The Best I Can - Queensryche

Reading "an exercise of imagination" on "living life, step by step" about a single option left, this being "to be your best version of self, today", my mind went to Queensryche's Best I Can (album: Empire).

I won't be torn between

The man in the chair

And the man that's in my dream

I'm going to melt the two men into one

I won't let go, gotta make the grade I set

No, I won't let it go

To be the best man,

the best man that I can

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/queensryche/bestican.html

Mitzi. Mitzi Dupree

Mitzi is the name of a friend's cat. Hearing this name I thought I should find out the meaning of Mitzi Dupree, one of the song from a famous classic rock band: Deep Purple! After searching the web for it, well, nothing special came out about it. So, all it's left to do is just to enjoy the song as it is, without thinking about some hidden meanings! And, by the way, "It has no connection with China!"

Well, if you are searching the web for "The House of Blue Lights" instead of "The House of Blue Light", you'll find quite a story, a scary tale!

Even today, though it has been many years since the “House” has been torn down, there is tremendous interest in it.

The House of Blue Lights 

Artist: Deep Purple
Album: The House of Blue Light
Song: Mitzi Dupree

Writers: Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan
Copyright: Miracle Prestige International Limited, Blackmore Music

Creep

Many years passed since I heard for the first time Radiohead's Creep. Recently, while listening to some of Clint Mansell's original soundtracks, I've recognized the lyrics. Yes, they were the lyrics from Creep.

You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
. . .
She's running out again
She's running out
She's run run run run

Creep lyrics on Genius.com

Radiohead emerged from the shadow of Britpop with a sound that was moody, melodic and explosive, with roots planted firmly in both alternative culture and the art-rock legacy of such classic rockers as Pink Floyd.

Radiohead on Genius.com

Of Clint Mansell I've heard for the first time after watching The Fountain, directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Mansell's version of Creep is performed along with Coco Sumner.



About the time Radiohead was launching Creep, I used to listen to a Serbian radio station from Novi Sad, called Radio Stotka (100.00 MHz FM). There was a show where two versions of the same song were presented side by side. The listeners of the station had the opportunity to cast their votes in order to decide which version is better: the original one, or the remake? Most of the times, the verdict was:

Uvek je bolje original!(The original is always better!)

I don't really perceive Mansell's version as a remake. It is rather the interpretation of Creep with another state of mind and heart, rather than a different pitch or style (like from pop to rock, or from folk to metal).

According to Thom Yorke, “Creep” tells the tale of an inebriated man who tries to get the attention of a woman to whom he is attracted by following her around. In the end, he lacks the self-confidence to face her and feels he subconsciously is her.

Read more here.

Is Mansell's your fave version, or do you think that the original beats its rival?

Either way, enjoy the song of your choice!

Shroud of False

We are just a moment in time,

A blink of an eye,

A dream for the blind,

Visions from a dying brain.

I hope you don't understand.

Song: Shroud of False

Band: Anathema

Album: alternative 4

The album title refers to the "Alternative 3" television programme and book. In interviews, the band mentioned they found "Alternative 3" too depressing so they came up with "Alternative 4", which is the album concept.

Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives 

Soldier of Fortune

I've watched this clip of Soldier of Fortune a couple of years ago, and right now I am listening to it again. Back then I liked the nail clip idea, and now, after a few conversations on Ibanez guitars with a guitarist friend, I've noticed that the one in this clip is made by this manufacturer.



Music: Deep Purple
Album: Stormbringer (1974)
Song: Soldier of Fortune
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Lyrics:

I have often told you stories

About the way

I lived the life of a drifter

Waiting for the day

When I'd take your hand

And sing you songs

Then maybe you would say

Come lay with me love me

And I would surely stay

But I feel I'm growing older

And the songs that I have sung

Echo in the distance

Like the sound

Of a windmill goin' 'round

I guess I'll always be

A soldier of fortune

Many times I've been a traveller

I looked for something new

In days of old

When nights were cold

I wandered without you

But those days I thougt my eyes

Had seen you standing near

Though blindness is confusing

It shows that you're not here

Now I feel I'm growing older

And the songs that I have sung

Echo in the distance

Like the sound

Of a windmill goin' 'round

I guess I'll always be

A soldier of fortune

Yes, I can hear the sound

Of a windmill goin' 'round

I guess I'll always be

A soldier of fortune

Paranoid in the Sky

On a sunny summer day, the clouds surrounded the city, showing their power. Their shape reminded me of Paranoid's album cover (Black Sabbath). Well, it is not a perfect copy, yet the sword is there in the sky!

(c) Mihai Midus 2015

(c) Warner Bros., 1970

Metal Fans Are Brainier!

Speaking of the band mentioned in my previous post, my teenage daughter just sent me a link to the article mentioned below. Here's a quote:

It's not the students who love Radiohead that are likely to be the brainiest in their University but the kid down the hall with the Tool t-shirt and a fixation with the floor.

The Guardian > Why metal fans are brainier 

tool

Listening to various tool tracks on You Tube, I came across Forty Six & Two, amazingly performed by school kids!

Enjoy!



Do you want to see if there's any difference between this and the original tool version? Well, then check it out!

Love Song, AC - DC

Love Song, is some sort of a lost gem of the ones from AC-DC.
It starts with a fast paced rhythm, sending your mind to the AC-DC that you already know. Then the pace is dropping down to an actual love song. And the lyrics are perfect!
Enjoy!

I can tell by the look in your eye
I can tell by the way you sigh
That you know I've been thinking of you
And you know what I want to do

Oh, Jean!

When you smile I see stars in the sky
When you smile I see sunrise
And I know you've been thinking of me
And I know how you want it to be

Oh, Jean!

I can tell by the things you say
I can tell that you know the way
And I know what you want me to do
Oh, I've got hearts and flowers for you

If you leave me you'll make me cry
When I think of you saying good bye
Oh the sky turns to a deeper blue
That's - that's how I'd feel if I lost you

Oh, Jean!

When A Blind Man Cries - DEEP PURPLE

If you're leaving, close the door

I'm not expecting people, anymore

Here me grieving, lying on the floor

Whether I'm drunk or dead, I really ain't too sure

I'm a blind man

I'm a blind man

And my world is pale

When a blind man cries

Lord, you know

There ain't a sadder tale

Had a friend once, in a room

Had a good time, but it ended much too soon

In a cold month, in that room

We found a reason, for the things we had to do

I'm a blind man

I'm a blind man

Now my room is cold

When a blind man cries

Lord, you know

He feels it from his soul

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/deeppurple/whenablindmancries.html

DEEP PURPLE | Official Site

Leb i Sol

Once upon a time in Jugoslavija (Yugoslavia), now Macedonia (also named FYROM - Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia), was a band named Leb i Sol (Bread and Salt).

As Romanians (the lucky ones living near the RO-YU border), until the early 1990's, we were listening to YU rock music, no matter from which republic the band came from. After the wars that decimated Yugoslavia (and the borders are still in dispute now in 2014 - see Kosovo), each band states its republic of origin... Politics affects everyone's life, and life includes music!

LEB I SOL is an expression which symbolizes traditional hospitality.

Latest news on their official website dates back to 2008.

KEEP ON ROCKING, no matter where you are!

Riders on the Storm

I was listening to this masterpiece once again, and I've remembered Ray Manzarek's story of the Riders on the Storm!
Below the song and the story, there are a few lightnings shot during the last storm nearby my town.
There's also a post on this blog about The Doors - the Oliver Stone movie. You might want to take a look!

Rest in Peace, Jim Morrison!

Rest in Peace, Ray Manzarek!

The official site of Robby Krieger.

John Densmore - his website.

Iced Earth - Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade, Serbia was on Iced Earth Tour list on the 4th of February, 2014.

Because there was a must do event on my schedule the previous day some 100 Miles away in the neighboring country, I couldn't buy the ticket in advance. I was lucky enough to reach Belgrade at noon right on the day of the concert. The first thing that I've had to do was to go to the booked apartment in order to park my car (if you think you will find a parking place in the very heart of Belgrade, well, you are a dreamer, like Ozzy!).

With my car parked, the very next stop was Dom Omladine Beograd (Youth Center in Belgrade) in order to check for tickets availability. Yes, the tickets were available, but the payment had to be done in RSD (Dinars). There are exchange offices (menjačnica) at every corner, and there was one right across the street. Money changed, ticket bought... and some seven hours to spend in Belgrade until the concert will begin!

Being the appropriate hour for shopping, and Knez Mihailova street at a rock throw (two corners towards West), a shopping session was about to begin, but this is not a topic for this blog.

I left the room of the apartment (Apartments Skadarlija) at 7 PM sharp in order to be there among the first to enter the show, because the tickets had no printed place numbers. According to the time printed on the ticket, the show was about to begin at 8 PM.

There were just a bunch of metal fans. According to my previous Belgrade experience (Ozzy and Friends), and other rock and metal concerts in Europe, it was curious for me to encounter such a few number fans.

They were few in number but the look in their eyes told all who beheld them that they would leave this day only in victory or death. Warriors Prayer - ManOwaR

Around 7:20 PM the tickets were checked, and we entered from the entrance hall towards another one at the next floor, the one adjacent to the concert hall. This has been probably chosen according to the low number of sold tickets (I don't think that more than 350-400 metal fans attended the show).

Lights for metal sounds

The stage is ready

At 8 o'clock sharp, a guitar sound announced that the show is about to begin. Elm Street from Melbourne, Australia, entered and entertained us with their heavy metal sound, Barbed Wire Metal being the album promoted at this concert.

Elm Street

Elm Street

Ladies and gentlemen! From Los Angeles, California: Waaaarrrbringeeerr!!!
Warbringer (warning: the website automatically starts an audio player!) was the second opening band, and their sound positively impressed me!

Warbringer

Warbringer

Warbringer

Not to mention that now I am the metal fan owner of a concert ticket signed by John Kevill!

With the autograph of John Kevill (upper left)

With John Kevill

The stage is now prepared for the ones we came here for: ICED EARTH.

Performing the settings

Waiting for ICED EARTH:
ICED EARTH! ICED EARTH! ICED EARTH!

They have played songs from their last album, Plagues of Babylon, and also from their older albums, among them Dystopia and The Dark Saga.

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

ICED EARTH

The song Watching Over Me must be mentioned here due to its strong emotional burden.

The name Iced Earth was suggested to Jon Schaffer by his best friend Bill Blackmon, who later died in a motorcycle accident. The song 'Watching Over Me' is dedicated to him.

http://www.metalstorm.net/bands/trivia.php?band_id=2&bandname=Iced+Earth

Speaking of John Schaffer, here's one of my posts about Demons and Wizards, the power metal band formed by Schaffer along with Hansi Kürsch from Blind Guardian.

I was very pleased of the performance of the opening bands, Elm Street, and Warbringer. I am looking forward for their evolution!

As about ICED EARTH... 

We stand tall with pure defiance

[...]

Standing tall with those who truly are aware 

We survived, is it really over?

The End? - Plagues of Babylon, ICED EARTH

Resolution

Today I received the following message within an email:

Hi! I see you like metal, I think it will be interesting for you)))

So I gave it (the link) a chance. I was stunned by the powerful sound, and the performance of the artist. The song was a cover of Emigrate's Resolution, and the name of the artist is Roman Varashev.

Below are both the original and its cover. Enjoy! I really did!

A Circus Full of Freaks and Clowns

You have to see the world for what it is:

a circus full of freaks and clowns

and you'll never please everybody,

it's a well established fact',

he said, 'I recommend a fifth of Jack

and a bottle of Prozac.'

ProzaKc Blues - King Crimson