John Carter

Well, I went to see John Carter last night and I thought it was great! A fun and thrilling adventure on Barsoom. The critics panned the movie and Disney says they will lose $200 million by March 31st...what the hell happened. We were 4 people in the theater for a 9:30PM show. All the while, people were lining up for the Hunger Games!!!

I feel the same way about John Carter as I did for Conan The Barbarian. Classic adventure stories that flopped at the movies for whatever reason. Star Wars had many flaws but it was a smash success. So what is Conan, John Carter and Green Lantern had flaws as well, at least it gave us the most important thing that a movie can give us...escapism!!!

If my words convince at least 1 person to go see any of the 3 movies just mentioned, then I will feel great. I had great fun watching them and will now look into reading the Barsoom series to compare the movie version of John Carter to the pulp fiction version.

Van Halen - Update

Well, a couple of months have gone by and I must say that the Tattoo song does sound good. From the Another Kind of Truth CD, I also like Stay Frosty. I have not heard much else but it might be good.

Ultimate Fantasy Rock Band - Drummers

Here is the final list for the drummers:

97) Jeff Beck/Whitesnake - Ansley Dunbar

96) REO Speedwagon - Alan Gratzer

95) Chicago - Danny Seraphine

94) Thin Lizzy - Brian Downey

93) Cinderella - Fred Coury

92) Bob Seger - Charlie Allen Martin

91) Kansas - Phil Ehart

90) Derek & the Dominos - Jim Gordon

89) Joe Satriani - Jeff Campitelli

88) Jethro Tull - Clive Bunker

87) Queensryche - Scott Rockenfield

86) Joe Satriani/David Lee Roth - Greg Bissonette

85) Santana - Dennis Chambers

84) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Doug Clifford

83) Beck/Vanilla Fudge/Ted Nugent - Carmine Appice

82) Journey - Dean Castronovo

81) Jeff Beck/Judas Priest/Toto/The Who - Simon Phillips

80) Sonic Youth - Steve Shelley

79) King Crimson - Mike Giles

78) Santana - Mike Shrieve

77) Talking Heads - Chris Franz

76) Incubus - Jose Pasillas

75) Living Colour - William Calhoun

74) Alice in Chains - Sean Kinney

73) Cheap Trick - Bun E Carlos

72) Frank Zappa - Chad Wackerman

71) Black Sabbath - Vinnie Appice

70) Slayer - Paul Bostaph

69) King Crimson - Pat Mastelotto

68) KISS - Peter Criss

67) Steely Dan - Steve Gadd

66) The Who/Oasis - Zak Starkey

65) The Clash - Topper Headon

64) Muse - Dominic Howard

63) Husker Du - Grant Hart

62) 311 - Chad Sexton

61) ZZ Top - Frank Beard

60) Grateful Dead - Mickey Hart

59) Santana - Chester Thompson

58) Yes - Alan White

57) Primus - Tim Alexander

56) Dixie Dregs/Winger - Rod Morgenstein

55) Journey - Steve Smith

54) Judas Priest - Scott Travis

53) Frank Zappa/Jeff Beck/Missing Persons - Terry Bozzio

52) Radiohead - Phil Selway

51) A Perfect Circle - Josh Freese

50) Green Day - Tre Cool

49) Whitesnake/Ozzy Osborne - Tommy Aldridge

48) E Street Band - Max Weinberg

47) The Doors - John Densmore

46) Primus - Brian Mantia

45) Ozzy - Randy Castillo

44) Fleetwood Mac - Mick Fleetwood

43) Faith No More/Ozzy - Mike Bordin

42) AC/DC/Asia/Uriah Heep - Chris Slade

41) System of a Down - John Dolmayan

40) Slayer/Apocalyptica - Dave Lombardo

39) Pat Travers/Iron Maiden - Nicko McBrain

38) Black Sabbath - Bill Ward

37) The Rolling Stones - Charlie Watts

36) The Cult/Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver - Matt Sorum

35) U2 - Larry Mullen Jr.

34) Jane’s Addiction - Stephen Perkins

33) Rainbow/Emerson/Jeff Beck/Whitesnake - Cozy Powell

32) Rage Against The Machine - Brad Wilk

31) Pearl Jam - Dave Abbruzzese

30) Red Hot Chili Peppers/Pearl Jam - Jack Irons

29) Aerosmith - Joey Kramer

28) Jimi Hendrix Experience - Mitch Mitchell

27) Soundgarden - Matt Cameron

26) Motley Crue - Tommy Lee

25) The Beatles - Ringo Starr

24) Yes -Bill Bruford

23) Dream Theater - Mike Portnoy

22) Deep Purple - Ian Paice

21) Foo Fighters - Taylor Hawkins

20) Guns & Roses - Steven Adler

19) Red Hot Chili Peppers - Chad Smith

18) Blink 182 - Travis Barker

17) Emerson, Lake, & Palmer - Carl Palmer

16) Queen - Roger Taylor

15) Def Leppard - Rick Allen

14) Tool - Danny Carey

13) Mastodon - Brann Dailor

12) Pink Floyd - Nick Mason

11) Dave Matthews Band - Carter Beauford

10) Cream - Ginger Baker

9) Smashing Pumpkins - Jimmy Chamberlain

8) Van Halen - Alex Van Halen

7) Nirvana/Queens Of The Stoneage - Dave Grohl

6) The Police - Stewart Copeland

5) Genesis - Phil Collins

4) Metallica - Lars Ulrich

3) The Who - Keith Moon

2) Led Zeppelin - John Bonham

1) Rush - Neil Peart

While Neil Peart rightly deserves top spot, my heart goes to John Bonham. Listen to the 20 minutes version of Moby Dick from the How The West Was Won 3-CD box set and you will be convinced.

Ultimate Fantasy Rock Band - Guitarists

CHOM 97.7 FM, the only classic rock radio station in Montreal recently finished building the ultimate fantasy rock band. I will post the results of each one as well as comment on the top 5 selected members in each category.

97) Blue Öyster Cult - Donald “Buck” Dharma Roeser

96) Kansas - Steve Morse

95) Crosby Stills & Nash - Stephen Stills

94) Chicago - Terry Kath

93) Cheap Trick - Rick Nielsen

92) David Bowie - Mick Ronson

91) Jethro Tull - Martin Barre

90) Deep Purple - Tommy Bolin

89) Supertramp - Carl Verheyen

88) Fleetwood Mac - Lindsay Buckingham

87) Colin James

86) Creedence Clearwater - John Fogerty

85) Dinosaur Jr. - J Mascis

84) Mountain - Leslie West

83) Journey - Neal Schon

82) David Lee Roth - Steve Vai

81) The Band - Robbie Robertson

80) Fleetwood Mac - Peter Green

79) The Byrds - Clarence White

78) Sonic Youth - Lee Ranaldo

77) Whitesnake - John Sykes

76) Steely Dan - Eliot Randall

75) Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Randy Bachman

74) Ten Years After - Alvin Lee

73) Alice in Chains - Jerry Cantrell

72) Tom Petty/The Heartbreakers - Mike Campbell

71) Steve Miller Band - Steve Miller

70) The Byrds - Roger McGuinn

69) Yes - Steve Howe

68) Styx - Tommy Shaw

67) Yes - Trevor Rabin

66) Smashing Pumpkins - Billy Corgan

65) Lou Reed

64) The Smiths - Johnny Marr

63) Radiohead - Jonny Greenwood

62) Grateful Dead - Jerry Garcia

61) R.E.M. - Peter Buck

60) The Ramones - Johnny Ramone

59) The Rolling Stones - Mick Taylor

58) Thin Lizzy - Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson

57) The Sex Pistols - Steve Jones

56) Allman Brothers - Dickey Betts

55) Jane’s Addiction - Dave Navarro

54) Aerosmith - Joe Perry

53) Soundgarden - Kim Thayil

52) The Clash - Mick Jones

51) Sonic Youth - Thurston Moore

50) The Eagles - Joe Walsh

49) Mahogany Rush - Frank Marino

48) KISS - Ace Frehley

47) Frank Zappa

46) Bruce Springsteen

45) Allman Brothers - Dickey Betts

44) King Crimson - Robert Fripp

43) Peter Frampton

42) The Kinks - Dave Davies

41) The Doors - Robby Krieger

40) John Lennon

39) The Police - Andy Summers

38) Muse - Matt Bellamy

37) ZZ Top - Billy Gibbons

36) Allman Brothers - Duane Allman

35) Genesis - Steve Hackett

34) Jeff Healey

33) Red Hot Chili Peppers - John Frusciante

32) Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gary Rossington

31) Neil Young

30) Prince

29) Nirvana - Kurt Cobain

28) Metallica - James Hetfield

27) Megadeath - Dave Mustaine

26) The Beatles - George Harrison

25) The Rolling Stones - Keith Richards

24) The White Stripes - Jack White

23) Aerosmith - Joe Perry

22) Rage Against the Machine - Tom Morello

21) Bon Jovi - Richie Sambora

20) Black Sabbath - Tony Iommi

19) Deep Purple - Ritchie Blackmore

18) Alice Cooper - Joe Satriani

17) Dire Straights - Mark Knopfler

16) The Who - Pete Townshend

15) Jeff Beck

14) U2 - The Edge

13) Ozzy Osbourne - Randy Rhoades

12) Rush - Alex Lifeson

11) AC/DC - Angus Young

10) Metallica - Kirk Hammett

9) Queen - Brian May

8) Santana - Carlos Santana

7) Stevie Ray Vaughan

6) Pink Floyd - David Gilmour

5) Guns N Roses - Slash

4) Van Halen - Eddie Van Halen

3) Derek & the Dominoes - Eric Clapton

2) Jimi Hendrix

1) Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page

While I agree with the Top 5 choices, my first pick would be Jimi Hendrix. The theatrics, the style, the power of Jimi...what else can you say.

Movie Review: Bridesmaids

Last night, my wife and I watched Bridesmaids on TV. Everyone had spoke highly of the movie since its release and we really enjoyed it. Some of the scenes were absolutely hysterical (especially the bridal shop scene). It did remind me of what happens when friends get older and when our lives adapt to new experiences like marriage and the consequences to the non-married people. Having kids also does this.

4 years later...

Today is the 4th anniversary of the death of E. Gary Gygax, the co-creator of the Dungeons and Dragons game. How time flies... We weren't able to get a game going this year to celebrate his achievements but his awesomeness is with us gaming geeks.

Van Halen's Tattoo

I heard the new single from Van Halen, Tattoo, today with the new/old lineup of Eddie, Alex, David and Wolfgang. It's not bad but it isn't the blockbuster song that the album 1984 produced so many of (Hot For Teacher being my favorite).

Several callers to the radio station were not impressed. This brings to mind what influence Michael Anthony brought to Van Halen's songwriting process vs. the relative inexeperience of Wolfgang Van Halen.

Let's wait and see what the whole album brings to the table. If Tattoo is the best song...it won't be pretty!