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Posted by Scott Holstad on June 7, 2013
Why Google loves ‘The Internship’ – CNN.com.
I really, really want to see this movie. I love Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson so much. They really make me laugh. I’ll go see virtually any movie they’re in. This one sounds really good. Will I see it this weekend? I still have to see the Iron Man and Star Trek movies first, and I’m curious about the Hangover 3 too. Too many movies, too little time. Still, I’ve got to see this movie….
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: entertainment, films, movies, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Scott Holstad on March 27, 2013
Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored by Richard Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was a quick and easy read, and quite entertaining at times. But I’ve got one word to say: debauchery. I thought I had heard/read it all, but I was wrong. These hedonistic, narcissistic, thoroughly debauched drug addled alcoholics were disgusting human beings, and the author, their road manager for 12 years, is no better, and perhaps even worse. The book is told from his perspective, and I’ve heard that Robert Plant really hated the book, and the band denied most of what is written, so who knows how much of it is true, but the thing that annoyed me the most was Cole’s insinuation that he was virtually a part of the band, that John Bonham was practically his best friend (and apparently his roommate on the road, much of the time), and that Zeppelin couldn’t have done it without him. This from a man who basically confessed to kidnapping, drug trafficking, assault (sexual and otherwise — battery too), bribery, and willful destruction of property. I mean, this book should have been written from prison! Yes, it was fun to read about the hedonism at times, like when the band, Cole, and their manager consumed 260 drinks in four hours, or virtually anything they did, since it was so degrading to others, but Cole was a heroin addicted alcoholic who got prepubescent girls for the guys in the band to, you know, … bang. It was especially appalling to read about Jimmy Page falling for a nubile 14 year old, especially as he was 28 at the time. He apparently liked them very young.
It was interesting to read about the beginnings of the band, back in 1968, and their tours, mainly through America, and the terrible reviews they got even though they sold more records than virtually any other rock group in history. It was interesting to read about the music — how it was created, snippets of information about many of the songs, how it was performed, etc. But the books really is about sex, drugs, and rock and roll — meaning, mostly sex and drugs — and it gets redundant after awhile. I’ve read a lot of band bios over the years. Journey stayed clean. Rush stayed clean. Until now, I thought Queen threw the most debauched parties, but I think Zeppelin beats Queen in this area. Sadly, the band was steeped in moral degradation on the largest possible scale with their craziness, their nutso destruction of property, assaults on concert-goers, out of control spending and alcohol and drug use, and a sexual preference for girls barely into puberty, if even. I was prepared for some debauchery, but nothing like this. Sadly, I think I’ve really lost a lot of respect for the band, and I think it’s fair to say they should all be rotting in prison. I mean, they got away with everything, and they expected to. And Cole was instrumental in helping them get away with anything. He bribed cops, he beat up people, he got them drugs. What a slime ball.
Cole had a crush on John Bonham, clearly, and barely tolerated Robert Plant, which made me wonder how skewed events in the book were. Cole was crushed with Bonham’s death, which incidentally, a lot of people chalk up to Zeppelin’s “curse,” brought on by Jimmy Page’s dabbling in the occult, which Cole really tries to steer clear of. Why? I’m not sure. I wanted to read about Page’s occult fetishes, aside from his obsession with A Crowley, but Cole writes that Jimmy didn’t really introduce them to his occult practices and beliefs. That’s a little hard to believe, but oh well. Other things happened to the members of Zeppelin that helped this curse idea along. Bonham got in a car wreck, as did Plant. It took Plant a long time to recover. Plant’s five year old son died. $230,000 is stolen out of a safe box. There’s more. Cole goes to prison in Italy, accused of terrorism (which is how the book begins).
There’s a lot of craziness that goes on in this book. Televisions are thrown out of hotel windows, hotel rooms are trashed, cars are bought and crashed, girls are bartered like livestock, drugs flow freely, the alcoholic consumption would be enough to kill most people. There are transvestites and transsexuals, hookers and groupies (including the famous Plaster Casters). There’s one memorable moment that involves two groupies, a bathtub, and an octopus, and it’s truly disgusting. Then there’s the girl with the famous red snapper incident, which is also disgusting. The band members have got to be the most immature and spoiled men in the history of the universe, most especially Bonham. It’s rather disappointing.
This book is entertaining, if you can stomach the filth, and it’s a real page turner — I couldn’t put it down. If half the stuff in this book is true, everyone involved should be in prison, as I’ve already alluded to. I hope in their older years, the remaining members of the band have matured. Cole has apparently been sober and clean for over 15 years, so I guess that’s good. If you like reading about rock and roll excess or about Led Zeppelin, this is the book for you. If your stomach is easily turned, maybe you shouldn’t read it. Cautiously recommended.
Posted in Writing | Tagged: Book Reviews, books, entertainment, Led Zeppelin, music, reviews, rock and roll, writing | 1 Comment »
Posted by Scott Holstad on August 31, 2012
My favorite albums of all time
Greatest hits-type collections don’t count, and I know I missed some good albums, but here are my top 90.
1 Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine
2 Boston – Boston
3 Queen – The Game
4 The Cars – The Cars
5 Depeche Mode – Violator
6 Type O Negative – October Rust
7 Jeff Beck – Wired
8 The Cure – Pornography
9 REM – Document
10 Rush – Moving Pictures
11 David Bowie – Let’s Dance
12 The Cult – Love
13 Dead Can Dance – Into The Labyrinth
14 Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
15 Queen – A Night At The Opera
16 Queen – News of the World
17 Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine
18 Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth
19 Ministry – The Land Of Rape And Honey
20 Jethro Tull – Aqualung
21 Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking
22 Lovespirals – Windblown Kiss
23 Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
24 My Dying Bride – The Angel And The Dark River
25 Manufacture – Terrorvision
26 AC/DC – Back in Black
27 Asia – Asia
28 Faith & the Muse – Elyria
29 Evanescence – Fallen
30 The Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland
31 Dead Can Dance – Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
32 Love Spirals Downwards – Ardor
33 Lovespirals – Free & Easy
34 Norah Jones – Come Away With Me
35 REM – Life’s Rich Pageant
36 Single Gun Theory – Like Stars In My Hands
37 Styx – The Grand Illusion
38 Journey – Infinity
39 Journey – Escape
40 Disturbed – The Sickness
41 Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV
42 Queen – Sheer Heart Attack
43 The Rolling Stones – Beggars Banquet
44 Nine Inch Nails – Broken
45 Meat Beat Manifesto – Armed Audio Warfare
46 Deee-Lite – World Clique
47 INXS – Kick
48 Front 242 – Front By Front
49 Chick Corea – Light As a Feather
50 Moev – Yeah, Whatever
51 The Cure – Disintegration
52 Bauhaus – In The Flat Field
53 My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult – Confessions of A Knife
54 Marilyn Manson – The Golden Age Of Grotesque
55 Skinny Puppy – Rabies
56 Manufacture – Voice of World Control
57 Nine Inch Nails – With Teeth
58 London After Midnight – Psycho Magnet
59 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Mother’s Milk
60 Love And Rockets – Love & Rockets
61 The Cult – Beyond Good And Evil
62 Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
63 Dead Can Dance – Aion
64 Peter Murphy – Deep
65 The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
66 Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair
67 U2 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
68 The Church – Starfish
69 Pink Floyd – A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
70 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik
71 Sinead O’Connor – The Lion And The Cobra
72 Shinedown – The Sound of Madness
73 Rush – Clockwork Angels
74 Magic Sound Fabric – Uplift Drift
75 Love Spirals Downwards – Ever
76 Tom Petty – Damn the Torpedoes
77 The Go-Go’s – Beauty and the Beat
78 The Cars – Heartbeat City
79 Van Halen – 1984
80 U2 – The Joshua Tree
81 The Cult – Sonic Temple
82 Jeff Beck – Blow By Blow
83 ZZ Top – Eliminator
84 Zero One – Prototype 2
85 Styx – Paradise Theater
86 Linkin Park – Meteora
87 Rush – Hemispheres
88 Zero One – Psy-Fi
89 Staind – Break The Cycle
90 3 Doors Down – Away From the Sun
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: albums, entertainment, music | 1 Comment »
Posted by Scott Holstad on August 5, 2012
I decided to create a list of my favorite songs. The list kept growing until it reached its current number of 240 songs. These are largely in order of preference, although it was hard to make a decision on some of these. Feel free to read through them and comment. Also, I’m sure I left some good songs out, so feel free to recommend songs you feel should have made the list. Cheers!
My Favorite Songs of All Time
1. Sanvean – Lisa Gerrard
2. Stigmata – Ministry
3. Hurt – Nine Inch Nails
4. Cantara – Dead Can Dance
5. Tom Sawyer – Rush
6. Wanting – Moev
7. More Than a Feeling – Boston
8. Cars – Gary Numan
9. Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen
10. Tin Omen – Skinny Puppy
11. Blue Wind – Jeff Beck
12. Lucretia My Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy
13. American Dreaming – Dead Can Dance
14. Groove Is In the Heart – Deee-Lite
15. Down With The Sickness – Disturbed
16. Do You Fear For Your Child – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
17. With a Little Luck – Wings
18. We Will Rock You – Queen
19. Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones
20. Come Sail Away – Styx
21. The One I Love – REM
22. Killing In The Name – Rage Against The Machine
23. Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd
24. Knock Me Down – Red Hot Chili Peppers
25. Wish – Nine Inch Nails
26. Policy of Truth – Depeche Mode
27. Black Sun – Dead Can Dance
28. Pornography – The Cure
29. Phoenix – The Cult
30. Good Times Roll – The Cars
31. Whip It – Devo
32. Sail On – The Commodores
33. Led Boots – Jeff Beck
34. The Trauma Coil – Faith & the Muse
35. Bring Me to Life – Evanescence
36. People Get Ready – Jeff Beck
37. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
38. Street Fighting Man – The Rolling Stones
39. Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
40. Dominion/ Mother Russia – The Sisters of Mercy
41. Panama – Van Halen
42. Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2
43. Black No. 1 – Type O Negative
44. Shout – Tears for Fears
45. The Trees – Rush
46. Begin the Begin – REM
47. Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
48. Control I’m Here – Nitzer Ebb
49. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
50. Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind & Fire
51. Enjoy the Silence – Depeche Mode
52. Fashion – David Bowie
53. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Beatles
54. My Best Friend’s Girl – The Cars
55. 25 Or 6 To 4 – Chicago
56. Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie
57. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Beatles
58. Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Bauhaus
59. Don’t Look Back – Boston
60. Double Vision – Foreigner
61. Wheel In The Sky – Journey
62. Detroit Rock City – KISS
63. The Beautiful People – Marilyn Manson
64. So What – Ministry
65. Virus – KMFDM
66. Flashback – Ministry
67. More & Faster – KMFDM
68. Space Truckin’ – Deep Purple
69. Ball Of Confusion – Love & Rockets
70. As the End Draws Near – Manufacture
71. Lightning Man – Nitzer Ebb
72. Terrible Lie – Nine Inch Nails
73. Let’s Dance – Queen & David Bowie
74. Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers
75. I Want Your (Hands On Me) – Sinead O’Connor
76. Peek-A-Boo – Siouxsie & the Banshees
77. My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend – Type O Negative
78. Go! – Tones On Tail
79. Got Me Under Pressure – ZZ Top
80. Honeybabysweetiedoll – Van Halen
81. Dirt – Death In Vegas
82. Block Rockin’ Beats – The Chemical Brothers
83. EST (Trip To The Moon) – Alien Sex Fiend
84. Headhunter – Front 242
85. Are We Ourselves? – The Fixx
86. Desire (Come and Get It) – Gene Loves Jezebel
87. Welcome to Paradise – Front 242
88. We Got the Beat – The Go-Go’s
89. It’s My Life – Talk Talk
90. Hyperactive – Thomas Dolby
91. Biting My Nails – Renegade Soundwave
92. Ridin’ the Storm Out – REO Speedwagon
93. Trouble Me – 10,000 Maniacs
94. Act I (Duettino) – Leo Delibes
95. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills & Nash
96. Levitation Groove – Magic Sound Fabric
97. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
98. Suite Madame Blue – Styx
99. Cold As Ice – Foreigner
100. Feeling That Way – Journey
101. Jane – Jefferson Starship
102. Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
103. Wish I Could – Norah Jones
104. Oh So Long – Lovespirals
105. Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
106. Free & Easy – Lovespirals
107. The Carnival Is Over – Dead Can Dance
108. The Mummer’s Dance – Loreena McKennitt
109. Sentimental Journey – Esquivel
110. Brain Damage – Pink Floyd
111. Saltarello – Dead Can Dance
112. You’re Everything – Chick Corea
113. Mr. Wendal – Arrested Development
114. Silly Love Songs – Wings
115. All Night Long – Peter Murphy
116. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
117. Losing My Religion – REM
118. Freewill – Rush
119. From A Million Miles – Single Gun Theory
120. Lovesong – The Cure
121. When Love Comes to Town – U2
122. Hold the Line – Toto
123. When Doves Cry – Prince
124. Lucky Star – Madonna
125. No New Tale To Tell – Love & Rockets
126. Fascination Street – The Cure
127. Love Shack – The B-52’s
128. The Globe – Big Audio Dynamite
129. People Are People – Depeche Mode
130. One Thing Leads to Another – The Fixx
131. Poison Arrow – ABC
132. Time Again – Asia
133. Let’s Dance – David Bowie
134. The Reflex – Duran Duran
135. Synchronicity 2 – The Police
136. Let’s Go Crazy – Prince
137. Gardening At Night – REM
138. Sanctify Yourself – Simple Minds
139. The Lovecats – The Cure
140. She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
141. Rock Lobster – The B-52’s
142. Le Freak – Chic
143. September – Earth, Wind & Fire
144. Into the Groove – Madonna
145. Genocide – Meat Beat Manifesto
146. Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before – The Smiths
147. Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz
148. Telegram Sam – Bauhaus
149. Rockit – Herbie Hancock
150. Guns In The Sky – INXS
151. Cross Eyed Mary – Jethro Tull
152. Juke Box Hero – Foreigner
153. Smoke On the Water – Deep Purple
154. Back In Black – AC/DC
155. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
156. Sheer Heart Attack – Queen
157. Flying High Again – Ozzy Osbourne
158. Your Shameful Heaven – My Dying Bride
159. This Is the New S**t – Marilyn Manson
160. Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin
161. My Own Summer (Shove It) – Deftones
162. Christian Woman – Type O Negative
163. The Choke – Skinny Puppy
164. More – The Sisters of Mercy
165. Bitch – The Rolling Stones
166. Stainless Steel Providers – Revolting Cocks
167. Down Rodeo – Rage Against The Machine
168. A Measured Response – Manufacture
169. After The Flesh – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
170. Rock and Roll – Led Zeppelin
171. Head Like a Hole – Nine Inch Nails
172. Whole Lotta Rosie – AC/DC
173. I’m Afraid of Americans – David Bowie
174. Mountain Song – Jane’s Addiction
175. Cry Of Mankind – My Dying Bride
176. Another Brick In the Wall, Pt. 2 – Pink Floyd
177. Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
178. I’m In Love With My Car – Queen
179. Live And Let Die – Wings
180. Locomotive Breath – Jethro Tull
181. Barrel Of A Gun – Depeche Mode
182. Bullet the Blue Sky – U2
183. Runnin’ with the Devil – Van Halen
184. Sound of Madness – Shinedown
185. Wake Up – Rage Against The Machine
186. Fire Woman – The Cult
187. Upside Down – Diana Ross
188. Celebration – Kool & The Gang
189. Borderline – Madonna
190. And This Is What The Devil Does – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
191. Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction
192. What I Like About You – The Romantics
193. Vertigo – U2
194. Hot With Fleas – Severed Heads
195. Cuts You Up – Peter Murphy
196. Right Here Right Now – Jesus Jones
197. Should I Stay Or Should I Go – The Clash
198. Hot Hot Hot!!! – The Cure
199. My Sharona – The Knack
200. This Corrosion – The Sisters of Mercy
201. Stone In Love – Journey
202. Hot Blooded – Foreigner
203. Renegade – Styx
204. Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty
205. Bigmouth Strikes Again – The Smiths
206. Die With Me – Type O Negative
207. Dead Souls – Nine Inch Nails
208. Burn – The Cure
209. Clubbed To Death – Rob Dougan
210. Let Me Entertain You – Queen
211. Where It’s At – Beck
212. Fight the Power – Public Enemy
213. F—Tha Police – NWA
214. Jahya – Skinny Puppy
215. Orange Crush – REM
216. Reptile – The Church
217. Ticking Time Bomb – Tackhead
218. Greater Reward – Severed Heads
219. What You Need – INXS
220. Pinhead – Ramones
221. Beck’s Bolero – Jeff Beck
222. Subdivisions – Rush
223. Have a Cigar – Pink Floyd
224. Alive and Kicking – Simple Minds
225. Call Me – Blondie
226. A View to a Kill – Duran Duran
227. Because The Night – 10,000 Maniacs
228. Burnt Flowers Fallen – Type O Negative
229. Smothered Hope – Skinny Puppy
230. Mother Goose – Jethro Tull
231. Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty
232. Finest Worksong – REM
233. Cemetry Gates – The Smiths
234. I Will Follow – U2
235. Outside – Staind
236. Boys Don’t Cry – The Cure
237. YYZ – Rush
238. Learning To Fly – Pink Floyd
239. Bungle In the Jungle – Jethro Tull
240. Eat For Two – 10,000 Maniacs
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: entertainment, music, songs | 2 Comments »
