Equinox - Auf Wiedersehen (Live 1989)

Backstreet Girls - Live @ Øvingshotellet, Oslo 18.09.2009

More videos from this show HERE!

Hori Smoku - Sailor Jerry

Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry is a feature length documentary exploring the roots of American tattooing through the life of its most iconoclastic figure, Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins. Considered by many the foremost tattoo artist of all time, Collins is the father of modern day tattooing, whose uncompromising lifestyle and larger than life persona made him an American legend. Through rare interviews, photographs and hours of archival footage, Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry: The Life and Times of Norman Keith Collins, explores the past, present and future of the global tattooing phenomenon.
Based in Honolulu for most of his career, Sailor Jerry would come to symbolize the masculine ethos of a time when thousands of enlisted men were embanked in Hawaii, during World War II. Miles from home, ready to die, and fueled by devil-may care attitudes, these men went on shore leave with a single purpose in mind: to get "Stewed, Screwed and Tattooed."
Jerry marked these men with what would come to symbolize a new style of American folk art; tattoos that blended traditional elements of continental motifs with the finesse, shading, and artistic nuance of the Japanese tattoo masters, known as horis. Borne from his own years of travel on the high seas, Jerry synthesized the best of East and West and created a dynamic, spectacular new art form by introducing an array of his own advancements into tattooing, from color creation and machine building to the introduction of sterilization. Permanently etched on the bodies of the hundreds of men who passed through his Honolulu parlor, his work tells of war and heartache with a dedication to style, craft, and detail that would make 'Sailor Jerry’ one of the most influential, if little recognized, American folk artists of the 20th Century.
A man of many faces, Jerry was an intelligent, dark humored prankster with a fiercely independent mind. A pitiless, right wing, social libertarian, Jerry believed in freedom with a capital 'F' as symbolized by the secretive, closed world of back alley tattooing - or as he put it, "the ultimate rebellion against the squares."
In this film, the first of its kind, Sailor Jerry’s story and mystique is explored in depth through interviews with his peers and those he influenced, like protégées Don Ed Hardy and Mike Malone. Through their stories and shared memories, a dynamic tale is woven that chronicles the story of a great American artist whose work has never been displayed in museums, but on the bodies of those brave and fortunate enough to serve as Jerry’s canvas.



Hori Smoku / Sailor Jerry / Sailor Jerry @ Wikipedia

Joddski - Laisa det opp (2009)

Bad Religion - Live & Acoustic @ KROQ (2008)

Bad Religion / KROQ

VA - Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Here's the long out of print soundtrack to the amazing movie "Smokey and the Bandit" from 1977 - one of my favorite childhood flicks.
"The theme music "Eastbound and Down" (A.K.A. "Westbound and Down") was sung by Jerry Reed. The song was written by Jerry Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. It became Reed's signature song and is found on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed: Live Still. In 1991 it was arranged for orchestra by Crafton Beck and recorded by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for their album "Down on the Farm".
"Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. It inspired several other trucking films, including two sequels, Smokey and the Bandit II (originally known as Smokey and the Bandit Ride Again in the U.K.), and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3. There were also a series of 1994 television movies (Bandit Goes Country, Bandit Bandit, Beauty and the Bandit and Bandit's Silver Angel) from original director/writer Hal Needham loosely based on the earlier version, with Emmy-winning actor Brian Bloom now playing Bandit. The three original movies introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am (while the TV-movie version drives the Dodge Stealth). The film was the second highest grossing film of 1977, beaten only by Star Wars".
Source: Wikipedia

Tracklist: 1. The Legend, 2. CB Dialogue #1, 3. West Bound and Down, 4. Foxy Lady, 5. CB Dialogue #2, 6. Orange Blossom Special, 7. The Bandit, 8. March of the Rednecks, 9. If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry, 10. East Bound and Down, 11. The Bandit, 12. And the Fight Played On!, 13. Ma Cousin Plays Steel, 14. Hot Pants Fuzz Parade, 15. CB Dialogue #3, 16. The Bandit (Reprise).
Download (81 Mb): Megaupload

Smokey and the Bandit @ Wikipedia / Smokey and the Bandit @ IMDB

Mötley Crüe - Looks That Kill (1984)

One of the first music videos I can remember seeing - and to this day both my favorite video and one of my all time favorite hair metal bands!

Mastodon & Thin Lizzy - Emerald (2009)

Mastodon's Bill Kelliher & Brent Hinds performs the amazing 'Emerald' with Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham at Gibson Studios, London UK.

I NEED THAT RECORD!!!

"I Need That Record" is a documentary feature examining why over 3000 independent record stores have closed across the U.S. in the past decade. Are they going to die off? Will they survive?
Since the 1890s the record store was THE place to go for prerecorded music, but today the way we access and consume music has been redefined by technology. Ecommerce, iTunes, the iPod, P2P networks, music blogs, and social networking sites have all had a profound impact on the way we access music and on the state of the independent record store. Downloading and pirating seem to be the easy answers to the chaotic state of the music industry, but higher powers like major labels, big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy etc.), and corporate owned FM radio are also shaking things up.
The music industry has always been a unique marriage of art and commerce, but today commerce has proved to be the ultimate influence. Rather than develop great acts, embrace new technology, offer affordable products; the major labels are more concerned with turning the clocks back to preserve old business models - with only one thing in mind - THE BOTTOM LINE.
Keep the full paid expense accounts and 7 figure incomes. Keep suing fans. Keep shoving bland music down people's throats that will sell x amounts. Keep producing homogenized radio programs that play the same 50 songs. Keep supporting big box businesses that could care less about music; businesses that sell music below list price. Keep screwing the consumers and retailers who love and care about good captivating music. Squash new ideas, new innovations, and new possibilities as the future of recorded music, a commodity that supports the artist, vanishes.
While it would appear that the internet is the new force for musical discovery and delivery independent record stores have been, and still are a strong force on the musical experience.
Record stores serve as important community spaces that provide foundations for new musical and artistic scenes and movements, a place where unique under the radar bands have been continuously supported, a place where the underground can thrive, a place where independent thought is encouraged and challenged, a place where people of different ages, races, and taste can mix and mingle face to face.
Unlike the internet, physical stores are a real place, with real people, where community is formed and supported. Not just record stores, but original mom and pop main street stores are all in a fight to stay alive. Independent businesses are hubs for new jobs, new innovations, and creative thought.
Over the past ten years it has become increasingly harder to compete with big chain businesses that have big money and Congress protecting them. The rich and powerful in business and government have thrown a wrench in the wheels of progress. American culture has become more isolated and atomized as a result of homogenous culture and thought. Businesses and establishments that make different parts of America distinct from one another are disappearing. In order to save community, ourselves, and our world what we need are independent creative places where new ideas and thought can be nurtured. Not more of the same...
Through found footage, expository voice over, talking head interviews with artists, musicians, retail owners, and animation "I Need That Record" will tell the story of our connection to independent record stores and the importance of independent thought and culture. What happened to the stores and what will the future bring...

Some interviews include: Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Ian Mackaye of Dischord Records Fugazi/Minor Threat/Teen Idles, Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers, Chris Frantz of the Talking Heads, Pat Carney of the Black Keys, Mike Watt of the Minutemen/reunited Stooges, Noam Chomsky, guitar composer Glenn Branca, punk author Legs McNeil, rock photographer Bob Gruen, Bryan Poole guitarist of Of Montreal, Numero Records, Rhino Records, Bloodshot Records, United Record Press (the largest vinyl plant in the U.S.), and many many many indie stores across the U.S. (NYC, Boston, DC, Cleveland, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago, Minneapolis, Memphis, Nashville, L.A.).

I Need That Record Blog

The Runaways - School Days (1978)

The Runaways performing their hit song "School Days" live at a German TV show in 1978.

The Loudness War

The phrase loudness war (or loudness race) refers to the music industry's tendency to record, produce and broadcast music at progressively increasing levels of loudness to create a sound that stands out from others. This phenomenon can be observed in many areas of the music industry, particularly broadcasting and albums released on CD and DVD. In the case of CDs, the war stems from a desire to create CDs that sound as loud as possible or louder than CDs from competing artists or recording labels.
However, as the maximum amplitude of a CD cannot be increased, the overall loudness can only be increased by reducing the dynamic range and distorting or clipping the waveform of the recording.
Initially, a loudness war started between FM stations competing for listener ratings. Subsequently, record labels began increasing the loudness of their releases, both on vinyl and on CD, resulting in a volume "arms race". The main reason for this practice is that when comparing two recordings with different levels, it is likely that the louder one will be regarded as sounding better. This can be attributed to the way in which the human ear responds to sound pressure at different levels: as our ability to respond to sound frequencies change according to differences in sound pressure level (SPL), the more the SPL increases, the greater the amount of low and high frequency content we perceive. Music with higher levels is easily heard and understood in noisy environments such as: riding a car, a train, or walking on a busy city street. Higher levels can also result in subjectively better sounding recordings on low quality reproduction systems such as: web audio formats, AM radio, mono television and telephones. Compounding this loudness problem is the fact that artists are more inclined to request that their mastered CDs match the loudness level of top contemporary CDs.
Apart from audiophiles and hi-fi enthusiasts, this practice has been condemned by several recording industry professionals including Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Doug Sax, engineer Geoff Emerick (noted for his work with The Beatles from Revolver to Abbey Road), and many others. Even Bob Dylan has condemned the practice, saying "You listen to these modern records, they’re atrocious, they have sound all over them. There’s no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like – static."
If a CD is broadcast by a radio station, the station will apply its own signal processing, which further reduces the dynamic range of the broadcast material to closely match levels of absolute amplitude, regardless of the original record loudness.
Opponents have also called for immediate changes in the music industry regarding the level of loudness. In August 2006, the vice-president of A&R for One Haven Music, a Sony Music company, in an open letter decrying the "loudness wars" claimed that mastering engineers are being forced against their will or are preemptively making releases louder in order to get the attention of industry heads. Some music bands are being petitioned to re-release CDs with less distortion. This may indicate a general public discontent to this practice, and a call to put an end to the "Loudness War".
Source: Wikipedia

More on the subject:
What Happened to Dynamic Range?
Dynamics & Dynamic Range
Everything Louder Than Everything Else
How CDs Are Remastering the Art of Noise
The Loudness War
Loudness

Rock Band: Probably the best game in the World!

3 Inches of Blood - Goatriders Horde (Sneek Peek)

Mr. Speed & Ace Frehley - Shock Me (2007)

Ace Frehley performing his signature song 'Shock Me' with Kiss tribute band Mr. Speed at the first anniversary party of the Kiss Coffeehouse at Myrtle Beach on June 16th. Ace is the king of rock!

Turbonegro - Do You Do You Dig Destruction

The brand spankin' new video from the Norway's deathpunk heroes Turbonegro!

Bad Religion - Webisode #1

Epitaph has released a new video from the 'New Maps of Hell' recording sessions - the video is also available for download HERE.

How It's Made: Vinyl Records

A nice little documentary from the Discovery Channel on how vinyl records are made.

The Runaways - Wasted (1977)

The Runaways performing the song 'Wasted' of their third album 'Waiting For Tonight' on BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977.

Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80's Trailer (2007)

This is gonna be one amazing summer!

Marilyn Manson - Heart-Shaped Glasses

The extended version of the new - and slightly explicit - Marilyn Manson video, Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand).