Hey
there. This is my first post in over two months. I've moved back to North Wales and am looking for a job. Still no luck. Fun times. But I'm going to try and get back into writing again, I have the time at the moment but in honesty I've had a lot of writers block. I'm not in my own comfort and environment at present and I'm just struggling to think properly. I hope you like the new website design. I'm going try to start posting again; it might not be all the time but I'll give it a go when it feels right. This Mixtape was definitely a nice distraction so I hope you enjoy it.
Welcome to a Jubilee special. Happy Diamond Jubilee and all that jazz. I'm really not that big on royalty so I'm not really celebrating it, but if you are, then enjoy yourself. This Mixtape came from an idea I had whilst working with the British Heart Foundation (I'm currently volunteering there). There's a sweepstake in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee that had a load of songs you can put £1 on to donate to charity. All the songs were referencing royalty in some way or another, either in their song titles or the band or singer's name. I thought it made a brilliant idea for a Mixtape, obviously mine would have some obscure songs that would not feature on that list, but it's still a lot of fun and you know what? It's a damn good list of songs below if I should say so myself.
Not familiar with my Mixtapes? 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!
So the songs below are my way of celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. I hope you celebrate it in a way you see fit. Enjoy your day off! Also, this Mixtape is now available to listen to fully on YouTube so subscribe to me if you want to listen to it properly.
Thanks for joining me on this site again. I do love writing and I hope you enjoy reading my work. I hope I can start working on the site more now, I just hope my head clears a little so my work isn't crap. Anyway enough rambling from me, have a good night.
For the latest updates on my work, 'like' me on Facebook here!
To view part 2, click here. To view part 3, click here.
Here we go, Part 4, counting down my favourite tracks of the last decade. Here’s from #70 to #61, I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Let’s go.
#70. “White and Nerdy” – Weird Al Yankovic
Released: 12/9/06
Album: Straight Outta Lynwood
Listings: Best Videos
Man, this song was a huge hit for Weird Al. It’s really put him back on the map, because as he had a cult fan base in the late eighties and nineties, he never really hit the mainstream music scene in around 20 years. Yet this song is his biggest hit to date, he’s been making music for around 30 years, so he’s been around. I’m happy for him as he’s a great artist, he’s a funny guy, he does funny parodies, he’s child friendly too, and the best thing, is that he is humble and respectful to the artists he does parodies about. He always asks if he is allowed to do parodies, and if they say no, he doesn’t touch their music. He’s a great human being, a very talented and funny man, and thoroughly deserves the respect he finally has, and more. Good luck in the future Al!
#69. “Diamonds and Guns” – Transplants
Released: 22/10/02
Album: Transplants
For the record, I don’t like Rancid. I don’t rate Tim Armstrong. I’m not really even that interested in the Transplants. But this song really was a cracker. It had a great piano hook, and I like the guitars. I also love the “Woo! Woo!” vocals. The rapping is decent too. It’s a really good track, and has been used in a few commercials for hair products, which is a bit odd, but it works really well.
#68. “Conquest” – The White Stripes
Released: 18/12/07
Album: Icky Thump
The White Stripes’ version of “Conquest” was a fantastic track. I never knew it was a cover version until recently mind. It’s my favourite single off “Icky Thump”, I like it more than the self titled track, and it just sounds really good. I don’t know what else to say really!
#67. “Dead Star” – Muse
Released: 17/6/02
Album: Hullabaloo Soundtack
This is one of the heaviest songs Muse have produced, musically. It’s a great, noisy track, and it’s a big favourite amongst Muse fans. I thoroughly enjoy it, despite its shortness. It’s got a great riff, but then again what do you expect when it’s Matt Bellamy?
#66. “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” – The Queens of the Stone Age
Released: 6/6/00
Album: Rated R
Listings: My Favourite Riffs
As I said in the riffs listing, this is just a brilliant track, guitar-wise. I love the main riff, I love the amazing yet short guitar solo roughly a third into the track. Even though it’s a very short track, and the lyrics are repetitive, the song is just amazing. I love it so much.
#65. “Shoot the Runner” – Kasabian
Released: 6/11/06
Album: Empire
When I heard “Empire”, the first single off the album with the same name, I wasn’t immensely impressed with the effort to be honest. It’s not one of my favourite Kasabian songs. However when this came out all concerns for the quality of Kasabian’s work decreasing went down the drain. This is a great track, very David Bowie/Marc Bolan inspired, he even references a David Bowie song in the track “I’m the king and, she’s my Queen Bitch”. It sounds great, and mixes the glam rock with Tom’s Leicester accented vocals, which is an odd yet successful experiment.
#64. “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” – Jet
Released: 25/8/03
Album: Get Born
Jet’s debut track has never been bettered by the band, but that’s not to say they are a bad band whatsoever. I like Jet. But this song is easily their biggest hit, and it’s one of the biggest songs of the decade (but more on that in the unbiased listing, yes it’s featured in that). I just think the song sounds great, it’s a proper modern Motown track, and it just gets you moving. It’s a proper feet tapper, and full credit to Jet for making this song.
#63. “Blood Sugar” – Pendulum
Released: 28/5/07
Album: Hold Your Colour
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we understand that you have come tonight to bare witness to the sound of drum and bass. We regret to announce that this is not the case as instead we come tonight to bring you the solid recreation of the end of the world… Okay, fuck it, I lied it is drum and bass, what you gonna do!?”
Great stuff. It’s one of the best introductions to a song you’ll ever hear I say. You’re like “What? No drum and bass? No wai!” and then it’s “they lied, thank fuck for that!”. I’m only kidding, but still, it’s a brilliant dance track, one of my favourite by Pendulum, and the introduction makes the song in honesty.
#62. “Weapon of Choice” – Fatboy Slim
Released: 23/4/01
Album: Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
Listings: Best Videos
From one dance track to another now, with the more popular of the two being called in. Weapon of Choice was a very big hit, primarily for its phenomenal video. But the song very good too, it’s just a cool song, using many samples from different songs. I thoroughly enjoy listening to it, it’s by far Fatboy’s best track.
#61. “She Wants to Move” – N.E.R.D.
Released: 9/3/04
Album: Fly or Die
This is definitely a brilliant track. it’s a real funk/rap treat, I thoroughly enjoy listening to it, and Alesha Dixon is pretty damn hot in the video too. Pharell’s rock/rap band tend to have mixed results, but you have to give him credit for doing something not many people in RnB do, which is experiment with instruments, experiment with Rock. This is one of those experiments that were most certainly successful and it’s a great song.
And that’s a wrap for today. You want more? Well come back tomorrow and I’ll give you 10 more hard-hitting, songs of real quality (in my brilliant, and humble opinion, just joking). See you then I hope!
Hey everyone, welcome to Part 6 of the Noughtie series. If you have only just joined us, above is the series in full, with the golden text all the previous entries we have covered so far. This is the third mixtape, celebrating the third year of the Noughties, the year 2002. This was an interesting year as a surge of indie bands were starting to make a name for themselves around this time, as you will see below. Nu-metal was starting to get a stained reputation, but MTV2 kept rocking in the UK. Here's my picks, my favourite songs from the year 2002.
Demon Speeding - Rob Zombie
Across the Nation - The Union Underground
Here to Stay - KoRn
I Hate People Like That - Jerk
Rock Star - N.E.R.D.
The Queen and I - Gym Class Heroes
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Get Over It - OK Go
Outtathaway! - The Vines
Wonderboy - Tenacious D
All My Life - Foo Fighters
United States of Whatever - Liam Lynch
Spread Your Love - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Lady - The Datsuns
No One Knows - The Queens of the Stone Age
You Know You're Right - Nirvana
Diamonds and Guns - Transplants
Miss Lucifer - Primal Scream
Pretty Like Drugs - QueenAdreena
Morning Has Broken - The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
Dead Star - Muse
Don't like some of these songs? Try these five:
Feuer Frei! - Rammstein
Shut Your Mouth - Garbage
Boom - P.O.D.
Tear Away - Drowning Pool
Fell in Love With a Girl - The White Stripes
Another year gone, 7 more to go. I wonder how many of these songs will my make personal Top 100? Are any of the songs important enough to make the unbiased list? You'll find out later on in the series. I'll be back on Monday, when I count down my favourite artists who started their professional music careers in this decade. See you soon.
