My Top 100 Favourite Songs 2010-14 Edition: #50

So here we are at the halfway point. If you've been following my list this far I thank you. Before we start the second half here's a recap from #100 to #51...

#100 - "Madness" - Muse

#99 - "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" - Skrillex

#98 - "Neat Little Rows" - Elbow

#97 - "No Reflection" - Marilyn Manson

#96 - "Explain My Heart" - Saul Williams

#95 - "I'm in the Mood... For Beards" - The Beards

#94 - "She's Not Gone Yet But She's Leaving" - The Fratellis

#93 - "Shotgun" - Limp Bizkit

#92 - "Can't Rely on You" - Paloma Faith

#91 - "Blue Blood Blues" - The Dead Weather

#90 - "Rebellion" - Linkin Park

#89 - "Paradise" - Coldplay

#88 - "Sing" - Ed Sheeran

#87 - "Mein Land" - Rammstein

#86 - "Elephant" - Tame Impala

#85 - "Love Turns to Hate" - The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster

#84 - "On Top of the World" - Imagine Dragons

#83 - "G.D.F.R." - Flo Rida

#82 - "Evil Eye" - Franz Ferdinand

#81 - "Little Monster" - Royal Blood

#80 - "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke

#79 - "Brendan's Death Song" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

#78 - "Go Kindergarten" - The Lonely Island

#77 - "The Negative One" - Slipknot

#76 - "Royals" - Lorde

#75 - "Government Trash" - Death From Above 1979

#74 - "Survival" - Eminem

#73 - "Sick Bubblegum" - Rob Zombie

#72 - "Gentleman" - PSY

#71 - "Go Right Ahead" - The Hives

#70 - "These Days" - Foo Fighters

#69 - "Word Crimes" - Weird Al Yankovic

#68 - "One for the Road" - Arctic Monkeys

#67 - "Nightmare" - Avenged Sevenfold

#66 - "Princess of China" - Coldplay

#65 - "Kill the Power" - Skindred

#64 - "Where's Your Car Debbie?" - Slaves

#63 - "Suit and Tie" - Justin Timberlake

#62 - "stevie" - Kasabian

#61 - "Narcissistic Cannibal" - KoRn

#60 - "Bad Girls" - M.I.A.

#59 - "Devil in I" - Slipknot

#58 - "Tighten Up" - The Black Keys

#57 - "QWERTY" - Mushroomhead

#56 - "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons

#55 - "Dibby Dibby Sound" - DJ Fresh vs Jay Fay feat. Ms Dynamite

#54 - "Came Back Haunted" - Nine Inch Nails

#53 - "Gangnam Style" - PSY

#52 - "Warning" - Skindred

#51 - "Bassline Junkie" - Dizzee Rascal

So here we go! In at no. 50...

#50. “Fat Around the Heart" – King 810

Released: 3/7/14

Album: Memoirs of a Murderer

King 810 are a band that I discovered last year when I found out they were supporting Slipknot, who I was about to see live. In my opinion, they're the best new(ish) metal band around, as discussed on this site before, I believe metal as a genre is a dying art form but King 810 are really keeping it alive. King 810, I've promoted a few times before on this site but also on my radio shows, are a band from Flint, Michigan, which is known as the "murder capital" of the US. King 810 sing songs about life there, the struggle, the death and violence, and despite all that, their pride for their home. "Fat Around the Heart" is a song about these struggles, about life in Flint. The first verse says it all - "I grew up in the church on Sunday/Back again bury friends on Monday/They don't just die they are killed from the gun play or the heroin or a prison stay/It's a shame that we gotta live this way/Your nightmares ain't got nothin' on this place/So stay down stay away stay safe/Cuz you aren't built that way". "Fat Around the Heart" is a great song, lyrically and also as a metal track. If you like Slipknot, have not heard King 810 and want to get into some new music, definitely give this band a listen.

Here's the music video if you want to hear it!

If you missed #51 go here.

For the latest updates on my work, including all my latest radio shows, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

My Top 100 Favourite Songs 2010-14 Edition: #52

#52. “Warning" – Skindred

Released: 6/4/12

Album: Union Black

So at #65 Skindred had an entry with "Kill the Power", which while it was actually the second single off "Kill the Power" the album, it was technically the main promotional single. With "Warning" we now have the main single off the previous album which was "Union Black". They're both great singles and based on their entries on this list you can see that I do ever-so-slightly prefer "Warning". It's hard to point to why that's the case. If you've heard Skindred before then all you need to know is that they are both worth your time and if you haven't heard them, give them a listen. If you haven't heard Skindred before, listen anyway! They're a great reggae-metal band and sound like nothing else out there at the moment. Benji is an incredible talent in the mic and, being from Wales makes Skinded that much better. That's all there is to say really!

Here's the music video if you want to hear it!

If you missed #53 go here.

For the latest updates on my work, including all my latest radio shows, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

My Top 100 Favourite Songs 2010-14 Edition: #65

#65. “Kill the Power" – Skindred

Released: 24/11/13

Album: Kill the Power

Any song that starts with the words "This is a Resident Evil attack" gets a thumbs up from me. Skindred have always produced really good singles throughout their career and "Kill the Power" is no different. It's probably one of my favourite Skindred singles in years, it's hard to pinpoint why because it doesn't so anything out of the ordinary, in terms of being much different to other singles in the past. I think it's because I hadn't heard Skindred for a few years, then they came back with this song and it reminded me about how good they were and are. If you haven't listened to Skindred you really should, mixing Reggae and Metal isn't easy, but Benji, the lead singer makes it seem flawless. And they're from Wales too which is a huge bonus!

Here's the music video if you want to hear it!

If you missed #66 go here.

For the latest updates on my work, including all my latest radio shows, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

The Mercyside 100: #100 to #86

Hey there. Welcome to the Mercyside 100. This is both a DJ set and a listing; you can listen to each individual section of the Mercyside 100 over the next seven weeks, but I will also be revealing them on this site a few days after each show.

What is the Mercyside 100? It's the 100 most played songs on my personal media player. I'll hopefully be doing this every year going forward. So this is the first one, covering last year's music. So the 100 songs on this list are the 100 songs I played more than any other from January 1st to December 31st 2013.

So before we get started, here's the link to the show, if you want to listen to the tracks and what I have to say about the tracks.

The Mercyside 100: #100 - #86 (9/1/14) by Johnny Mercyside on Mixcloud

So without further delay, he's the first part of the Mercyside 100, from #100 to #86!

#100: Hey, Cruel World...

Artist: Marilyn Manson

Album: Born Villain

Released: 2012

#99: Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown

Artist: Rob Zombie

Album: Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor

Released: 2013

#98: My Curse

Artist: Killswitch Engage

Album: As Daylight Dies

Released: 2006

#97: Babylon

Artist: Skindred

Album: Babylon

Released: 2002

#96: Supremacy

Artist: Muse

Album: The 2nd Law

Released: 2012

#95: Ayo Technology

Artist: 50 Cent (feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland)

Album: Curtis

Released: 2007

#94: 212

Artist: Azealia Banks (feat. Lazy Jay)

Album: 1991

Released: 2011

#93: Right Now

Artist: PSY

Album: PSYFIVE

Released: 2010

#92: YYZ

Artist: Rush

Album: Moving Pictures

Released: 1981

#91: Free Bird

Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Album: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd

Released: 1973

#90: Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll

Artist: Blue Oyster Cult

Album: Blue Oyster Cult

Released: 1972

#89: I Put a Spell on You

Artist: Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Album: At Home With

Released: 1956

#88: Verta Ja Lihaa

Artist: Turmion Kätilöt

Album: Hoitovirhe

Released: 2004

Most played song of November 2013

#87: Get Up!

Artist: KoRn (feat. Skrillex)

Album: The Path of Totality

Released: 2011

#86: Low Hangin' Fruit

Artist: Tenacious D

Album: Rize of the Fenix

Released: 2012

...look out for #85 to #71 next week!

The Mercyside 100: #100 to #86: 9/1/14
Track listing:
Hey, Cruel World… - Marilyn Manson
Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown - Rob Zombie
My Curse - Killswitch Engage
Babylon - Skindred
Supremacy - Muse
Ayo Technology - 50 Cent feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland
212 - Azealia Banks (feat. Lazy Jay)
Right Now - PSY
YYZ - Rush
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll - Blue Oyster Cult
I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Verta Ja Lihaa - Turmion Kätilöt
Get Up! - KoRn (feat. Skrillex)
Low Hangin' Fruit - Tenacious D
Total running time: 01:08:11

See other parts of this listing!

#100 to #86 | #85 to #71 | #70 to #56 | #55 to #41 | #40 to #26 | #25 to #11 | #10 to #1

Other entries you might want to read:
My Top 50 Favourite Video Game Villains - Listing
The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show Christmas Special (20/12/13) - DJ Show
Mercy Licks - March 2013 - Listing

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show 30/11/13

Why hello there and I'm back with more details on my newest DJ show. It's my first two hour show (well, the first that I've announced online) and I'm quite proud of it. It's a big improvement on last week's show, or at least, I think so. Any feedback is appreciated if you listen to it.

The Rock and Metal Double Feature Show: 30/11/13

Track listing:
The Rock Hour
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Led Zeppelin - In the Evening
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
The Fall - I'm a Mummy
The Quireboys - 7 O'Clock
P.R.O.U.D. - Tur Kue Kwam Fun (Music Box)
Suede - Filmstar
David Bowie - Boys Keep Swinging
The Fratellis - Henrietta
Nickelback - Burn it to the Ground
Foo Fighters - The One
The Offspring - All I Want
Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion

The Metal Show
White Zombie - Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)
KoRn - Never Never
Marilyn Manson - The Reflecting God
36 Crazyfists - Slit Wrist Theory
Nine Inch Nails - Last
Skindred - Kill the Power
Primus - Lacquer Head
Devildriver - Clouds Over California
Machine Head - Now I Lay Thee Down
Turmion Kätilöt - Verta Ja Lihaa
Rammstein - Rammstein
Slayer - Raining Blood

Total show running time: 02:00:00

On info on how to listen, email me!

Other entries you might want to read:

• The Selection Show - DJ Show
• Mercy Licks - March 2013 - Listing
• Mixtape: Best of UK #1s 1952 - 2012 - Mixtape

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

Mixtape: Best Cover Versions

Hey there, welcome to my newest Mixtape. This time I'm going to reveal my favourite cover versions. Now I did make this into a Mixtape way back around four years ago, but it's disappeared into the abyss on the internet. I don't mind reworking this from scratch anyway as I have since discovered and remembered better songs. Not familiar with my Mixtapes? Here are the rules as usual.

A Mixtape is a playlist of a certain genre, band or era. The list is generally 80 minutes long, the same length of a blank CD, with further recommendations if some of the songs aren't to your taste. Remember kids, downloading is wrong! 

Before I begin I'd just like to rule out artists that do cover versions predominantly as an artist, like Weird Al Yankovic, who does parodies of songs, and Richard Cheese, who does amazing jazz versions of songs. If you've never heard the work of Richard Cheese, seriously, give the guy a listen, he's absolutely phenomenal and funny, let this song get you started. One more thing, linked below are the songs and if you click on the original artists (which are bracketed) you can listen to the originals, if I can find them. Anyway, onto the Mixtape!

1. Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash (Bozie Sturdivant)
2. Alabama Song - The Doors (Kurt Weill)
3. Feeling Good - Muse (Nina Simone)
4. Sunday Bloody Sunday - Saul Williams (U2)
5. Telegram Sam - Bauhaus (T-Rex)
6. Wild is the Wind - David Bowie (Johnny Mathis)
7. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Devo (The Rolling Stones)
8. She Said - The Cramps (Hasil Adkins)
9. Ball of Confusion - Love and Rockets (The Temptations)
10. Turnaround - Nirvana (Devo)
11. Running Up That Hill - Placebo (Kate Bush)
12. Iron Man - Electric Eel Shock (Black Sabbath)
13. Everybody's Gonna Be Happy - The Queens of the Stone Age (The Kinks)
14. Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica (Unknown, Traditional Irish Folk Song)
15. Electric Avenue - Skindred (Eddy Grant)
16. Bring the Pain - Mindless Self Indulgence (Method Man)
17. Renegades of Funk - Rage Against the Machine (Afrika Bambaataa)
18. I'm Your Boogie Man - White Zombie (KC and the Sunshine Band)
19. I Put a Spell on You - Marilyn Manson (Screamin' Jay Hawkins)
20. Dead Souls - Nine Inch Nails (Joy Division)

Some of these not to your taste? Here's five alternatives...

1. Rise - Jerk (Public Image Ltd)
2. The Game - Drowning Pool (Motorhead)
3. Blitzkrieg Bop - Rob Zombie (The Ramones)
4. My Girl - The Jesus and Mary Chain (The Temptations)
5. Jolene - The White Stripes (Dolly Parton)

To listen to the playlist on YouTube click here!

Well I hope you enjoyed this list. There might be songs on here you've not heard before, if so, give them a listen. I'll be back either on Friday or Saturday, I'm not sure yet but one way or another I'll hope to see you back on this site again soon. Take care!

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

Mixtape: Best Debut Singles

Hallo. Welcome to another Mixtape. This is a personal Mixtape, because it's a topic that is purely biased from anyone's perspective.

Today I reveal my favourite debut singles. When a band is new on the scene they have to choose their first single very carefully. They have to hope that the song they release gets the ball running for the sake of their careers. If it flops or worse, is panned, it can destroy careers. It definitely can make a band's career a mountain to climb. But debut singles can work the other way too, it can make a career start brilliantly, but the success is short because they are then a one hit wonder.

Not familiar with the Mixtape? Here are the rules.

A Mixtape is a playlist of a certain genre, band or era. The list is generally 80 minutes long, the same length of a blank CD, with further recommendations if some of the songs aren't to your taste. Remember kids, downloading is wrong!

No matter how the careers of the band's below went, these songs kick ass in my opinion. Enjoy my favourite debut singles!

1. I Only Want You - Eagles of Death Metal
2. Santa Domingo - Jon Fratelli
3. Fever for the Flava - Hot Action Cop
4. Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja - Lostprophets
5. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
6. Nobody - Skindred
7. Bodies - Drowning Pool
8. Thunder Kiss '65 - White Zombie
9. Down in It - Nine Inch Nails
10. Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
11. The Way I Walk - The Cramps
12. John the Fisherman - Primus
13. Love Your Money - Daisy Chainsaw
14. Love Buzz - Nirvana
15. Three Little Pigs - Green Jelly
16. Get Your Gunn - Marilyn Manson
17. Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
18. Cowboys From Hell - Pantera
19. Cult of Personality - Living Colour
20. Dragula - Rob Zombie

Don't like some of these songs? Here are five alternatives...

1. Loser - Beck
2. Get it On - Grinderman
3. Sugar - System of a Down
4. Processed Beats - Kasabian
5. Killing in the Name - Rage Against the Machine

And there you go, my favourite debut singles. I hope you like some of these, if not all. It's a heavy playlist but heavy is good in my opinion. That;s it from me, take care.

For the latest updates on my work, 'like' me on Facebook here!

Noughtie: Best of 2005 (Mixtape)

Overall Favourite Artists | Best of 2000 | Overall Least Favourite Artists | Best of 2001
Where Are They Now? | Best of 2002 | Best New Artists | Best of 2003 | My Guilty Pleasures
Best of 2004 | My Favourite Riffs | Best of 2005 | Underrated Artists | Best of 2006
 My Favourite Albums | Best of 2007 | Best Videos | Best of 2008 | Most Important Artists
Best of 2009 | 100 Favourite Songs of the Decade | 100 Most Important Songs of the Decade

Welcome to Part 12 of the Noughtie series. This is the sixth Mixtape, celebrating the year of 2005 in rock and metal. I really liked 2005, despite emo becoming very prominent by now. There were good quality indie and metal bands making music. There were also a few decent alternative dance songs as well. Anyway, rules of the Mixtape.

A Mixtape is a playlist of a certain genre, band or era. The list is generally 80 minutes long, the same length of a blank CD, with further recommendations if some of the songs aren't to your taste. Remember kids, downloading is wrong! 

Here we go, my favourite songs from 2005!

1. Juicebox - The Strokes
2. Four Kicks - Kings of Leon
3. Superman - Stereophonics
4. Ain't No Easy Way - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
5. The Good Ones - The Kills
6. Blue Orchid - The White Stripes
7. Bad Things - Jace Everett
8. Dare - Gorillaz
9. Feels Just Like it Should - Jamiroquai
10. Ass Like That - Eminem
11. Galvanize - The Chemical Brothers
12. Spitfire - The Prodigy
13. Slam - Pendulum
14. Little Sister - The Queens of the Stone Age
15. Before I Forget - Slipknot
16. Nobody - Skindred
17. Twisted Transistor - KoRn
18. B.Y.O.B. - System of a Down
19. Only - Nine Inch Nails
20. Keine Lust - Rammstein

Don't like some of these songs? Try these five:

1. The Importance of Being Idle - Oasis
2. Daft Punk Is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem
3. Best of You - Foo Fighters
4. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
5. Filthy/Gorgeous - Scissor Sisters

There we go, my favourite songs from 2005. What were yours? You can comment below if you want to put in your two shillings. I shall be back on Saturday for an article dedicated to the bands I love, that aren't as appreciated as I believe they should be.