CLASSICS: Rush-Permanent Waves ALBUM REVIEW

Besides this review of Alex Lifeson's guitar solo, I haven't talked about Rush very much on this blog, and for no good reason. Rush is a very important band for a scrawny little nerd like myself; I own every Rush album up to Exit...Stage Left (minus their self titled debut) and I even have a giant Rush poster hanging over my fucking bed. Hell, just look at this picture of me:

The "La Villa Strangiato" Solo: Putting Most Guitar Solos To Shame Since 1978

(skip to 3:53)

There are just some things that I will never ever get tired of, maybe for as long as I live. Among those in that category include eggplant sandwiches, watching old episodes of Spongebob, masturbation, and, of course, listening to various versions of Alex Lifeson's "La Villa Strangiato" solo.

CLASSICS: Tool-AEnima ALBUM REVIEW

Tool is the one band I have the most respect for over any other band, even more than my favorites like Judas Priest and Opeth. Why? Because the band, against all odds, broke into the mainstream playing 7 minute progressive metal songs which were mostly unedited on the radio and they became hits - big hits. Throughout the years they have refused to water down or pop up their signature style, and despite that, their songs continue to top the rock charts and their album sell into the millions. They pack arenas to this day (when they came to my city in 2007 they sold out our arena two nights in a row) and only need to put out an album every 5 years thanks to the phone book sized royalty statements they receive on a monthly basis thanks to the fact that their music is gratuitously played on rock and alternative radio all over the world. So how can a band that plays music that sounds like this play bigger venues and make more money than all those cookie-cutter radio rock bands like Hinder and Shinedown who have a much more accessible and appealing sound? The world may never know.