I have returned

If anyone's out there...still paying attention to my website...I am back.

Man, this site needs to be changed, updated, and possibly even discontinued.  I will work on this later.

You may recall that I have departed for a mission.  This mission, for the Lord and His Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was the most wonderful experience of my life.  I had a hard time leaving my area in California.  I'd LOVE to share some of the experiences I had with anyone who would like to hear.

There is nothing that I would rather have been doing.  Now that I have returned, I am just beginning to lay down the foundation for the rest of my life.  During the two years, I used no forms of media entertainment...but I experience so much peace and happiness without those while serving the Lord that I would trade for nothing else.  Fittingly, the first song I listened to at home was "Show Me The Way," by Styx.  For the past two years, I have been showing people the way, and there was no greater satisfaction.

A couple things I will say:

1. Anyone who believes in the "Holy Trinity" needs to seriously, honestly, and prayerfully study the Bible.

2. Hwy. 101 between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo is the sweetest drive.

3. I am probably quite a bit different than I was before I left.

This is it.  I’m leaving for Utah today for the MTC…and then I’ll be in California in 3 weeks.  Well, xanga has been fun.   It’s always great to see other people out there, in a world so full of horrible music trends (i. e. emo, rap, etc.), that have actual good taste in music, and listen to the legendary, talented bands. 

Good-bye xanga!

LOL!  This has to be the greatest idea I have seen in a long time.  Here is a concept myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/ohsototallyemo.  But it's not supporting emo.  You see, this genius made the site, writing stuff like "hobbies:  cutting my wrist, crying," and all the emo bands, and "emo rules!!1!!!1!!1111"  He joined all the emo groups and soo many emo kids have added him as a friend already.

The funny thing is...they are walking right in to a trap.  It's pretty pathetic how all the emo kids look the EXACT SAME.  Seriously, look at the friends.  They all have the same awful hairstyles and same clothes.  Yet the emo kids do not realize that as soon as he gets a ton of people to add him on myspace, HE'S GOING TO START POSTING ABOUT HOW MUCH EMO SUCKS!  He is totally going to make posts and bulletins making fun of emo, for all the kids to see.

Haha!  Truly a genius idea.  Go there and witness the DEMISE of emo!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since I’ll be gone for two years, I can only wonder what I’ll be missing…in music, but especially, in sports.  So I’ll make a few predictions:

 ~Super Bowl:  Eagles vs. Chargers.  Eagles Win.  (Hey I was EXACTLY right last year with the Patriots vs. Eagles)

-The 49ers will finish 9-7.  Alex Smith will be rookie of the year.  The year after this year, they will make the playoffs, and Alex Smith will begin a dynasty!  Haha.  Alex Smith is the next Steve Young!!

 ~National Championship, College Football:  USC vs. Michigan.  USC wins.  Other schools in the BCS Bowls:  Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, or LSU.  Pick 6 out of those 7.

-A&M will lose only one game, and that will be to OU.  They WILL beat Texas this year.  They might make a BCS Bowl, but atleast the Cotton Bowl.  Reggie McNeal for Heisman!  I wish.  He will finish Top 5 in voting though.

 ~World Series:  Braves vs. Red Sox.  Braves win in 7.  YEAH!

 ~World Cup 2006:  Germany vs. Brazil in the finals, a re-match.  Germany wins this time.  Spain and England will get to the semi-finals.  

-USA will get to the quarter-finals.

In music, Metallica will come back with a new, better album.  I think it would be like “The Black Album 2.”  It will have ballads, and some rockin’ metal, and Robert Trujillo will get his input, which will be good.  It will be like a mix of the Black Album and Garage Inc.

I suppose I’ll leave comments up, but I’m not sure if I’ll get back on to check them before I head out.  I hope xanga does not shut down my site!  It better be back when I come.  Anyway, comments are up so that more people can come to my site and tell me how awesome it is.  EDIT-everyone leave me subscribed to you!  I'll be back.  Lol.

Peace.

Currently Listening Powerslave By Iron Maiden Aces High see related

Mood:  Kinda sad!

Running, scrambling, flying.  Rolling, turning, diving, going in again.  ^This album rules.

I’ve been getting a lot of hugs and saying good-byes.  Things I'm going to miss for the next two years:

~~Best friends

~~Other friends

~~Metallica

~~other excellent bands

~~driving around on Houston freeways

~~my wavy, curly hair

~~road trips for work

~~hanging out

~~dating/girls/etc.

~~internet/xanga/AIM

~~school........just kidding...

I am leaving Friday.  Yeah.  Friday morning. So…California!!!  What awaits me in California?  I guess it's funny how this summer I've developed a strong disliking of extreme liberalists, and it's ironic that I will be in California for two years, which is the hub of liberal activity, is it not?

~~~~~~~MUSICIAN'S CORNER~~~~~~~~

Final musician's corner.  I've saved the best for last.

Best ROCK drummers ever!  (Rock only.  Guys like Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Jojo Mayer, and Ignacio Berroroa are drumming gods, we know, but just rock drummers.)

1. Steve Smith--Journey '78-'86, many others.  (Most technically proficient drummer ever.  Has the absolutely hardest beats ever, and some of the SICKEST fills I've ever heard in my life.  He can do it all--the perfect combination of speed, technique, style, and overall ability.)

2. Neil Peart--Rush (unbelievably fast and has some great style and technique.  One of the best songwriting drummers ever).

3. Aynsley Dunbar--Frank Zappa, old progressive jazz rock Journey, many others. (Hands down, THE fastest drummer ever.  Check out his work with Journey--"Kohoutek," "Nickel and Dime," and "Cookie Duster” and BE AMAZED at the unbelievable speed on his hi-hat beats and stunning single-bass drum footwork.)

4. Mike Portnoy--Dream Theater.  (Umm...yeah.  Ever listen to Dream Theater?)

5. Jeff Porcaro--Toto (Uses a practically impossible right-handed shuffle-groove technique.  No drummer has better touch and style).

6. Dave Lombardo--Slayer (Best metal drummer, so freaking fast).

7. John Bonham--Led Zeppelin (Incredible touch and there is no other drummer like him.  "Achilles Last Stand" is one of THE hardest songs to play on drums ever, your right arm will fall off if you even TRY.  Also, displays EXCELLENT touch on "I'm Gonna Crawl". Excellent single-bass footwork as well)

 8. Sean Kinney--Alice In Chains (Excellent combination of speed and technique.  The intro to "No Excuses" is unbelievable.)

9. Lars Ulrich--Metallica (Best songwriting drummer ever.  His drumming is very unpredictable, and it does more for the music than any one elses.  Unbelievably fast double-bass work, kicks butt on "Trapped Under Ice," "Motorbreath," and others.  The "...And Justice For All" album is one of the best drumming albums ever. Excelllent at interplay with guitars.  Also, during the 90s, especially on Load, Re-Load, and Garage Inc., he displays incredible touch and style, especially on "Until It Sleeps."  There is no drummer like him.)

10. John Dalomayan--System of a Down (Would be higher if he had been around longer.  Unbelievably speed, especially on the hi-hat.  Also has some great style and some VERY hard beats to play).

Others you could make a case for: Danny Carey (Tool), John Panozzo (Styx’s original dummer), Tre Cool (Green Day, despite their music.  In the old Green Day he is incredible), Clive Burr (Iron Maiden’s original drummer), Alex Van Halen, Todd Sucherman (Styx’s current drummer), Simon Phillips (Toto, Porcaro's replacement), and Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden).

EDIT:  (Sighs).  If ANYONE knows Steve Smith, Aynsley Dunbar, and/or Jeff Porcaro I will LOVE YOU forever.

Currently Listening A Change of Seasons By Dream Theater Funeral For a Friend--Love Lies Bleeding see related

Hey I must elaborate again on how much of an influential person I am.  I have seen atleast 6 other music devotionals on other xangas, all after I started mine.  Lol, it's ok though.  Some say they didn't "steal" my idea, "I inspired them."  And even a couple people label it "Musician's Corner" too.  Everyone do this and put it in your own xangas:

My music Taste

Do you like:
Emo?  NO!
Punk?  The poser-punk “hip” stuff?  NO.  The old, rebel, anti-everything, B/S punk?  NO.  All punk sucks.
Rock?  Yeahyah!!
Metal?  Most metal, except nu-metal (which isn’t even metal)
Death Metal?  Eh, not so much.  Haven’t heard much but what I have is too heavy for my taste.
Country?  nope
Classical?  yes

Classic Rock?  Heck yeah
Pop? Haha, no
R & B?  nope
Rap?  Rather die
Techno?  No!!!!!!!!!

Jazz? yes
Blue Grass?  Not really but I can stand it
Album Art (covers) -…what?  Covers?  If they do a good job yeah.
music Video – haven’t seen a lot of music videos, but Metallica’s King Nothing OWNS

Hmm…I’ll just do favorite 5 on these, there’s just too many great musicians that I listen to:

~Bass Player – Steve Harris(Iron Maiden), Cliff Burton(Metallica ’82-’86), Dave Ellefson (Megadeth), Duff McKagan (Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver), Jason Newsted (Metallica ’86-’01)
~Guitar Player – Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Eddie Van Halen, Neal Schon (Journey), Randy Rhoads (Ozzy ’80-’82), Carlos Santana
~Drummer – Steve Smith (ex-Journey ’79-’86, many others), Aynsley Dunbar (ex-Frank Zappa, ex-Journey ’74-’79, many others), Neil Peart (Rush), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Alex Van Halen
~Keyboard Player –Not really into many keyboard players, but Dennis DeYoung (Styx) is cool, Steve Porcaro (Toto) is amazing, I suppose. Jordan Ruddess (Dream Theater) is excellent.

~Classic rock band: Van Halen.  Others include Journey, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith.
~80s Metal band- uhh, Metallica?  Others include Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N Roses, Megadeth.

~90s Grunge band –Alice In Chains is the only great grunge band.

Favorite:

Band –Metallica (everything pre-St. Anger rules)

Song – Metallica—To Live Is To Die

vs.
KoRn vs SlipKnot - uhh....neither?  Korn I used to like unfortunately.
The Ramones vs Clash - neither, punk sucks remember?  The Ramones are on of the worst bands ever.
Metallica vs Megadeth – Metallica!!
Led Zeppelin vs Ac/DC – Led Zeppelin!!!  (Ac/dc is the most overrated band ever)
Slayer vs Dimmu Borgir – Slayer I’d choose because of Dave Lombardo…who is Dimmu Borgir??
Rush vs Dream Theater – O, my. Tough. Rush wins because they’ve been around longer.
50 Cent vs Usher - HAHAHAHA
britney spears vs Christina A. – who I’d rather make out with?  Don’t ask me to judge their “music.”  Well, actually Christina CAN sing.
Alice in Chains vs Nirvana –Alice In Chains!  (Nirvana’s overrated)
Eminem vs D12 - no thanks
Tenacious D vs Weird Al – Weird Al

Guns N Roses vs Motley Crue—love them both, but G N R wins, they’re more diverse.
Queens of the Stone Age vs Foo Fighters – they sound a lot alike.  Umm…a tie.  Both are decent.
Pink Floyd vs The Doors –Pink Floyd is decent, as opposed to The overrated and boring Doors
Ozzy Osbourne solo vs. Black Sabbath with him – Ozzy solo.  Zakk Wylde and Randy Rhoads!!!!  Though, I do love Toni Iommi, just not as much.

(I made a couple changes to the original, some of the questions kept talking about the same, crappy genres)

~~~~~~~~~MUSICIAN’S CORNER~~~~~~~~~~~

Singers awards:

With so many singers sounding so different, I found a way to best give them recognition (done in no particular order):

~~Nicest voice:  Dennis DeYoung(Styx vocalist/keyboardist), Freddie Mercury(Queen), Joseph Williams(ex-Toto ’86-‘88), Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), Steve Lukather (Toto guitarist/vocalist), Steve Perry(Journey), Tommy Shaw(Styx guitarist/vocalist), Brandon Boyd (Incubus),

~~Masters of the high notes:  Steve Perry(Journey), Steve Tyler(Aerosmith), David Coverdale(Whitesnake), Bruce Dickinson(Iron Maiden), Sammy Hagar(Van Halen ’85-’95, 2004-present), Rob Halford (Judas Priest)

~~Best ROCKERS: Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Kevin DuBrow (Quiet Riot), David Lee Roth (Van Halen ’78-’85), Serj Tankian (System of a Down), James Hetfield (Metallica), Klaus Meine (Scorpions), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park, despite their music), Kip Winger

~~Most passionate/powerful: Sammy Hagar(Van Halen ’85-’95, 2004-present), James LaBrie (Dream Theater), David Coverdale (Whitesnake), Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Dickinson(Iron Maiden), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Brad Maynard (Tool, A Perfect Circle, despite their music)

~~Most distinct: Steve Perry (Journey), James Hetfield (Metallica), David Lee Roth (Van Halen ’78-‘85), Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Steve Tyler (Aerosmith), Freddie Mercury (Queen)

Do it your own way.  Yeah whatever.

*EDIT:  the favorites up top are my FAVORITES, meaning not necessarily the BEST.  I know who the best are.  But apparently this musician's corner sucks.

Currently Listening Time 3 By Journey Mother, Father see related

^ Everyone who hasn't heard much Journey should invest in this 3-disc set.  I PROMISE it is worth the money ($30 or so).  Their music covers so much, from their early progressive jazz rock with the most unbelievable drumming ever, arena rock, blues, art rock...love songs...ballads...songs that ROCK and so much more.  This is for anyone who likes good music, whether it has lots of talent, or if it makes you feel really good.

Mood:  happy

Hey anyone who has a myspace, check mine out: www.myspace.com/oldskoolrockerJTS.  That’s fairly simple.  At first, I only wanted to add REAL-LIFE friends, but I changed my mind upon running across a Cliff Burton devotional site (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=88007&Mytoken=20050726114325) and a couple nice, real rockers who found my site.

Sports fans, here are some good laughs I found in a couple editions of sports magazines I was reading while waiting for my car to get new tires:

~~"Jerry Rice has been signed by the Broncos.  He will now have to beat out Darius Watts, Triandos Luke, Rudy, Adam Sandler, and Spongebob Squarepants." (LMAO!  I totally agree.  I also read something last year that said:  "The longer Jerry Rice keeps playing, the more we forget how great he was."  Amen.)

~~"Does Carlos Zambrano have internet elbow?  We received some e-mails from dustyvictim@yahoo.com, saying 'Should I look to deal C-Zam before that meat-grinding manager causes his arm to fall off?" 

~~"Who has a better chance of winning on the road:  the Astros, or a 3-legged possum?"  (LMAO!!  That made me laugh so hard)

~~"Randy Johnson for Javier Vasquez and Brad Halsey?  So why don't the Yankees kill two birds with one stone?  Have Jason Giambi run in front of the plate dressed in a dove outfit."  (LMAO!!!  This is for those who remember that infamous video clip...)

~~"He can't steal or throw out a would-be baseman.  Would Jason Kendall be able to throw himself out?  We'll never know.  Not because this is hypothetical, but because Jason Kendall never gets on base."

Well, they made ME laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~MUSICIAN'S CORNER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I was listening to "Get The Led Out," and I started thinking.  Led Zeppelin is my sixth favorite band, and I think is the sixth greatest band ever (when taking into consideration many, many factors such as talent, diversity, influence, complexity of music, popularity over time, creativity, longitivity, etc.). 

I was thinking why I do not have them in my top five.  Why I think Metallica, Van Halen, Journey, Rush, and Iron Maiden are better.  And one reason is because they were only around about, what, 10 years?  I think a band deserves A TON of credit for staying together a long time.  Led Zeppelin hung up the cleats after John Bonham died.

So I posed the question:  when a band loses a member, should it retire, or keep going?

Let's take two instances:  Metallica, Cliff died.  The band decided to go on because they thought it's what Cliff would do, and he'd get pissed if they quit.  Led Zeppelin, Bonham died.  The band decided to honor his death and retire.  Ok and Lynyrd Skynrd, multiple members of the band died, so that's pretty dang hard to deal with.  But most bands have continued on (Ozzy Osbourne, Toto, Styx) after a devastating death.

In favor of continuing the band and getting a new member, you still get to be in a band!!  And you get the opportunity to work with another musician, who will most likely bring more into the band.

In favor of qutting, it gives honor to the musician that has passed, and is a way of showing him, "you could never be replaced."  And it brings immediate praise and attention to the musician and the band as a whole.

I personally think that the band shouldn't quit just because a member died.  There are still ways of honoring the musician (Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne did tribute albums/videos).  I think quitting isn't fair to the fans and loyal supporters, and it IS kind of cowardly.  But it all depends on the way you look at it.