The ARIA Nominations came out today and I am always interested in seeing who the ‘Industry’ sees as the hottest thing right now.

Best Album :

AC/DC – Black Ice : Seriously? As good as Acca Dacca were back in their heyday, is this album really worthy of a nomination? No.

Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream : This years ‘Presets’ will probably scoop the pool for their dancey, trancey hit of 2008/09. Talent oozes from these guys.

Eskimo Joe – Inshalla : As much as I have loved the ‘Joe’ in the past, I was a bit meh about this album. There are a couple of standout tracks, but mostly it seemed to be a ‘new direction’ album gone wrong and that’s after their ‘Black Fingernails’ album was a new direction album gone right.

Sarah Blasko – As Day Follows Night : I have to confess I have not listened to this album yet, but am a big fan of Blasko’s work. I am sure it’s pretty and lovely.

The Temper Trap – Conditions : The breakthrough band of the year deserve to have their debut band nominated. They have receive critical acclaim world-wide for their tightly produced album and I think they’re a dark-horse here.

It’s an interesting mix of albums. Almost like it was meant to be like that. I hope The Temper Trap win, but I expect Empire of the Sun to take the mantle from their cohorts, ‘The Presets’.

Best Adult Contemporary Album :

What the hell is Adult Contemporary anyway? I must be an adult though cause I like the nominations in this category

Bob Evans – Goodnight, Bull Creek! : The Jebediah front man comes back with an awesome album. Love his voice and love the feeling on this album.

David Campbell – Good Lovin’ : Barnesy Jr? Well, I think this is probably what Adult Contemporary is all about. But no, I have not heard this album so will refrain from commenting…

Josh Pyke – Chimney’s Afire : I am an unashamaed Pyke fan. This album is almost as good as his debut and that’s saying a lot. He’s a good guy with a good voice and even better song-writing skills. I hope he wins.

Little Birdy – Confetti : Infectious melodies and that cutesy voice are enough to get my hooked. Have always liked Little Birdy and happy to see them nominated here.

Paul Dempsey – Everything is True : It’s a relatively new album and I haven’t heard it all yet, but what I have heard, I like. He’s a heart-felt guy, that Paul Dempsey. Makes you want to listen to your old Something For Kate albums..

Who will win this category? I think it’s a toss-up between Josh Pyke and Little Birdy, but really as long as Barnesy doesn’t get it, I don’t mind who wins

Best Group :

AC/DC : Only if it’s still 1979

Empire of the Sun : Shouldn’t there be a duo category?

Eskimo Joe : Alt rockers turned commerical. Not this year.

Hilltop Hoods : Yes please. ‘State of the Art’ should have been nommed for best album.

The Drones : Wow. Impressive nomination, but more token than anything I’d say.

Best Breakthrough Single and Album :

Mauboy, Temper Trap, Ladyhawke (WTF? Isn’t she a Kiwi?), Bluejuice, Art vs Science, Lisa Mitchell.

A plethora of young talent there and I would LOVE to see Art vs Science or Bluejuice win it. ‘Broken Leg’ is the sing-a-long hit of the year! I dare-say Mauboy will win for her sheer popularity and family friendliness…..oh and maybe a little talent.

Best Rock Album :

AC/DC, Eskimo Joe, Jet

Temper Trap, The Drones

You can split them into these 2 categories and then ignore the 2nd lot because I don’t think they’ll get a look in unfortunately. I wouldn’t be surprised if AC/DC win this one.

Best Urban Release :

Astronomy Class, Hilltop Hoods, Horrowshow, Pez, Phrase

It’s a Triple J playlist creators dream. Any of these bands are worthy of this prize, but i daresay the ‘Hoods’ will smash the opposition in this one.

Best Single :

Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream

Hilltop Hoods – Chase That Feeling

Kate Miller-Heidke – The Last Day On Earth

Ladyhawke – My Delirium

The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition

The big one. The Single of the Year. how can the Hilltop Hoods get nominated for this, but not album of the year? I love their song, but I think any of them have a chance. Still, if Ladyhawke win, then we can assume that we can nominate Dave Dobbyn and Scribe as well? C’mon!

Awards given out on November 26 to lots of very drunk Australian Music Industry people.

What a weekend it was.

For just the second time in 23 years, the Eels made the Grand Final and I was there again. Just like I was in 2001 when we roared into the Grand Final as red-hot favourites.

This time we had scraped into the finals and pounded the top 3 sides to make the Grand Final, riding on a wing, prayer and history. We could have been the first team to win it from 8th spot.

Last week was amazing. We beat our arch-rivals, the Bulldogs, in front of 75,000 people. The crowd was deafening and it was the best Rugby League match I had ever been to. My son told me it had been the best day of his life. Nothing warms the heart more!

But this was the big one. The one that counts. We had reached the prelimiary final 5 times since 1986, but only made the Grand Final twice. We needed to make it count.

So, Dougall, Yellster, Ed and I took the nervous train trip to Homebush to drink, cheer and hopefully be merry.

We downed 4 at the Brewery before the game. I had never seen so many Parra jerseys in one place. It was a sea of blue and gold and the feeling of anxiety and excitement was palpable. I felt good and I felt confident. I had bets on for a 13+ victory. Perhaps ambitious, but that’s how I felt.

We stepped into the Stadium and saw the swarmof people around us. We had nice seats behind the goal posts but with a great view.

It was a game of 2 halves. The first, we had nothing to cheer about. Melbourne scored twice through some uncharacteristically weak defence. We didn’t have that spark. Hayne was very quiet. The crowd was nervous at half-time. I hardly even remember it.

The second was better. We lifted. Guru scored. Fui scored and we were happy.

All I could do was hope…maybe, we can come back…one last time.

It wasn’t to be. An uncontested bomb, a bullshit refereeing decision (fuck you Tony Archer), and a field goal later, and the Eels went down, 23-16. Melbourne win their 3rd premiership of the decade.

I was gutted to have lost again. It’s hard to lose a Grand Final after weeks of build-up. I can only imagine what it must feel like for the players.

But next year is a new decade, and a new chance for the Eels to start their domination. Tahu’s back. Poore and Shackleton are in. We will hopefully keep the core of the team. There’s no reason we can’t get there again.

I just wish I didn’t have to wait 12 months to do it again.

I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while.

It’s a list of 101 Things to do in 1001 Days.  I’ve always been impressed with how Elizabeth has going.

As defined by the website:

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

I reckon it’s a good thing for me to do as I have a habit of letting things slide, due to my inherently lazy nature. I always say I am going to get around to things. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t.

I think a list is a good thing (as LaLa is always trying to encourage me to do), and this one gives you like almost 3 years to get it done!

Maybe I can convince LaLa to do it with me…

The first thing is, I’d have to pick 101 things. I don’t know how I would do that. It seems very hard. But I guess I could start with cleaning out the garage, painting the house, putting up a pergola and landscaping the yard.

There’s also travelling to Europe, going bungee jumping, donating blood and driving the Great Ocean Road.

There are so many things that I want to do, and why not start to think about them?

Thanks to you loyal friends for commenting on last post.

Ultimately I don’t really care if people read anyway. I do this shit for me!

So, yeah, I’m here. Does life ever slow down?

It’s frigging October tomorrow.

OCTOBER??

That’s the 10th month of the year. Faarrrk.

It’s been one hell of a year too.

I will get to all that at some stage, but not before I crap on about footy on more time.

HOLY SHIT, The Eels are in the Grand Final! This is ultimately awesome because, as a life-long Eels fanatic (watched 1981 Grand Final and was hooked forever), my footy fandom rides the roller-coaster of their successes and failures over the years.

It’s been 23 years since a premiership and 8 years since we made the Grand Final. Since 1986 we have gone to the lowest of lows and back up but just can’t seem to crack the big one.

THIS year is the time. THIS is the year we will do it.

Our mantra? It’s OUR turn.

LaLa is sick of me going on about it, but she just has to ride out one more week! I will be there on Sunday in the Eels Supporters section, riding the last wave with my fellow Parra nuts.

I went to the Bulldogs Preliminary Final with my 2 boys last week and it was fantastic. Not only was the game just amazing and the atmosphere and euphoria of the win, but Ewan turned and said to after we’d won, “Dad, this has been the best time of my life”.

Wow. Nothing warms my heart more than the fruits of my loins enjoying his first ever Grand Final Qualifier with his Dad. Beautiful.

So, one more game and the Eels fans will finally be able to shake 23 years of ‘almosts’, ‘maybes’ and ‘if onlys’ off our heads.

Oh yeah, and other stuff I like right now?

• The Big Day Out 1st Announcement
• Faith No More’s sideshow announcement
• They Might Be Giants (just because)
• Muse’s new album
• LaLa’s hair
• My new job
• Twitter
• Stieg Larsson
• Spring (if it ever gets here)

I will start to get to more posting soon. I think the warmer weather brings it out in me…

Hello……Hello….hello…..hello….o…o..o

Anybody out there?

This blog has been left to rot and I apologise to my reader (not plural) out there.

Is anyone still reading this or left it in their RSS feeds?

I might get writing again, but I guess the popularity of Twitter and Facebook has sorta overtaken the poor old blogging world.

Also, I just bought a PS3 so that’ll fill in the other gaps….

Please Vote on whether I should continue or not!!

I have been LOVING the Hottest 100 this week.

Everyday at 10am and 4pm we get drip-fed 10 songs at a time from 100 to 21.

Best week of radio. EVER.

Here is the list so far:

100 Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
99 TV On The Radio – Wolf Like Me
98 Led Zeppelin – Kashmir
97 Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning
96 Daft Punk – One More Time
95 Stevie Wonder – Superstition
94 Modest Mouse – Float On
93 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
92 Bon Iver – Skinny Love
91 AC/DC – Back in Black
90 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
89 Rage Against The Machine – Bulls on Parade
88 The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter
87 Coldplay – Yellow
86 The Beatles – Come Together
85 The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You
84 Bob Marley and The Wailers – No Woman, No Cry
83 Placebo – Every You, Every Me
82 System of a Down – Chop Suey
81 Pulp – Common People
80 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
79 David Bowie – Life on Mars?
78 Smashing Pumpkins – Today
77 Gotye – Heart’s A Mess
76 Stone Roses – Fools Gold
75 Green Day – Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
74 Nirvana – Lithium
73 The Clash – London Calling
72 The Shins – New Slang
71 The Smiths – How Soon is Now?
70 The Prodigy – Breathe
69 Jeff Buckley – Grace
68 Blink 182 – Dammit
67 Ben Folds Five – Brick
66 Elton John – Tiny Dancer
65 Underworld – Born Slippy
64 Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
63 AC/DC – Thunderstruck
62 Nine Inch Nails – Closer
61 Blur – Song 2
60 Johnny Cash – Hurt
59 Augie March – One Crowded Hour
58 Daft Punk – Around The World
57 Tool – Forty Six & 2
56 Jeff Buckley – Lover, You Should Have Come Over
55 Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
54 The Cure – Close To Me
53 Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
52 You Am I – Berlin Chair
51 Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings
50 Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
49 Guns n’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
48 Beastie Boys – Sabotage
47 John Butler Trio – Betterman
46 Faith No More – Epic
45 Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
44 The Beatles – Hey Jude
43 The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
42 Bloc Party – Banquet
41 Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
40 Nirvana – Come As You Are
39 Pearl Jam – Better Man
38 The Killers – Mr Brightside
37 Tool – Stinkfist
36 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms
35 Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
34 Living End – Prisoner Of Society
33 Silverchair – Tomorrow
32 New Order – Blue Monday
31 Metallica – Enter Sandman
30 Jimi Hendrix – All Along The Watchtower
29 Pixies – Where is My Mind?
28 Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
27 Powderfinger – My Happiness
26 Michael Jackson – Thriller
25 Pearl Jam – Alive
24 The Beatles – A Day in the Life
23 Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
22 Massive Attack – Teardrop
21 Powderfinger – These Days

My obervations?

Well, there are a couple of very interesting things that have happened this year. For the first time ever, a number of BIG artists that usually don’t make the non-mainstream Hottest 100 have made it in. Artists like AC/DC, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder have made their way in for the first time.

The second thing. Some of the biggest names have come sliding down the list from previous countdowns. We’ve seen the runner up from 1989, 1990 and 1998, Hunters & Collectors only make it in at #23. Blue Monday from New Order, which previously was a consistant Top 10 entry, only made #32 this time around.

So what’s going to replace these former Top 10 stalwarts?

That’s the exciting part. We don’t get to hear the Top 20 until late on Sunday afternoon, but it gives us all a chance to guess what the Top 20 might be.

Lawrie Zion, the originator of the Hottest 100 back in 1989 has had a crack at the Top 20.

Apparently the breakdown of the Top 20 through the decades will be:

We had advance info regarding the spread of decades and now know the remaining 20 are distributed thus.

2000s-3
1990s-11
1980s-2
1970s-4
1960s-0

So, it’s my turn.

70’s:

Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven – 1971
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – 1975
Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart – 1979
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry – 1979

80’s:

Metallica – One – 1988
The Cure – Just Like Heaven – 1987

90’s:

Radiohead – Paranoid Android – 1997
Radiohead – Creep – 1992
Radiohead – Karma Police – 1997
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge – 1992
Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye – 1994
U2 – One – 1991
Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony – 1997
Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name – 1992
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit – 1991
Oasis – Wonderwall – 1995
Foo Fighters – Everlong – 1997

00’s:

Muse – Knights of Cydonia – 2006
White Stripes – Seven Nation Army – 2003
Muse – Stockholm Syndrome – 2003

That would be 20, but some roughies are:

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah – 1994
John Lennon – Imagine – 1971
Pearl Jam – Black – 1991
Wolfmother – Mind’s Eye – 2005
Muse – Super Massive Black Hole – 2006
Weezer – Buddy Holly – 1993
MGMT – Electric Feel – 2008
The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary – 1985
Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun – 1994
The Presets – My People – 2008

Here is my guess at how the Top 20 will shape up.

20 U2 – One – 1991
19 The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry – 1980
18 Foo Fighters – Everlong – 1997
17 Muse – Knights of Cydonia – 2006
16 The Cure – Just Like Heaven – 1987
15 Oasis – Wonderwall – 1995
14 Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven – 1971
13 Metallica – One – 1988
12 White Stripes – Seven Nation Army – 2003
11 Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name – 1992
10 Muse – Stockholm Syndrome – 2003
9 Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – 1975
8 Radiohead – Creep – 1992
7 Radiohead – Karma Police – 1997
6 Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony – 1997
5 Radiohead – Paranoid Android – 1997
4 Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye – 1994
3 Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge – 1992
2 Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart – 1980
1 Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit – 1991

A total guess, but I would be very surprised if any other songs made it that I haven’t mentioned here.

Any more guesses out there?

Ok, so, I didn’t quite get to finishing my 10 votes for the Hottest 100, and then Michael Jackson died and then I went to Melbourne and then everything is about to change…but I will get to that.

Where did I get up to?

Oh yes, I have 3 more songs to reveal, which if you’d seen my facebook you’ve already found out.

Song 8 – Lovesong – The Cure

Out of all the dozens of Cure songs it is hard to pick a favourite. I love the ‘Wish’ album, but of course ‘Disintegration’ is amazing, which is where this song comes from.

It has achingly beautiful lyrics, a mad bass line and a soulful melody. Just the perfect Cure song.

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
You make me feel like I am whole again
You make me feel like I am young again
You make me feel like I am fun again

However far away
However long I stay
Whatever words I say
I will always love you

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
You make me feel like I am clean again

I will always love you

Song 9 – One – Metallica

Metallica are a band that I didn’t quite ‘get’ until the ‘Black ‘ album in 1991. You could call me one of those ‘mainstream’ fans that only jumped onto the bandwagon once they became popular. The only thing is that instead of following Metallica forwards, I went backwards. I listened to ‘…and Justice For All’, ‘Master of Puppets’, right back to ‘Kill ‘em All’ and loved them all.

Then they went and brought out ‘Load’, ‘Reload’ and they turned to shit. I’m sorry, but the 3 albums after the ‘Black’ album were pretty much crap. Last years ‘Death Magnetic’ was a slight return to form but honestly nothing beats the ‘Master of Puppets’ album for pure Metallica gold.

Ironically this song doesn’t come off my favourite album, but instead off the epic ‘…and Justice For All’ album.

This song is like a novel. It starts out slowly, introducing the guitar and lyrics, slowly building up to a slowish drum beat. Then it starts to get heavy. The whaling guitar of Kirk Hammett together with Lars’ pelting drum beat build up to the blazing triplet beat of double-kick and guitars.

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please god,wake me
Now the world is gone Im just one
Oh god,help me hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God help me

The finishing guitar solo with the underlying rhythms of Jason and Lars are just amazing to hear. Seriously, this song is like an aural orgasm to me. My heart races. I get sweaty. It just DOES it for me.

Now, combine the amazing song with the scary, yet captivating film clip and you have the complete package.

Listen to the song, but then watch the video clip. You will learn to love it. Trust me

Just the song

The Video Clip.

Song 10 – Wicked Game – Chris Isaak

Now to something completely different. You can’t change styles much more than from Metallica to Chris Isaak, but I think that this proves that I enjoy a wide range of musical genres.

This song is almost a gimme. I mean, who doesn’t love the deep, sexy melancholy of Isaak’s voice along with the sexiness of how he looks. I mean seriously, he was damn hot back in the day.

Throw a topless Helena Christensen into the film clip and you have a complete song that just screams SEX.

I have loudly sung along to this song many many times in the car (or at karaoke!) and I just the pitch change in the chorus. “No…I…iiiiiiii….don’t wanna fall in love”.

Watch and try not to squirm….

———————

So that’s it. My Top 10 songs that I voted for in the Hottest 100 Of All Time

It was not easy, and it seriously took me a month to work out.

So many good songs missed out, but I feel pretty confident that I have picked a great representation of my favourite songs.

Songs that nearly made it:

AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long
Air – All I Need
Alice in Chains – Rooster
Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal
Audioslave – Cochise
Beastie Boys – Sabotage
Ben Harper – Faded
Billy Idol – Hot In The City
Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry
Bomb The Bass – Bug Powder Dust
Bon Jovi – Bad Medicine
Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
The Doors – Light My Fire
Faith No More – Epic
Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
Green Day – Welcome To Paradise
Guns n’ Roses – November Rain
Hoodoo Gurus – Thousand Miles Away
Icehouse – Man of Colours
Jamiroquai – When You Gonna Learn
John Butler Trio – Betterman
John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Road
Josh Pyke – Lines on Palms
Lenny Kravitz – Always On The Run
Living Colour – Cult of Personality
Midnight Oil – Power & The Passion
Muse – Stockholm Syndrome
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Nick Cave & Bad Seeds – Ship Song
Nirvana – Lounge Act
Outkast – Hey Ya!
PJ Harvey – This Mess We’re In
Placebo – Special K
The Police – Message In A Bottle
Prince – Sign O’ The Times
R.E.M. – Drive
Ratcat – Don’t Go Now
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Suck My Kiss
Redgum – I Was Only 19
The Screaming Jets – Better
The Shins – New Slang
Skunkhour – Sunstone
Smashing Pumpkins – Soma
Soundgarden – Jesus Christ Pose
Stevie Ray Vaughn – Little Wing
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Sting – Fields of Gold
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
System Of A Down – BYOB
They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse In Your Soul
Tool – 46 and 2
Tricky – Black Steel
U2 – Pride (in the Name of Love)
Urge Overkill  – Sister Havana
Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby (really!)
Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
Wolfmother – Joker and the Thief
Young MC – Bust a Move

————————

The countdown starts tomorrow!

From 10am tomorrow and then at 4pm all weekend songs from 100 to 21 will be counted down.

Then on Saturday 100 – 51 from midday and then 50 – 1 on Sunday from midday.

I can’t wait to find out who makes it and intend to have the radio blasting all weekend!

My tips?

Smells Like Teen Spirit will win.

Love Will Tear Us Apart will be up there, along with Boys Don’t Cry and Throw Your Arms Around Me.

Alive, One and Stairway to Heaven will probably make it. I think a roughie might be Muse or Kings of Leon.

When asked who my favourite band is, I am pretty quick to answer.

Although I have dozens of ‘favourites’, when it comes down to it, there are 2 bands that have always  had a massive effect on me.

Back in high school, I joined the school band. Sure, I was playing the dorky trumpet, and then tuba, but the point was that music was a constant in my life. Even way back to primary school when my mum encouraged us (me and my sister)to play piano, music has always been around me. And although those piano lessons didn’t get me much further than the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, it did teach me to read music and appreciate that music comes in many forms.

In the school band I was surrounded by young, but talented musicians. Through them I discovered music that I probably would not have otherwise. One album that fell into my lap in 1989 was from a relatively unknown band called Living Colour. The first song on that album was a little gem called ‘Cult of Personality’. What stood out for me initially was the musicianship in this song. You see, I don’t hear lyrics generally, I hear the music behind them. If someone asked me to recite the lyrics to a song I’d heard a dozen times I’d probably struggle, but get me to hum a few bars and I’d be fine.

Vernon Reid on Guitar, Will Calhoun on Drums, Muzz Skillings on Bass and the enigmatic Corey Glover on vocals. They are all massively talented, including Doug Wimbish, who replaced Skillings from the Stain album. Each album they’ve released has progressed on from what they were on the previous. I love listening to soulful songs on their first album, Vivid, and then banging the head to ‘Go Away’ on Stain. They are anything but predictable.

It’s one of their more chilled and probably most popular songs from their 2nd album, Time’s Up, that always does it for me. Love Rears Its Ugly Head ranks as one of my favourite songs, from my favourite band of all time. Now, please don’t confuse the original version of this song with the ‘Soul Power Remix’. I actually dislike the remix version. It does not do the song justice at all.

If you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favour right now.

Check out the original film clip (can’t embed) or the live version below.

The 2nd part of the answer to my favourite band, is this band. My favourite Australian band. Regurgitator.

Again, it may be an unusual choice, but bear with me. I have a lot of bands I enjoy listening to, but it’s those bands that continue to re-invent, evolve and release material that isn’t necessarily in your Top 40 that really leave their mark with me. Regurgitator have evolved from being a thrashy rock outfit from Brisbane to a newage/electro/funk/rock/pop band. How did that happen? And which category do they fit in?

Me & Quan from The Gurge

The biggest thing to happen to Regurgitator was the making of their 2nd album, Unit. This album should be remembered as one of the best Aussie albums of all time. Not only did it define the direction that Regurgitator were going, it went on to show what was possible for Aussie bands in using a mixture of electronics, rock and funk. And it’s so goddamn fun.

I really don’t know how to describe my love for Regurgitator, but it grew even more after their ‘Band in a Bubble‘ concept which saw them locked inside a glass house in the middle of Melbourne for 3 weeks. I addictively watched that shit on Channel 802 of Fox as much as I could. Quan, Ben and Pete are just so damn real. Not rock star, not ego-maniacs and not fussed at their own fame, or lack of. They just do what they do and they love it.

So, which song of theirs did I pick? It was not an easy job.  I was going to go for the first big hit, Blubber Boy, I was thinking about Everyday Formula. Even their thrasy Track 1 was a contender for pure bouncing rocky goodness.

But, no I went with a song that really has no name other than ! or The Song Formally Known As. It’s the song that epitomises Regurgitator. Quan’s quirky lyrics. Modded Bass Lines from Ben. Synthesised Poppy Rocky Perfection.

So, that’s 7 down. Only 3 to go, and only a few days to vote.

I think I’m gonna make it!

Ok, I’ve gotta hurry this up.

Voting for the Hottest 100 of All Time finishes on Sunday, which means I have 7 days to reveal my last 6 songs.

I still haven’t actually finalised the list and in fact I’ve been doubting my last pick. Was I too hasty to pick that one? I think I prefer ‘Beat It’ or maybe even ‘Smooth Criminal’.

But there’ll be time to debate Wacko Jacko later.

It’s time to get back to grunge.

Yes, back to my roots. Back to the music that shaped my musical tastes forever.

This song had a couple of big impacts on me. For one, it was the anthem of my 10th grade at school. You know how school years have songs that seem to represent their class? You get ‘Time of Your Life’ or ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ or ‘Beautiful Day’ or something. Our grade at Ginninderra High was suitably represented by the bleak grungey outlook that this song portrays.

The song is ‘Jeremy’ by Pearl Jam. And you can’t tell me that most people who love Pearl Jam can’t say this isn’t one of their best ever songs. Sure; it’s not as rocking as ‘Even Flow’, as popular as ‘Alive’ or as driving as ‘Corduroy’ or ‘rearviewmirror’, but for pure grungey 1991 goodness, you can’t go past this downbeat sad song.

This song, and video clip, were so damn powerful and was met with so much controversy that Pearl Jam decided not to record another video clip for any of their songs for 10 years.

It may surprise you to know however, that the Pearl Jam clip we know and love was not the original clip. A little known director funded and filmed his own clip first, which can be seen here. It was ultimately rejected by the record label.

The ironic thing is that I love this song for the song, but I also love the clip. However, once Pearl Jam decided to boycott videos and effectively boycott MTV, I took on a similar view. I made a conscious effort for a long time to either not watch video clips, and not be influenced into liking or disliking a song because of the clip. I think that there was a time where so much effort went into making a fancy, over the top clip that the actual music became secondary and this, whilst healthy for the mainstream TV watching public, was to the detriment of music lovers everywhere.

That’s not to say that I don’t love a good video clip, or that a video clip can’t enhance a song. I am just against a song becoming famous because of its video clip.

Case in point; OK Go’s ‘Here it Goes Again’. Yeah, ingenius and original film clip, but the song is not really anything to write home about.

Ok, I am warbling on a lot here. I don’t mean for each of these votes to be such a marathon effort, but once I get going on something I am passionate about, I find it hard to stop (Just ask LaLa )

The bottom line is. It’s a top song. It’s in my Top 10. So there.

Go check out the video clip again. Just look at how intense Eddie Vedder is in the clip. I can’t find the unedited version anywhere and I can’t embed it, but you get the idea.

I’m only halfway there, but I haven’t picked Rick Astley yet….guess I’ve only got 4 left..

So. Rock and/or Roll has dominated my list so far.   It’s obvious to say that it is my favourite genre, but that’s not to say that I don’t like a wide range of music.

Lately I have definitely been getting in the synth electro goodness of bands like MGMT, Empire of the Sun and Pendulum. I really just love anything with a good beat and good hook.

In the last part of the Hottest 100 of All Time compilation, I discussed the importance of a good opening to a song. Now we’re going to take that one step further. To the opening song of an album.

Personally, I am all about the album, as opposed to the single. I am of the school that if I hear a good couple of songs from an artist, I will get the whole album. It is ultimately the way that artists mean for their music to be heard.

It must be a tricky task for bands to decide which song is going to be No.1 on the album. Do you pick the first single? The title track? Your f avourite tune? I think it’s pretty damn important that the first track be something that really sucks the audience in, because if you’re just listening to the album to decide whether you want to buy it or not, that first track could be make or break.

Let’s look at some of the better opening tracks.

Drive – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People – A current contender for my top 10 list. Love this song. Moody, dark and R.E.M’s best.

Welcome to the Jungle – GnR – Appetite for Destruction – What a way to introduce a band, let alone an album.

Cochise – Audioslave – Audioslave – Such a big opening track. It gets you in the mood for rest of the rocking album

Hells Bells – AC/DC – Back in Black – As soon as you hear those bells. Baby, you know who it is. Big track for a massive album

Testify – Rage Against The Machine – The Battle of Los Angeles – They don’t get much bigger and gruntier.

Faded – Ben Harper – The Will to Live – Another contender for my Top 10 list. Such amazing guitar work in this song. Love.

Don’t Panic – Coldplay – Parachutes – Heard this after I heard Yellow and love it from the Garden State soundtrack. Chilled and cool.

Open – The Cure – Wish - Such an amazing opening song. Sets the scene for my favourite Cure album.

Stinkfist – Tool – Ænima – Powerful and loud. The best way to play this killer opening track.

Battery – Metallica – Master of Puppets – Speaking of powerful. Killer track!

Beds Are Burning – Midnight Oil – Diesel and Dust – Stands as one of the greatest Oils tunes written and kicks this great Australian album off well.

Which brings me to my No.4 pick for the Hottest 100 and it again takes me back to my childhood.

I don’t think my parents owned the Michael Jackson Thriller album on record, but I had a copy of it on tape and a photocopy of the lyrics sleeve. I remember putting that tape into one of those little old tape players (see right) and listening to that album over and over again.

Obviously, because it was on tape, I would listen to the opening tracks a lot more than the later tracks.

I guess this is why whenever I hear the start of  Wanna Be Startin’ Something, it still takes me back and gets me moving. Such a funky song.

And how about the ‘mama se mama sa mama koo sa’ What the hell is that? Who cares. It fits!

Ok. It’s actually an African chant, according to Wikipedia.  “taken directly from the music of Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango” Interesting.

I used to also think it was funny how Jacko was talking about vegetables. I mean, why is he saying ‘You’re a vegetable’ anyway?

Never quite got that.

What are your favourite opening tracks? Discuss.

I’ve been trying to find the video somewhere, but I guess Jacko’s lawyers are pretty vigilant. All I could find were fan vids, live versions and the Akon remix (blech)

But here’s a live version to check out

http://vodpod.com/watch/1601894-michael-jackson-wanna-be-startin-somethin