Author: Jamey Codding (Page 2 of 2)

Sexy Album Covers

November 21, 2005 / Jamey Codding

From Bullz-Eye’s “Sexiest Album Covers” feature:

“We realize this is not the most original idea in the world. In fact, okay, just about every men’s magazine on the planet, along with a few enterprising individuals on the Web, have assembled lists of the sexiest album covers of all time. But with each passing year comes new candidates for the throne, and as it turns out, our #5 album is only a few months old. The timing, therefore, seemed right to strike, again.

We asked various members of the BE staff, from our staple of music writers to movie critics and even BE Grand Poobah Gerardo, to assemble a list of their 10 favorites. We then assigned points based on their ranking (10 points for a #1, nine for a #2, etc.), and the following 10 albums were the winners. In truth, this contest was a blowout; nothing came even close to challenging our Number One pick. We think you’ll agree.”

This is one list you’ve got to look at, and I’m sure some of you will stare. Meanwhile, BE readers who disagreed with the selections on the original list had their opinions expressed in the Readers’ Picks follow-up.

Got a nomination of your own? Let’s hear it.

Artists, Lists

How do I interview for this job?

November 8, 2005 / Jamey Codding

Ever wonder how music is chosen for a certain television show? As the music supervisor for “The O.C.”, Alexandra Patsavas has one of the coolest gigs around. But while she receives submissions from some great bands, she admitted in her interview with Mike Farley that she also also gets bombarded by some crappy music. Even with those distractions, Alexandra has developed a reputation for putting new artists on the map and helping to launch their careers.
——

“Bullz-Eye: …what do you look for in a band or in a song?

Alexandra Patsavas: I don’t know. I just want to like it. Music is so personal. I don’t know how to really define what it is that I look for, but I definitely know it when I hear it.

BE: Just something that moves you personally?

AP: Yeah! Or you look for music that will sit well under dialogue. It’s a very different set of criteria to look for music that works with a picture. You’re enhancing something that’s already there. So it’s different, you’re not listening for a full album; I’m listening for a song. It’s just different.

BE: Do you get bombarded with submissions from crappy bands?

AP: Yes! (laughs) But I also get bombarded with submissions from really great bands.

BE: (laughs) Right. What would you say is a percentage of what gets used from what’s sent?

AP: Well what actually gets used is such a small amount. I think I probably keep about 50 percent of what comes into my office. But as far as what actually makes it to air is unfortunately a really small percentage because we can only use so many things. Really good music doesn’t get placed sometimes just because the appropriate scene didn’t present itself for whatever reason. It might be a great song by itself, but with the dialogue wasn’t quite the right mood.”

Read the rest of Mike’s interview here.

Interviews, Pop, Rock, Songs

We can’t have it much better than this

October 8, 2005 / Jamey Codding

In support of their latest album, You Could Have It So Much Better, Franz Ferdinand delivered one spectacular live performance after another, including an October show at The Greek Theater in LA. John Paulsen from Bullz-Eye.com was there:

“Live and in person, the new album played quite well. The first single, “Do You Want To,” garnered a considerable reaction from the crowd, while their energetic live performance of “What You Meant” has subsequently made it my favorite track from the new disc. Kapranos introduced one song in the middle of the set by saying “it’s an old one that we don’t play very often.” The track? Just the monster 2004 hit, “Take Me Out,” which the band still seems to enjoy playing, even for the billionth time.”

Click here for the full review. Also, don’t miss John’s review of You Could Have It So Much Better:

“They could have kept touring. They could have stayed out on the road for another year, hitting the same cities over and over, continuing to push their self-titled debut while making loads of cash. Instead, they avoided the usual post-tour extended vacation and moved into a country house just South of Glasgow, to write and record their sophomore effort, You Could Have It So Much Better. It was a risky move – the debut was just a year old and continues to sell like hot cakes (assuming that hot cakes still sell well). While the band still likes their first disc, they wanted to move on, and after listening to YCHISMB, most fans will be grateful they did.”

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Concerts, Rock

Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand concert review The Greek Theater in LA

Whose house?

September 6, 2005 / Jamey Codding

As frontman for the legendary rap group Run-DMC, Reverend Run – born Joseph Simmons – has kept it on the down-low for the past few years, since the tragic death of his bandmate, Jam Master Jay. But 2005 brought the Reverend’s first-ever solo album, Distortion, as well as the debut of his MTV “reality sitcom,” called – what else – “Run’s House.” The good Reverend took time to speak to Will Harris from Bullz-Eye.com about these things, the VH-1 Hip Hop Honors, and his Words of Wisdom.
——

“Bullz-Eye: Obviously, you’ve got a history with the rock and rap combo there. Was that, like, an intentional choice to…

Reverend Run: Yeah, we were the first to do it with “Rock Box,” and then we made “King of Rock,” and finally “Walk This Way” was the biggest.

BE: So was that an intentional choice, to continue that bridge to this new album?

RR: Uh, it’s just intentional to make what I make, to do what I do, to do what I’m put on this earth to do. So it was a very simple process because I just did…me. I was inspired by me, and that whole Run-DMC type of Rick Rubin-ish, Russell Simmons, Larry Smith era, where we made these types of records, and I just went there and camped out there and made records from that day.

BE: I heard the single’s being included in “Madden ’06 Football.” How…

RR: Yeah, that’s a breakthrough for me…and, then, I have the television show coming on MTV, which is a major breakthrough.

BE: Right…

RR: It’s called “Run’s House.” It’s replacing “The Osbournes.” I’m very excited about that.”

Check out everything the good Reverend had to say here.

Artists, Hip Hop, Interviews, News, Rap

Jam Master Jay Joseph Simmons Reverend Run Reverend Run interview Run-DMC Run’s House Russell Simmons Walk This Way

Sweatin’ behind the kit

August 30, 2005 / Jamey Codding

The members of Our Lady Peace had just put the finishing touches on Healthy in Paranoid Times and were camping out at the infamous Viper Room in L.A., doing a series of shows in preparation for their upcoming opening dates with the Rolling Stones, when drummer extraordinaire Jeremy Taggart sat down with Bullz-Eye’s Red Rocker to talk about the new record and his utter disdain for “Rock Star: INXS.”
——

Bullz-Eye: Looks like you guys have been making a second home at the Viper Room lately?

Jeremy Taggart: Yeah, we’re just doing a bunch of small shows, kinda helping to get the bugs out. Good to play stuff in a small place and in front of people real close. Helps us get a better feel for this new record.

BE: How much have you been playing live the past few months?

JT: These are the first five or six shows we’ve done in a long time. We did a small show in Buffalo, one in Toronto, one in San Diego, and these Viper Room shows.

BE: Must feel good to sweat again behind the kit?

JT: Yeah, it’s awesome.

BE: How’s the new stuff being received at these shows?

JT: Really well, I mean, everything’s been overwhelming. Playing it feels great, and the reaction has been, like, they’re getting it the way we’re getting it, you know. It’s been great.

BE: You guys really toiled over this new record. It was three years in the making and, from what I’ve read, it was quite a struggle.

JT: Yeah, it was a struggle, but this whole record is a resolution of that struggle. It’s all the turmoil and adversity and bullshit we went through kinda behind us, and this is what we came up with at the end.

Find the full interview here, and see what Red had to say about Healthy in Paranoid Times.

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Interviews, Rock