Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Whoda Thunk?


Many moons ago (I think it was summer 1977) I was browsing through a bin of cut price, must go, "you'll never see these prices again" cassettes and I came across an album by a band I'd never heard of and had no idea of how they sounded. I glanced at the song titles and thought they implied progressive rock - my favorite genre at the time. Well, the cassette was really cheap and it gave me a chance to expand my musical horizons, so I bought it.

The band and the album were called "Automatic Man" and I it's unlikely you've ever heard of them because from that day I never came across hide-nor-hair of them ... until today.

The album was a mix of many styles, funky, rocky, spacey, progressive and more. It was almost impossible to assign it to a genre, so I just called it progressive rock because that label covers a multitude of sins. Anyway, the musicianship and vocals were high quality and I loved it. But as I said I never heard of them again until today when I was perusing my favorite progressive rock & metal website Progressive World and there before my astonished eyes was a review of the album "Automatic Man" by "Automatic Man".

The reviewer has the same problem as me, "How do you categorize this band?" And he seems to have the same viewpoint on them too, "Awesome music."

If you ever get the chance to hear the album I highly recommend it.

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Europe finally taking action against music pirates


I have many friends who are musicians and song writers and the music pirates are stealing from them. Every time a song is stolen another song fails to be created because the artist has no income. Europe's song-swappers face court

Monday, March 29, 2004

US Presidential Election 2004


I think it is important for people to realize what choices they have to make in the coming election. One one side you have a man who is a son of one of the leading families in the ruling oligarchy. He grew up with money and privilege and the interests of his class and keeping them in power are his primary concerns. On the other side you have a man who is a son of one of the leading families in the ruling oligarchy. He grew up with money and privilege and the interests of his class and keeping them in power are his primary concerns. So when you vote, choose wisely.

Friday, March 19, 2004

Some Truth In Reporting


Carl Bernstein is one of the two former Washington Post reporters who exposed Richard Nixon as the criminal he was. Here he talks about how much of today's news has deteriorated into gossip, sensationalism and manufactured controversy. He is so right: Ex-Watergate writer laments "idiot culture"

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Blatant Fraud


You'd think that by this time the complete failure of psychiatry to do anything effective about mental illness would elicit cries of outrage. Take this story for instance: Ohio Suspect Has Mental Illness History.

If psychiatry actually did anything effective (for example, if it worked) then the headline would never have happened. The guy would have gone to a psychiatrist, received treatment and been cured. But because psychiatry is a complete failure we see headlines like this (and worse) all the time.

Of course being complete failures and frauds doesn't stop psychs demanding "mental health parity" or asking for more taxpayer money so they can go into schools and drug the children. I really hope that some day soon this profession becomes widely known for the destructive fake and fraud that it really is.

Friday, March 05, 2004

Weird


This is a weird news article. I've been to Weston Super-Mare and I sure didn't see any weird stuff like this. Perhaps they've built a nuclear reactor since I was last there? Weird Story.

Thursday, March 04, 2004

Andromeda


A couple of weeks ago I bought an album called "II=I" by Andromeda. I must have been in a funny mood because when I first played it I didn't really like it. However, earlier this week I decided to give it a second chance and I have hardly listened to anything else since. "II=I" is their second album and I can't wait for more.

The band is from Sweden and their style is progressive metal. Excellent musicianship, great vocals and engaging songs.

Official Andromeda Site

By-the-way, "II=I" is a mathematical way of defining love.