Number 1

1. Pearl Jam


Not even a surprise. Plus number one by a pretty big margin. They're just a band that I can always pop in and listen to and not be bored or want to skip to the next song... In my opinion they are pretty much the only great grunge band still standing and making great music still. I want to go into further detail as to what songs/albums are my favorite, but there's going to be a debate on that soon...

Added bonus is that Eddie Vedder is easy to look at. Especially in a plaid suit jacket in Walk Hard.

Number 2

2. Coheed and Cambria


I'm a sucker, what can I say?


I won't say that there's nothing wrong with this band. In fact, I'll say that "Apolo I" is still one of my most hated songs ever, by any artist. Yuck. "Always & Never" also kind of makes me gag a little. (Or a lot.) I also did not like "Wake Up" for a long while.


End things that are wrong with Coheed.


To be honest, the first time I heard the band, I hated Claudio Sanchez's voice. It was entirely too high for my liking. But once I heard "A Favor House Atlantic", I was hooked and could care less about his voice. (Plus the video was pretty funny.)

The albums are written in a series, which tie along with some comic books that progress the story line. Yes, this is completely nerdy and entirely cool all at the same time.

If you're looking into listening to the band, I suggest starting with In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 and ending with Second Stage Turbine Blade which is their first album.

Number 3

3. The Mars Volta/At The Drive-In


For those unaware, these two bands basically are one. Well... they share members anyway. Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Oman Rodriguez-Lopez were in both bands. Paul Hinojos also played in Sparta, which was another spinoff of At The Drive-In. (There are more bands here, like De Facto, but I don't know very much about that.)

So, At The Drive-In was fun. If you don't remember them, they were the band that performed "One Armed Scissor".

The Mars Volta is more fun. Not only do they rock, but they have a certain Latin sound that really, REALLY makes you move your feet. They're Prog-Rock (which by default is my favorite genre of music) and some songs are in Spanish! (Fun, right?)

Anyway, do your research and enjoy.

Number 4

4. Led Zeppelin


You all know I like the classic rock. Probably didn't know that as far as classic rock goes, Zep hits the top. (AKA- the final three bands on my list are not classic rock bands... at least, not by normal standards.)


I dare you to find something wrong with LZ. Because there's nothing wrong.

The. End.

Number 5

5. Radiohead

I do not care what anyone says: Radiohead is awesome. Having them in my top ten surprises even me, because they're a little more laid back than what I normally listen to. But seriously, I do love them. I especially love "Paranoid Android" from OK Computer. Plus, the video was a cartoon!!

I also don't feel well today, so elaborate on Radiohead in your mind. I'm going to wallow in sickness now.

Number 6

6. Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age

Hey, I saw them together in concert. Therefore, I am going to let them sit at the same number.

I always say I love NIN beginning to end. This statement is true by default. Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral are amazing. Of course, after that they released like 4,000 albums. I will not say that all of those were great. I WILL say that during that time, they released "The Perfect Drug" on The Lost Highway soundtrack. This negates every bad album they have/will ever produce, because "The Perfect Drug" is just perfection. In the last few years, they have really put out a few good albums. With Teeth is probably my favorite NIN album. It is really heavy, but I always find myself dancing to "The Hand That Feeds" and "Only". Year Zero is also pretty danceworthy. Plus the bass on that thing sounds great in the Mustang.

Where do I start with QotSA?! I could listen to any of their albums front to back and not want to skip a song. Technically classified as "stoner rock". Not partaking in said acts, I still really enjoy the music. That probably says a lot. Half of the time I listen to them, I can't decide if I would rather dance or start a one-woman most pit. If I were forced to pick a favorite album, it would have to be Era Vulgaris. And if I had to pick a favorite song, I'd say "Sick, Sick, Sick" from that same album. Queens really rock in concert. One thing that helps get them into my top ten is that Josh Homme is pretty drool-worthy. Also, if you like them because you ARE a stoner, I say check out The Desert Sessions. Do your research on this. It's mind boggling.

Number 7

7. Red Hot Chili Peppers

Ten years ago, I would not have put them in my top ten. In fact, I'm unsure if I would have put them in my top twenty. That's why this list is fun- becuase even I am surprised they're in at number seven.

I previously thought RHCP was pretty radio-standard. That's not something I normally like. Then they released Stadium Arcadium. This album changed the face of the Peppers for me. Not only do I really enjoy that album, but I started to re-explore old ones as well. I started out buying the Greatest Hits disc, and it flew from there.

As a sidenote, I should say that when I house sat for a co-worker of my mom, all Dan had in the house was RCHP (or at least, that was the majority). So I really started listening to them at this point in time.

As a sidenote for Roxanne, Dan was the guy that bought me the shot that got me kicked out of Sauget's finest nightclub. Go Dan!

Back to the Peppers.

My official favorite album is One Hot Minute. (And, yeah, maybe the name has something to do with it...) Plus, if you don't know my top five favorite RHCP songs, you should check out the second music debate. It was killer. (Because I won.)

That's all for number seven. And for number six, I may have a tie...

Number 8

I've already changed my number 8 from the list I made two days ago. Told you I'd change my mind.

8. The Who
I'm unsure you can say enough good things about The Who. I mean, every CSI show uses a Who song for the theme. That's pretty freaking cool. I love all Who songs, so finding a place to start is not easy. In fact, there are songs that I didn't even know the Who sang when I really started listening to them. I guess I could say that some of the songs are silly. (Like "Pinball Wizzard". Really?! I mean, it's an okay song. But a bad concept lyrically.)

My favorite Who song?? This is not easy, but I'd go with "Love, Reign O'er Me". It's insanely dramatic and intense. (I like that in my music, not in my life.)

Also, that VH1 Who tribute was just... wow. I mean, EV did make an appearance..........

More tomorrow.

Number 9

9. Reel Big Fish

I love ska. Having to include a ska band in my top ten was easy. Deciding on my favorite was NOT an easy task. For real- I've got the likes of Less Than Jake, Goldfinger, and The Bosstones on the brain, and that's just the beginning. And while LTJ was a very close second choice, I think I like RBF a little more.

Think of the great albums: Turn the Radio Off, Why Do They Rock So Hard?, and Cheer Up!, just to touch the surface. Everyone knows "Sell Out", and it extends so much deeper than that. (Is that what she said?) They've done covers, from Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" to the ever-popular "Take on Me" (from the Basketball soundtrack).

We can dissect this by album. TTRO has hits like "Beer" and "Everything Sucks". And I think "Where Have You Been?" was a radio hit from Cheer Up! (This album also has a lot of really funny and sweet tracks.) But I do have to say that Why Do They Rock So Hard? is by far my favorite. "She's Famous Now" is so dance worthy, it's not funny. Especially with that first line "I've got the measles, she's got the mumps". Other favorites: "Somebody Hates Me", "I Want Your Girlfriend to be My Girlfriend", and "The Kids Don't Like It".

Missing something?

Yes. It's called the best RBF song ever: "The Set Up (You Need This)". Rocks from beginning to end without a doubt. And the lyrics are killer. And if you don't know every line, shame on you.

End transmission 9.

Top Ten

I think I've decided on my top ten favorite bands right now. But I've decided to take my time and count it down, from ten to one, day by day. (Just in case I change my mind? Perhaps.)

10: Boston
Yeah, they made the list. And probably a lot lower than what most of you expected. I love Boston, but to be realistic, they only released one GREAT album. I'm not knocking that album, it's absolutely amazing. However, my other top nine have released way more than just one GREAT album. Hence, Boston comes in at ten.

Back to this album: It's too fun! All eight tracks are fun to sing, play air guitar to, dance to.... you get the picture. Also, I hate to admit this, but I didn't dig Boston until I got to experience the band via Rock Band.

Unfortunately, I have never, nor will I ever, get to see this band live as they were. (Brad Delp, the lead singer, passed a few years back.) However, I do have the next best thing: My dad saw them. I was so excited to hear this. When I asked him how it was, his response was, "I really can't remember, but it was the loudest concert I've ever been to". That's a pretty sweet answer. Funny if you know my dad.

So, there's number ten. Look forward to the rest of the list. I promise it gets much better from here on out.

For humerous purposes only

As I am getting ready for yet another move, I get to go through all of my things and daydream a little. I like doing this because I get rid of a ton of stuff everytime I move, and for the most part I enjoy looking through all of my old stuff.

For those of you unaware, my senior year in high school I wrote for the Kahoki, our school newspaper. As editor of the music page, I got to write reviews plus pick the way the page looked, which was pretty cool. I enjoyed this part of high school the most because it was right up my alley.

Anywho, for the last two editions of the paper that year, I gave a rundown of my top ten favorite bands (and albums). I cannot find the second-to-last newspaper, but today I found the last one, detailing my top five bands/albums. (And for the record, I'm sure numbers 6-10 included The Urge, but other than that I cannot recall.)

So, in an attempt to humor myself, here was my top five favorite bands from 2002:
5. Soundgarden
4. Sublime
3. Cowboy Mouth
2. Live
1. AIC

The attempt was successful, as that I'm now laughing. Granted, I was 18 when I wrote this. I had obviously not been exposed to much other than grunge at this time. I'm not ashamed of this, as I would not have posted it. It is pretty funny though.

Now I just need to figure out what my top ten of today is, so that I can laugh at that list in another ten years.

Random music I'm diggin'

I started the morning out with some Coheed and Cambria, which is my old stand-by. Day by day, however, I lean away towards them and re-discover some music I own.


I had really forgotten how much I really dig Jimmy Eat World. Thing is, I don't really even care for the songs they played on the radio. It's the rest of the album(s) that are really good.


Never officially have I purchased the self-titled album (also previously referred to as Bleed American), but I'll touch on that effort later. I have, however purchased their Futures record. Starts off pretty perfectly with the song "Futures", and then goes into my second-favorite Jimmy song, "Work". All I can say is that the progression is awesome and if you don't have Futures, you should really think about giving it a shot.


As previously stated, I have never purchased Bleed American. There is sound reasoning for this. First of all, I know I should support the band and just buy that morsel of goodness. But, you see, I severly cherish the burned copy I have. My copy was burned for me by my friend Andrea, who now lives too far away from me. The CD itself makes me giggle everytime I see it. It's pretty simple, in the fact that it has the album and band name on it, but on the bottom it has "to: Janelle" and "from: Andrea" and a smiley face. Hence, I smile because of a few things: it reminds me of her, it feels like a love note, and the music itself is awesome.


I will say that when this was originally made for me, I only really listened to the first 5 tracks or so, and that was it. Then came the fall of 2002.


I had a sweeeeet girating mustang and a bad breakup, and a friend in Adam J. September and October of '02 were filled with Jack-in-the-Box drive-thrus in the 'stang, a whole lot of tacos, and some Jimmy on the stereo. I can remember trying to change the CD during "Authority Song" and getting yelled at. I'm pretty sure I fell for that entire CD around that time.


The album title was changed to be self-titled (from Bleed American) because of September 11, 2001. I'm not sad that they changed it, because the first track "Bleed American" did not get removed or changed, and it really fits the ambiance of the CD overall. I absolutely love "A Praise Chorus" for about 100 reasons, and that is my FAVE Jimmy song. "The Middle" is alright, but was a tad bit overplayed for me. "Your House" is just too sweet, and I love that track as well. Plus, you've got "Sweetness", "Hear You Me", and "If You Don't, Don't". Sometimes I wonder if that album could have been any better.

I always end up tying a song, album, or artist with something else in life, whether it be a person, event, place, laugh... whatever. I encourage you to do this as well. I may look like a fool driving down Highway 40 screaming "Cut the Mullet" or serenating no one by saying "And there undressed in the shadows stands my sweet Cherie, hiding from July", but at least there is a gob of memories compressed into that line, right? (Okay, really, I try not to sing Hardline without someone else present if at all possible, but sometimes I cannot help it.)

'Tis all today blogworld.