. Cypriots love them. A passionate crowd of less than 2,000 people was enough to show them just how much. Ages ranged from children to middle-aged couples (very unassuming ones who even brought their bum pillows for added comfort!). I reckon some more advertising from the promoters would have brought more people but as the experience showed, they weren't much needed. 8/10 

Band Chemistry & Performance: The chemistry between the band members makes you feel that Stu has always been part of the band. I guess they clicked! As I said before, I like Stu, I think he's a great vocalist. Yet, as much as I hate to admit, the song Dracula, is better left untouched. He did perform very well on that one but I guess it is one of those songs written for Barlow. The new bassist from Fury UK replacing Vidales also seems to be enjoying his new job post as his performance showed! I'd like not to comment on Mr. Schaffer as I think words are not enough. 9/10

Overall Experience: Events like this one rarely happen in our small island of less than a 1,000,000 inhabitants and less than a few thousand metal fans so shame on those who did not come! Iced Earth thank you for opening the door to the Heavy Metal reign over Cyprus! 9/10

Videos can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyzuwe_kJsZ5SDdXBklhJPyy-ci7qQoeb

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Not Another Music Review!

I hate music reviews. There I said it! I hate the fact that they all read the same. I hate that the reviewer thinks their opinion matters. I hate that they actually think they can do it properly. I even hate that they think they are in a position to do it in the first place!

As I said before, any person, with a functional set of ears (or one), and a good taste in music (anything except pop; I have an issue with that) can actually "review" an album, a band, a song, or a gig. But basing your whole preferences and taste on certain people's judgements and opinions (which can be situational by the way) is, plainly put, ridiculous. Fair enough, there are impressive reviews out there by important people in the music business, who use a combination of fancy and intellectual words to describe the lyricist's subconscious struggle with their inner fears or the guitarist's solo virtuosity or even the bass player's skilful versatility in balancing harmony with rhythm, which can be somewhat "use"-full(?). [We all know that a music review that uses the word "bass" -let alone the bass player's skills- does not really exist!]

So you can imagine the position I was in when I was asked by a friend to review an alternative band. At first I hesitated, because as I mentioned above "Who the hell am I to tell you what is good and bad", right? Plus, I am not into alternative rock that much and I have no reviewing skills as you may have noticed from previous attempts! But then it occurred to me that I have actually been doing it (reviewing that is)...a lot, but in an alternative way! So I thought, why not do an "alternative" review for these guys? Also, the band is actually good. 

Here it is then. It's small, different (or alternative if you prefer), with links so you can see for yourself. I don't currently have a personal relationship of any sort with the band members and I made sure I listened to their album before I even talked to them. So basically, I am not that biased! Also, just to make it perfectly clear, I have no musical education of any kind. Therefore, I base my opinion solemnly on what my two perfect ears feed back to my brain neurons!

The Band
The band is called Waterblack. It originates from Cyprus and the city of Limassol but with strong UK connections as most of the band members were born and/or currently reside in the UK.

From left: Eco, Marcos, Xenios, Chris, & Byron

They formed in 1996 by Andreas Economides a.k.a. Eco and Chris Charalambides who are the only two original founding members in the band today. Eco, much like Dave Grohl (but a bit more "blessed" in the vocal department in my opinion), developed skills in an array of musical instruments starting as the band's drummer and ending up as the lead vocalist and guitar player. Also, he's the main player in regards to writing the lyrics and the songs' structure along with Chris.

Chris is the tech-guy being the band's keyboardist, producer, and sound engineer all together. Kind of like a mixed grill! He is also responsible for the song arrangements and I hear that his live performances are... well, noticeable!

Xenios is the newest addition to the family. Having traveled around the world and acquired a buttload of skills, he soon realised his place as the band's lead guitarist. He does mixing, sound engineering, recording, producing.... to perfection. I am pretty sure he does some other "little" things too! He even built his own Fender Stratocaster (!) and is one of those people who claim to listen to all kinds of music!

Byron is the bass player as well as the "marketing director" of the band. He is well-educated in music composition, so much that he is planning a career out of it by starting a PhD. Although he started off with classic guitar he ended up taking up the bass and refusing to let go!

Last but not least, Marcos, is unlike your typical drummer. He is characterised as a mature, well-behaved, professional, and composed drummer! A breed we need to help sustain! He is also an aspiring genius (considering he's currently doing a PhD in Neurophysics).

The Music
The album which was produced at Soundscape studios is called Orem and consists of 11 songs. The songs are infused with grunge sounds reminding me of the '90s era I grew up to, with the sounds of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden blasting out from the radios. The drumming is sometimes funky, especially in the first song, and gave away the drummer's "jazzy" influences. This compliments the bass guitar which is skilfully prominent at times and pretty impressive. You've got to love their song arrangements! The keyboards remain somewhat ingeniously in the background, yet powerful, filling in the right places and creating a nice ambience while the guitars are simple and clear almost speaking to me explaining the songs in a way the lyrics cannot. The lyrics are very creative and poetic yet remain a mystery to me, but I think they represent their personal experiences and I got a hint of social angst as well! The voice is quite powerful, and "oozes" grunge but without the annoying post-grunge growling/yarling "singing" style (i.e. Nickelback).

Conclusion
I could characterise their sound as "alternatively grunge" served in a bed of funk, in a sauce consisting of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, with a hint of Nirvana, a sprinkle of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, some U2 flavourings, and complimented with a good old Greek Rock!

Songs I really enjoyed listening to multiple times are "M", "Burdened Youth", and the darker "Living in the Ruins". But all the above don't really matter. What matters is your own opinion which will only be formed by listening. Here are some links to get you started:

Website where you may find more information about the band and their music, including the list of awards they received.
Facebook page where you may listen to their album for free and try to decode their lyrics.
YouTube channel where you may see some of their previous live performances and some unreleased songs.

I must point out and say I don't listen to grunge that much and I don't know much about it either. Hence, the lack in usage of fancy words and technical critique. All I know is that I liked their music and can't wait to see them live so that I form a well-rounded opinion. I'm just glad to know that original music from talented people is still being produced back home!

Hmmm.... I think I'm getting good at this alternative reviewing thing! So, what are your thoughts on the featured band then?
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Image credits:
http://www.innovatrs.com/

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Review of Rammstein (Made in Germany 1995-2011 Tour 2012)

Review of Rammstein (Made in Germany 1995-2011 Tour 2012, The Capital FM Arena, Nottingham, UK):

Venue: Small arena, good acoustics, and very good seating 9/10

Quality: What is there to say, Rammstein are pure quality 10/10

Passion: The show itself shows how much these guys love what they do 10/10

Running Time: Good 2 hours set for the show offered 9.5/10

Set List: All one would expect were played (Mein Teil, Du Hast, Amerika, Ich Will, Engel etc) 10/10

Crowd: Good but not good enough, I guess everyone was stunned by the show 7.5/10

Show: Unbelievable! I have never seen so much pyro, stage equipment, and leather pants in a single gig before. Show included: moving stage, fire, smaller centre stage, fire cauldron, fire, sparks shower, fire, bow, fire, moving penis, fire, wings, fire, wearable penis, fire, propellers, fire, boat, and did I mention fire? 100/10

Overall Experience: Everybody needs to experience at least one Rammstein show in their lives. As many have said before, it is a great value for money and at the end we were left wondering if they actually make money out of their gigs considering ticket prices. Oh well, the important thing is "Zee Krazy Germans" did it again! 10/10

Videos can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF0B5807D75D72CB5&feature=view_all
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Ozzy: Rock Legend or Just a (Old) Man?

I have just watched the documentary "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" which was apparently directed by his son Jack Osbourne. It has been characterised from monumental to insightful and generally received good reviews.

While watching it, I couldn't help but feel proud of myself for choosing to (still) listen to and admire such great rock legends as Ozzy, Lemmy, Keith Richards and many others. I don't know what it is about, but I have realised through the years what all heavy metal documentaries portray as the "heavy metal family" pride (well sort of). I mean, if somebody asked me, after watching the documentary with me, what I found fascinating and remarkable about the story and the rock legend in question, I would honestly go mad! Especially if they started arguing with me about the standard clichés of drug addiction in Rock N' Roll. Really, you can't see it?!

Still! Despite me going me(n)tal toward an unsuspecting bystander with probably a more objective critical view on things (and probably a keen interest in the "oh-so-mainstream-and-fashionable-pop-music" as well.....come on, you know I can't help it!), I kind of see it. I see IT! I see the great Ozzy Osbourne pissed by drugs and alcohol, a walking zombie and can't stop questioning my judgement. Are these the people I wish to call my "idols"?

(And just about now, all metal fans reading this would want to kick me in the head! But bear with me and my long train of thoughts!)

This epiphany surprised me and my overly critical mind which is narrow in terms of music. Although I hate drugs and generally whatever alters what it is a shitty yet beautiful reality, I can't just abandon my "metal family"! Mr. Osbourne was presented as a regretful rock legend, family man, human being.

And here comes my big Eureka moment! Ozzy Osbourne is actually an old man. Isn't he? Of course he is the Prince of Darkness, the Voice, the father of metal etc etc. But he is an old man. He's been a naive teenager, with low self-esteem, with family and personal issues, could not handle fame and fortune, a dysfunctional human being throughout his lifetime... Just like all of us?

My psychological background taught me that different people cope through different adaptive or maladaptive ways. He chose the second. And apparently he is still alive for some strange reason (genetics mostly!). He is portrayed as a winner, someone you should admire because he survived and is now sober. As soon as my other critical self turned to ask me (the musically narrow-minded self) "so what? there are lots of non-famous people out there overcoming the same issues" I nearly kicked me (my critical self) in the head too!

Sure there are people out there deserving great admiration. On the other hand, rock legends are ought to be happy and grateful right? They are wealthy and better off than a "normal" person. Not quite. Rock legends were led to believe they had money, led to believe they owned their music and the reasons for the ones that actually do have money are stupendous deals such as the Osbourne family reality show (something I wish not to get into!). My point is, Heavy Metal doesn't give the wealth that pop "music" provides it's puppies with.

I, therefore, feel proud to say I admire Mr. Osbourne and the gang. Because my dear friends, Ozzy and the gang are  just old men. Old men who overcame their maladaptive behaviours while still managing to work, while still creating rock history, while still entertaining with (a)live shows, all under the public eye, as openly and as honestly as they could, only to become the legends they are (and deserve to be) today. And the great thing is that they are still alive to tell their story!
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Image credits:
http://metal-army.com/
http://www.rockpic.net

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