I'm Thankful For This Stuff

I won't be doing a Thanksgiving-day blog, sorry. I have other stuff planned - like family time, and the "House" marathon on TV.

So, in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday (in the States, at least), here are the things that I'm most thankful for as far as music is concerned.

• Pro-Mark drumsticks. They're the best if you ask me. I own only two pairs at the moment because they're too sturdy to require by-the-brick, bulk purchases. At least in my case. They're also comfortable, affordable and quite a bit of fun.
• Remastered albums. Oh, sure, The Cranberries' "No Need to Argue" sounded great when it was recorded in the 1990s. But with remastering, and bonus tracks, the "complete sessions" version sounds better and gives me more tunes from one of my favorite bands.
• Ring tones. Being able to customize my cell phone's ringers? That's one of very few things that makes the stupid device bearable. I despise these things and the constant connectivity that they encourage (or demand, in some cases). But when I can pick my own ring tones, I'm a little happier about having to take the stupid phone with me to school, work, et cetera.
• Noise-canceling headphones. Not many things bother me more than crowd noise. The larger the crowd, the more I'm annoyed. Being able to cancel out the sounds, and replace them with music - something I actually want to hear - makes life tolerable.

Have a wonderful Turkey Day, 'merrycans, and everyone else? Have a great day too.

MP3 Players and Song Files

With Black Friday coming closer and closer, it's time to talk MP3 players. Specifically: the music that you wish to load on them.

If you buy an iPod or a Zune, you'll have to load the respective software. In both cases, the programs are bloated, and tend to hog system resources. I actually don't like the Zune software at all, though I do have a special place in my heart for the actual player.

How old is your computer? If your system isn't fairly new, it's going to labor and strain when you run iTunes or Zune. Keep that in mind when you shop. Especially if you want a big player so that you fill it with lots of music. That tranfer will take time, and eat up your resources.

However, a good number of the other players on the market work with Windows Explorer. With these, you load music and other files simply by plugging in the player (USB connection). Just drag and drop the files that you want to add, and use your "Delete" key to dump the ones that you don't want anymore. This is simple, very easy on even older computers' resources, and painless.

Also, keep file types in mind when you buy a player. Not every device will play every type of file. The Zune and iPod will not, right now at least, play anything that you download from SpiralFrog. If you purchase downloads from the iTunes Store, do not expect them to work in any device that isn't an iPod. Be sure, before you buy, that you'll be able to enjoy your music downloads.

Speaking of file types: What about your CD collection? You'll have to rip those files to your computer's hard drive, then transfer the music to the device. Be sure, when you rip, that you choose a file type that the player can handle. Several years ago, I had a small iRiver. That sucker would not play WMA files. I could load them, but they wouldn't play. The device just didn't handle them, so I had to convert them to MP3 format, which took time and annoyed me.

Do your research before you buy. There are many players on the market, and they are not all equal. Be sure that you know what you're getting, or putting under the Christmas tree for somebody else this year. And if you do give someone an MP3 player, throw in a gift card to that person's favorite pay-download site or record store.

Stereo Research, Possibly Shopping Later

I'm in a foul mood because my cheaply-made wireless FM transmitter died on me. As in: completely. It needs either fresh batteries (which is ridiculous, because I just bought the thing a couple of months ago and used brand-new AAAs in the stupid piece of garbage) or several direct blows with a claw hammer. Either way, I'm annoyed at the situation because I'd really like to listen to whatever music I want when I drive to and from school.

My solution to the problem, aside from bludgeoning the useless piece of junk with that claw hammer, is to save up my bucks to get a decent stereo for the car in question. The aftermarket head unit in there isn't all that great. It's fine if you just want to listen to the radio, but it tends to scratch up CDs. This unit's rather old, so I'm not surprised that it tried to eat my Sara Bareilles disc.

So, I've been researching stereos, because I despise the idea of spending a few hundred dollars on something without knowing exactly what I can reasonably expect. I want to walk in, tell the person at the store exactly what I want, and leave with a perfect-for-me setup installed right there.

At the moment, all I really know is that I want something with a line-in, which is tough to NOT find at this point, because I'm tired of messing with transmitters.

I also know that I want to upgrade the speakers so that, when the car's hard top is off, I can crank up the Zune and actually hear my music.

We'll see how this stereo-shopping thing goes.

Twice-weeky Updates

I'll be updating on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I hope at least, because school and work (among other obligations) are keeping me too busy. Well, it was worth trying to blog every day, at least, right?

Turn it Down Already

Now, I adore music and all that, but I honestly don't want to hear your tunes. Keep the music turned down just a little, okay? Please?

When we're stopped at a red light, turn down the stereo. I hate when somebody else's bass rattles my car windows. That's annoying and, sometimes, triggers one of my stupid migraines. When you're quite literally making me hurt, you're overstepping the social boundaries. Turn down the music for two minutes. I promise that you won't die if you can't blast your gangsta rap for that brief time period.

If I can clearly hear what's piping into your ears via your iPod, and you're on the other side of the college classroom, you're well on your way to permanent hearing damage. Personally, I think that you can do whatever you please to your own ears. If you don't value your hearing, then continue blasting Metallica and Pantera into your eardrums. Fine by me.

But please, turn off the music when there is something happening that we need to hear. When the prof walks in and starts lecturing, ditch the iPod. If you don't want to hear what he or she has to say, then don't come to class. Please stop interfering with my learning process.

I'm all for rocking out. I do it all the time, actually. I just don't want other peoples' music interfering with what I'm trying to do, that's all. On the open road, and before the prof walks into the classroom, enjoy at full volume if that's what you want. But please, think about other people every now and then.

Music Made Before My Time

I was born in the early 1980s, so I missed the really great music from the 60s and 70s. That's quite all right, though, because most of the music that I really enjoy from those decades found its way to compact disc and/or MP3 download.

My parents introduced me to classic rock even before I was born. The genre grew on me, as I was growing, and still makes me happy now, twenty-seven years later.

Uriah Heep's "Demons and Wizards" is one of the best classic-rock albums out there. Why? I'm not entirely sure. I like the vocals, and the drum work. The lyrics aren't bad, either. Overall, that's one of those rare albums that you can play straight through without being annoyed or bored.

I really like most of The Eagles' catalog as well. Their new double album isn't bad, by the way. Well worth checking out even though the band's not quite what they were during the "Hotel California" or even "Hell Freezes Over" years. Different, but not in a bad way.

Janis Joplin was awesome. She didn't have the usual, smooth, feminine voice at all, and that worked in her favor considering the lyrics that she and her band tended to prefer. "Cry Baby" wouldn't sound right if, say, Mariah Carey, sang it.

Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Joel, The Doors, Kansas, Journey, Eric Clapton...I could go on and on. A lot of the classic-rock songs that survived to make their way into my ears are just good music. Too bad I can't say the same about later decades.

Upcoming Music Releases I Care About

Some album releases that I actually care about:

November 11

Tracy Chapman - Our Bright Future
Missy Elliott - Block Party

November 18

Chris Cornell - Scream

November 23

Guns 'n' Roses - Chinese Democracy

November 25

Ludacris - Theater of the Mind

December 16

Fall Out Boy - Folie a Deux

MP3 Players with Removable Storage

I'm really liking the idea of adding removable storage media capabilities to MP3 players. This isn't exactly a brand-new idea, but I'm seriously considering one of those types of players when I finally get sick of my Zune.

I like having lots of music on hand wherever I go. That's why I bought the Zune. At the time, the 30GB model was the largest one that Microsoft offered, and it wasn't an iPod (which I didn't like enough to buy then...or now). For a very-brief period, I actually had a little room left over on the Zune. My entire music collection didn't quite take up all of my storage space.

Now, though, I definitely have to pick and choose which songs or albums to add. That's all right, though, because some of what I play isn't good "road music." During the twice-weekly commute to and from school, I don't want to hear folk or other "softer, slower" tunes. I want harder, louder music, like rap and rock.

Even so: I like the idea of being able to swap out SD memory cards. I'll happily buy an MP3 player with that feature, and buy a protective case that holds a few memory cards for me. That would, if I find a player that's reliable and worth the money, be great. When I wanted to listen to my folk collection, I could pop that card into the player. If I get on the road for a little drive, I can insert a card full of "road-worthy" tunes.

Having choices like that is usually a good thing.

Music I Don't Like

Even though I'll give almost any music at least one listen before I make a judgment call, some things just aren't going to work for me. I occasionally dig a few of the songs or artists that I find in the following categories, but they're definitely exceptions. I wouldn't dare write off an entire genre, and every single person making music that falls into that category, because I'd miss out on some truly-enjoyable tunes if I did that.

* Opera - I appreciate the storytelling, and the amazing vocal feats. However, I don't really enjoy opera music. Most of the time, this style makes my gums itch.

* Foreign-language music. I'm uncomfortable when I don't know what, exactly, I'm singing. Rammstein's "Du Hast" is, for example, an excellent song. I didn't really enjoy it, however, until I looked up a trustworthy translation. (Hint: it is not a happy, fun song. But you probably figured that out by the dark, heavy overtones, didn't you?)

* Stereotypical rap/hip-hop. I tend to dislike raps about:

a) Degrading women
b) The rapper's wads and wads of cash
c) All the material possessions, especially cars, that said rapper purchased with his millions of dollars
d) Killing people for looking at the rapper the wrong way

There are so many other subjects to write and rap about. Yes, many of them have been done before. But the aforementioned topics are worn down to fine little nubs and, therefore, annoy the snot out of me. Stop. Pick something else to write about. Seriously. One more song about the Escalade's rims and I'm going to cry.

* Country-western. Just because I live in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas, doesn't mean that I'm a Travis Tritt fan. Or Garth Brooks. Or Trisha Yearwood. Or, heaven forbid, the Dixie Chicks. The country-western twang, especially the nasal variety, makes my ears cry.

* Boy bands and teen-pop sensations. I never liked New Kids on the Block; Tiffany; The Backstreet Boys; Britney Spears, or N*Sync. They all annoyed me, especially when I got older and discovered alternative rock.

Em's "Relapse" Release Date

Amazon says that Eminem's "Relapse" will hit shelves on December 23rd. That's excellent news, considering that we've been waiting a few years for Em to give us another CD.

None of his previous albums disappointed me, so I'm 99.999 percent certain that I'll be pleased with "Relapse."

Good Poker Music

I love poker - especially Hold'em tournaments. Because I play online, I don't have to worry about hearing the dealer, or the other players. That being the case, I'm free to crank up the tunes and enjoy.

Now, I'm not going to play "The Gambler" while I try to decide what to do with my cards. That's just...well...I do enjoy that song, but not while I'm actually playing. Instead, I have a few playlists. They include songs like:


L.L. Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealing
Ludacris - Game Got Switched; Put Your Money
Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Buckcherry - Lit Up
Green Day - Chump
2Pac - California Love
Eminem - Without Me; My Name Is; Just Lose It; These Drugs; Bad Influence

Those are just a few of my favorite "poker songs." They get my heart rate up, help me stay focused, and entertain me all at the same time.