Random observations (November)

• The Simpsons Halloween #20 was just as satisfying as the first Treehouse of Horror back in 1990.
  
• So they're coming out with a Guitar Hero predecessor, Band Hero... The next incarnation will be called Band Band (my catchy idea). 
  
• Just finished Fargo Rock City, and really enjoyed lots of it, especially the Guns N' Roses lore.
  
• It's official: everyone I have ever met likes Arrested Development. I hope the movie sees the light of day.
  
• They made a remake of the "V" show. I guarantee reports of reptilian race aliens will skyrocket on the Jeff Rense Program. The show will probably tank.
  
• Thumbs down for MTV playing movies that have nothing to do with music (or the Real World).
• Olivia Wilde is Maxim's #1 Hottie of 2009. It's some kind of adult magazine or something... don't know for sure.
• Whoopi Goldberg is so cool. I don't need a link to prove it.
  
• Project 1999 rocks!

"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" -- a music video retrospective

This post has moved to:


http://lifeasamusicvideo.blogspot.com/2009/10/of-amerikaz-most-wanted-music-video.html

Random Observations (October), What I Read, & Updates

• I have been planning for years to wear the Thriller jacket and pants for Halloween. Now, eBay had to go and quadruple the demand and sale price. Now I've got to construct a puppet for a David Liebe Hart costume!
  
• Rotten Tomatoes (see link) is absolutely the worst film/critic website out there. Trust me, it's the nadir of the internet: a place where fanboys constantly patrol for someone to say that the Dark Knight is just an action film.
• Am I the only person who thinks Foo Fighters are overrated?
  
• A Boondock Saints sequel is coming out, with a dumb subtitle (All Saints Day). Whoever thinks the Boondock Saints 1 is a great film is really sheltered.
• LSU needs to change their ugly football helmet logos. It's 2009!
• Do I think this is a good idea? Yes, yes I do:

Music columns I read religiously

• The Big Hurt (formerly Your Band Sucks) & Garbage Day
• Advanced Theory Blog 
• Stereogum & Videogum
• there's more but I'll save for later...
  

Site updates

• I have been working on a new labeling/keyword system to let the old (good) articles still be readily accessible (and not buried). It's a tag cloud now on the upper-right. Check it outz.
• There may be an upcoming split into two blogs to make stuff easier to find.
  
• FeedBurner and Twitter are now linked to here.
• A shop has opened up in the hills of Somewhere, USA.
  
• A special Music Videos 2000-2009 article will be published in the near future!

"Victory" -- a music video retrospective

This post has moved to:

http://lifeasamusicvideo.blogspot.com/2009/09/music-video-retrospective.html

"She Drives Me Crazy" -- a music video retrospective

This post has moved to:

http://lifeasamusicvideo.blogspot.com/2009/09/drives-me-crazy-music-video.html

I somehow willed this idea into existence...

How could I have predicted this? A movie about Legos...

http://videogum.com/archives/bad-idea-jeans/hollywood-goes-full-retard-legos-movie-in-development_083942.html

Remind me to never propose awful ideas in posts again. Don't get me wrong here: I love Legos. I plan to organize my collection when I visit my parents, and it is going to take all day. I guarantee I have more Legos than you and your friends combined. I used to take my Legos outside and walk around my neighborhood with them, like they were action figures. But, I know they are just toys, and there is no way a movie could make me feel like a kid again.

Rock 'n Roll Research: Where does my music originate?

I have always been fascinated by band origins and how they are founded. For instance, most everyone knows the Beatles are from the Liverpool area. Aerosmith is from Boston but Steven Tyler met Joe Perry in New Hampshire, and the band Boston is really from Boston. But the band Berlin is from Los Angeles; Beirut from New Mexico. This kind of thing intrigues me. Music is complex and stupid.

I combined this with a personal inquiry: what country produces the most rock music that I normally listen to? Like, when I flip on a radio or take a look at my MP3's, would I most likely to listen to an American band, or what? So, I made a spreadsheet.

Ground rules:
1. Must be rock bands from the post-Beatles era.
2. Must be notable artists.
3. No overlapping bands and side projects (Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominos are all treated as one, because of the Eric Clapton [UK] connection).
4. No multinational bands (no Talking Heads, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Garbage)

I made a list of 100 groups (which is harder than it sounds) and categorized them by country of origin. For instance, Radiohead would count as 1 credit for the UK. I found something interesting:


For an American kid, there is a 43% chance I would be listening to music from the United Kingdom. This influence is surprising, considering the USA has almost always had 3x the population (and by logic, 3x the opportunity for successful music acts).

Raw data:
http://www.steveprutz.com/files/data/bandorigins.XLS

Perhaps my next research project will be a thesis on why the coda of "Jungleland" is perfect for a driving scene in a film.