Dear readers,
Chris Cornell and Anna Vissi? I mean what the hell was that? Forgive my abrupt introduction, but I must say I’m kind surprised this collaboration ever happened. Since there are readers (are there actually readers that are interested in my shit?) who live outside Greece, I should explain that Anna Vissi is a pop star here in our country. Recently, she performed with Chris Cornell (SOUNDGARDEN) here in Athens. They actually performed ‘Black Hole Sun’, in the most surreal performance of the specific song (even more surreal than its video clip). Then I was informed that Vissi is the godmother of Chris’ child! Again what the hell?
All right I am not angry at all. I don’t feel betrayed from Chris. Why should I feel actually? He is the one that got involved into the most cult performance of ‘Black Hole Sun’, not me. Imagine the Lady Gaga–METALLICA collaboration, but trash. Nothing describes better this collaboration than ‘trash’. This kind reminds me that rockstars or famous musicians are actually human beings. They can hang out with anybody, even with Anna Vissi. I mean Brent Hinds once took a crap into another band’s washing sink. They love to do fucked-up stuff all the time.
While, Chris was ruining his own song, Donald Trump, our beloved president decided that it is a smart move to bomb Syria. You must wonder why I mention this into a music article. Because it matters! We are on a constant touch and connection with what surrounds us and art reflects that. Music reflects humanity’s fatal mistakes since its beginning. In a country that is getting ripped apart by Assad and Isis, Trump ordered 60 missiles to retaliate the Syrian Government’s chemical war. How generous of you Donald! You totally saved those poor Syrian children by throwing bombs nearby them. Now Kid Rock will have the chance to create a song that goes like ‘Singing Bombing Damascus All Summer Long’. This may save his worthless career for at least the next five years.
Speaking of careers, Ice T returned with a new BODY COUNT record. The record is a blast and I totally recommend it. For those unfamiliar to the band and Ice T, yes Ice T is a rapper. Yes, he is a rapper and he performs in a hardcore band. Is there something wrong with that? I was watching some videos of him a few days ago and I was just roaming around the comments. One guy wrote: ‘Ice T is unlucky. He is too hardcore for metalheads and too metal for hip hop fans’. How, unbelievably, true! This is the truth my dear demons. People always want to judge; we, the critics, love to judge. ‘He is not metal, that’s hip hop with guitars’. ‘This is no rap homie, this is metal with ugly vocals.’ People all full of bullshit, I say. Who cares what Body Count play? Their songs are so sophisticated that both rappers and metalheads should enjoy them. Also, this attitude has been missing from our music since NWA broke-up, the West-Coast hip hop went R&B and punk-rock became unpopular.
Music terms are great in order to set something artistic such as music into categories of common traces. MEGADETH are thrash, ANTHRAX are thrash, because common traces connect their music. Besides that, who really cares if MEGADETH decide to replace guitars with vibrators? If they can do music with vibrators, then it’s all good. This is experimentation. Mixing hip hop with metal, that’s also experimentation. It may be successful or a disgrace and BODY COUNT belongs to the first category. However, metalheads will always deny extroversion in their music and hip-hop fans…well they are too busy doing gangsta stuff.
Till next time,
K.A. Tsotsanis
P.S:
1) Since I mentioned hip-hop in this article, I totally recommend everyone to watch Straight Outta Compton, the documentary about NWA. It just sinks you into Compton, into the band’s reality and excitement. Ice Cube and Dr.Dre co-produced it, so I was expecting nothing less. The only fact that got me shocked is that Arabian Prince got vanished from the film. Poor guy!
2) Royal Thunder has also released a new record! And Ulver! Horay!
3) Turns out 5FDP sued their record company for reasons. We got another drama in the house people!
4) Seriously, there are certain music editors that have never uploaded in their facebook page songs that belong to our generation. They only upload and worship the past. How can you contribute to metal today if you are stuck in the past? You’re just ruining the continuation our music has. Dio is god, but now Dio’s time has passed. Worship him and everyone else that shaped metal, but do not get involved into unproductive loops.