Bree!

Confession: I have some of these books already, but the ones I DO own come highly recommended!


Love Is A Mix Tape Life and Love One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield
Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life by John Sellers

Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story by Chuck Klosterman

Rolling Stone Magazine

Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo by Andy Greenwald


High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Blender Magazine

SPIN Magazine
Alternative Press Magazine
And because everyone needs clothes...


FOB birds shirt

MCR Revenge Hoodie!

THIS is a pretty great interview with Gerard Way. Here are some gems I pulled from it:


About playing to the Projekt Rev audience w/ Linkin Park:

About pushing 'sexual boundaries' on stage:

About his spontaneous marriage to Lyn-Z:

---

Sounds like he's in a good place in his life, no? ps. Usage of 'razzle dazzle' totally made me lol.

Read the rest of the interview here.

Patti LaBelle recently slammed Spears and Simpson:

The only thing I have to say about that is... Dionne Warwick SINGS? I thought she just hung out with her psychic friends?

Anyway, what does she consider "very long" 'cause Britney never ceases to entertain. It's really not a discussion of talent, Ms. LaBelle.

ps. If you don't know who Patti LaBelle is, keep watch on Wendy's 'Women in Music' posts.

From People:


Aw. I think she may be a good mom, believe it or not. They don't know if it's a boy or girl yet, and they haven't picked out a name.

I hope she has a girl. Little girls are more fun to dress up. No offense, boyz.

Producer/recording artist Butch Walker is a victim of the Malibu wildfires.


While in the grand scheme of things, it's not SO bad (at least no one got hurt), can you even imagine losing all your belongings? I know their just material posessions, but it still has to be a pretty tough thing to go through.

Source: Spinner

I just got home from the Fall Out Boy show @ the Long Beach Arena. A few more pics + recap tomorrow.

G'nite!

I'm posting this 'cause you didn't know me in '05-- because I'm gearing up for my '07 list and for the life of me, I do NOT know where my '06 list went.

*This does not necessarily mean THE BEST, or even that they were released in 2005. It does, however, mean they represent moments (and you know how I am about moments)-- of car singing, hot topic quasi-dancing, live shows, OC-watching, of phone calls from those who knew how much the songs meant to me. They are the best representations of my life, of Warped Tour, of my best times with best friends. In some cases, they even represent the worst times. Anyone in their right mind might want to forget that, but I appreciate those songs for capturing that bundle of feelings, and for the fact that I can crawl back into the song, re-experience it in a sense, and crawl back out knowing that I'm a better person for having lived through and learned from that experience. Without further ado, The Fifty:

1. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
2. Truth Is - Over It
3. Landed - Ben Folds
4. Sugar, We're Goin Down - Fall Out Boy
5. Be Still My Heart - The Postal Service
6. Fix You - Coldplay
7. Gold Digger - Kanye West
8. Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple
9. Hide & Seek - Imogen Heap
10. Heard That Sound - MxPx
11. Honk and Wave - Limbeck
12. Let It Rain - Ok Go
13. Dirty Little Secret - AAR
14. Don't Lie - Black Eyed Peas
15. The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice
16. Perfect Situation - Weezer
17. Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
18. Drive Away - Gratitude
19. Middle of Nowhere - Hot Hot Heat
20. Suspension - Mae
21. A Girl I Know - The Matches
22. Attractive Today - MCS
23. Take It Easy (Love Nothing) - Bright Eyes
24. Take Me Anywhere - Tegan & Sara
25. Someday You Will Be Loved - DCFC
26. Be Gentle With Me - The Boy Least Likely To
27. Twenty Two Fourteen - The Album Leaf
28. Best of You - Foo Fighters
29. 1, 2 Step - Ciara
30. Dance Dance - Fall Out Boy
31. I Need Some Fine Wine and You Need To Be Nicer - The Cardigans
32. Gravity - The Dresden Dolls
33. Black and White Town - Doves
34. The Flowers - Regina Spektor
35. You're a Concrete Boy Now - Fall Out Boy
36. The Real Thing - Gwen
37. Attention - The Academy Is...
38. Rebellion (Lies) - The Arcade Fire
39. Stay Where I Can See You - TSL
40. Manhole - Ani
41. Not Now - Blink182
42. More Than Words (Extreme cover) - Frankie J
43. Say Anything (Else) - Cartel
44. Just Like Heaven (The Cure cover) - Gatsbys American Dream
45. Krafty - New Order
46. Heard em Say - Kanye West
47. Cupid's Chokehold - Gym Class Heroes
48. Missed Medicine - Her Space Holiday
49. Ray - Milencolin
50. Samson - Regina Spektor

Kay, I don't know in what context or WHY this came about, but a little gem from heavymetalmusic.biz:

Slipknot fans and album fans are way more punk than My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy are

Let’s face it. It is commonly known punk and metal became popular because the fan bases of all those bands were social outcasts or misfits that were attracted to the music or culture. Looking back when those genres started, fans were genuine and believed in the lifestyle. Today with trendier bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, their fans are social robots who are not attracted to the subculture of the underground. They are only mindlessly attracted to these bands since Hot Topic sells their clothes and their local radio station play the stuff. Ugh! Slipknot is rarely played on the radio. Their fan base seems to be the laughing stock of society thus they become the true misfits of the current subculture based on their attitude and how they dress. Thus today’s true punk are fans of bands like Slipknot. Maybe even your goth enemy.

---

My response:

• Trendy does NOT automatically = bad.
• Music is music. No one needs to get fiesty over not living a certain lifestyle
• I'm really not upset about not being a "true punk" or a "misfit"
• I really don't know how to respond to the "social robot" comment, but once, I DID buy a robot NECKLACE at HOT TOPIC. The horror!

And now, responses from some notable figures*:

This morning I was skimming through ONTD when my accute Wentz-radar went off. So apparently Petey asked this band called Neuorsonic to stop promoting their song, "So Many People." Because it's about Ashlee Simpson-- specifically, her lip syncing stunt on SNL. This is the video:



1. My first thought was Yeah right. I bet Neurosonic started this rumor themselves.
2. Hello, old news. Last time I even mentioned the event, I rolled my eyes at myself.
3. I wish this band would lip sync. To someone else's songs. Because they kinda suck.

That is all.

British pop star Lily Allen has vowed to quit the music industry before she turns 25 - so she can 'lead a normal life'. The 22-year-old has hinted the follow-up to her 2006 debut Alright, Still will be her final album, because she wants to concentrate on her home life and having children.

She says, "I'd like to live in the country and have chickens and pigs. It's a great job but it doesn't leave time for what's important - like having a family. I'm going to do one more album. I just want to make some money - maybe I could retire at 25."

---

What?! Did she blurt this out in a drunken stupor?

Look, not that there's anything wrong with chickens, pigs or children-- but 'retiring' at 25, isn't that a bit... I don't know, presumptious? Just how much money DID she make off of 'Alright, Still' anyway?

I love Lil, but this seems like bait I don't want to bite at. Especially since between the age of 22 and 25, I changed my college major twice. No need to make any grand plans yet, oh fiesty one. Unless of course this is her subtle way of saying she's pregnant? Nah nah now, don't start rumors...

I know I'm stating what is probably obvious, but yeah.


Source: Escape the Fate.
ps. ETF says 'No, we didn't break up' whatever that gossip was about...

Casey Calvert, the 26 year old guitarist for Hawthorne Heights, died in his sleep last night.


A statement from the band's official web site:

Today is probably the worst day ever. Its with our deepest regrets that we have to write this. Casey Calvert passed away in his sleep last night. We found out this afternoon before sound-check. We've spent the entire day trying to come to grips with this and figure out as much as possible. At this time we're not sure what exactly happened. Just last night he was joking around with everyone before he went to bed. We can say with absolute certainty that he was not doing anything illegal. Please, out of respect to Casey and his family, don't contribute or succumb to any gossip you may hear. We don't want his memory to be tainted in the least. Casey was our best friend. He was quirky and awesome and there will truly be no others like him! His loss is unexplainable. As soon as we know more we will let you know.

Sincerely,
Hawthorne Heights

---

I... don't even know what to say. That's incredibly sad. Please think some comforting thoughts for his family and his band.

:(

Yeah yeah, I get it, 3-D is all "in" again, but that ish makes me ill.

Oh, and the FD series, as much as I'm morbidly obsessed with them (whenever they're on, I HAVE to watch-- as if the outcome might be different or something), they always put me on the verge of a panic attack. And then I spend like a week thinking I'm going to die. I'm sure seeing it in 3-D will put me over the edge. I'll be afraid to like, get on an elevator or use a toaster.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Oh, censorship-- always a hot topic, no? 50 cent sees a double standard:

"I guess they have their rules that apply individually to each artist separately: 'Oh no, he can't say that, 'cause he feels like that about that person,' " he told MTV Base. "But it's not a rule that applies to everybody else. Matter of fact, my next single, I'm going to start it [with], 'It's Britney, bitch!'"

---

To help you visualize this:


Ok, but on a serious note, what do you think of this double standard?

Kanye West's mama passed on a week ago but Kanye kept on. At a recent show in Paris, he broke down. From MTV.com:

Toward the end of the hour-long show at Le Zenith in Paris, as "Hey Mama" began, West attempted to introduce the song, saying, "This song is for my mother ... " but could not continue, the magazine reported.

---

Can you even imagine? As much as I'd LIKE to thing I could be strong in a situation like that, I'd be hibernating for months I think.

I respect him for carrying on, and for being vulnerable in front of his audience. I think it must take a hell of a lot of guts to do that.

I totally would've given him a care bear stare if I was there.

Ok, ew, I didn't mean to make that rhyme I swear.
Ahhh! I did it again!

In the December 2007 issue of Rocksound, Wil Francis from Aiden has some sound bites on page 48. It's for the "If I ruled the world" feature... and he says *gasp*... well, read on:

---

Wil! How can you be so harsh? I mean honestly, I don't know how I got anywhere before Mapquest. Oh, right, I didn't drive before Mapquest. Ha. Lets not making sweeping generalizations now. Geesh.

No ruling the world for you!

An alternate title for this post would be: HAYLEY WILLIAMS and I BOTH said "I LIKE YOUR HAIR!" to eachother at the SAME TIME. Hayley Williams LIKES MY HAIR! Got that?



One time I was at a Foo Fighters meet and greet and Taylor Hawkins said he liked my hair-- but this was way more exciting, because Hayley 's hair is far cooler than Taylor's (sorry bro).

Ok, this is not about my hair. This is about Paramore's performance at the Helio store in Santa Monica! They let us in first to take some group shots of them (go look on Kron's page!) then they let everyone else in to get ready for the performance. Ok, there were only like 15 people there. Soooo intimate!

They played 3 songs acoustic and mannnnnn, they sounded amazing. They played Crushcrushcrush, Pressure and Misery Business.

I am not even joking when I say I think they're the next No Doubt. And you KNOW how much a statement like that means coming from me.

After that, they quickly signed some stuff... Kron tore out a piece of notebook paper and they signed that (wish I had something better, but I didn't think about it in advance). And yeah, when Hayley was signing my paper we both went, "I like your hair!" at the same time. Then she laughed and said "Ohmygod!"

They're all so dang cute. I wish I was going to the show tonight, but I have previous commitments. Kron is going though, so I will live vicariously :)

Yayyyyy Paramore!

Ok, not really, but according to NME, dear 'ol Frank Iero has left the world tour because of a family member's illness.

21. kiss me
20. the story so far
19. never sometimes
18.  too good to be


17. hit or miss
16. sucker
15. all about her
14. something i call personality
13. so many ways
12. no news is good news
11. king of wishful thinking
10. better off dead


9. sincerely me
8. it's not your fault
7. understatement
6. who am i?


5. winter of 95
4. all downhill from here
3. truth of my youth
2. dressed to kill

1. my friends over you



Oh and guess who's interviewing them this weekend?ME ME ME! You haz queshuns? You better tell me now.

I love Rihanna. I really do. I even buy her songs on iTunes. But what can POSSIBLY be the explanation for this:
I don't even know what to say. I would venture to say she got this off the Hot Topic last-chance clearance rack, but I think that would be a really big insult to Hot Topic.

Is fakery a word? I don't know, but I sure like it.

In C. Love's MySpace blog (most of which I cannot be bothered to decipher) she says:

You got that, kids? She thanks God for Buddhism.



Also, once you put your friends on payroll, your f*cked.

Wait, what? Who does that?

This is brought to you by My Chemical Column:

---

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Gerard Way was asked to describe his fans. He said:

Source: Buzzgrinder

---

Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

ONTD has these photos from that supposed "disaster" shoot that Britney had with OK! Magazine. They don't look that bad to me!

From Justnodoubt.net:

Eve is currently reported to be working on her fourth solo album "Here I Am", due for release in early 2008. Those rumored to be involved with the album are Timbaland, Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch. Also slated to make guest appearances are: Adam Levine, Sean Paul, Swizz Beatz, Shakira, and Gwen Stefani.

Hell yeah I want these two to team up again! Remember this?