VMA update 3

Beyonce, you damn near made me cry. That was the most gracious act ever.
For those who have no clue what's happening:
Taylor Swift could not finish her thank yous because Mr. Kanye decided to interrupt her, having to put his two cents in for Beyonce not winning. Swift was left on stage not knowing what to do and her moment was kind of cut short and ruined.
Beyonce remembered how important it was for her to win her fist ever award and offered her moment to Taylor. Grace.

XO-reos
Monco

VMA update 2

So I'm not saying that:

1. VMAs are unimportant.
2. Kanye's a douche
3. Taylor Swift's video is the best one I ever saw

Again, perspective people. This award show IS about the videos and NOT about performances and/or singing abilities. It's about who makes the video that appeals to people most. To me, this award show is less important than the Grammies or the Music awards. Not to say that it isn't fun though.
What happened? Taylor Swift won the award for 'Best Female Video'. Beyonce was also nominated and Kanye West felt that she should have won, because she is the best artist at the moment. Kanye would not be Kanye if he didn't climb on stage to tell people that. He interrupted Taylor Swift to do his thing, while poor Taylor stood there not being able to finish her thank yous and not knowing what to do. This was her very first MTV award and obviously that was very important to her. I felt very bad for her. (For the record I do think that Taylor Swift is a good singer. I quite like her.)
Kanye's action during Taylor Swift's thank-yous was uncalled for. As I said, this said nothing about her performances or her abilities as a singer. Of course she shouldn't have won if this was a music award show, bacause 'Single Ladies' is a better song than her song 'You Belong With Me'. But it's not a music award show. This time, it IS about entertaining people visually. I'm sorry Kanye, but this time, you're wrong. (But in any other award show, he would have been right)

XO-reos
Monco

VMA update

Good morning. At this very moment I am watching the MTV Video Music Awards. I'll probably go back to sleep after and analyze things in the morning. I can already say that Kany West has spoken up about his personal favorites already. Expect an update soon!


XO-reos
Monco

I had a crappy guidance-counselor...

Hello there, loyal reader. Sunday again, is it? Why thank you for tuning in. Last week I discovered something fun to do: visiting graveyards. I'm not sure if there's a specific name for people who do it for fun, but if there is, I am one. I've been hobbyless for years and now I finally found one. Yay for me. Anyway, the very first cemetery I visited was the cemetery in Laeken, Brussels. It's a 19th century graveyard with loads of cool graves and it was the first graveyard in Brussels to use catacombs for burrying people. I have seen some pictures, but I couldn't get in further than a few feet since they are busy doing some maintenance work and the catacombs are locked for the time being. I'm thinking the ceiling is beginning to cave in, since above ground parts of the graves are off limits, and those graves run right above some halls of the catacombs. Anyway I forgot my camera and I didn't get to see half of the graves, so I will go back to take some pictures and spend more time there. By then I will also have done some research so I won't return unprepared. In the wake of the experience I have come up with an idea for a children's story, so who knows...
Other news is that in between staying up late and pulling all nighters for major exams I have failed to watch another version of 'Come Together'. I know, I know, so punish me. I will make up for it next week by reviewing this week's version and a bonus one. Heck I'll even throw in a movie if you wish... Does 1408 sound good?
News:

• Michael Jackson will probably be taken to his final resting place September 3d. I hope that he may finally rest in peace.
• Cash Colligan has decided last week to leave The Cab to pursue his other interests. I hope all goes wel, good luck Cash.
• Mika is coming to Belgium for an exclusive showcase. Jim Mobile is hosting the gig and I'm with TMF (a rival music tv-station), die-hard. I'll not fold. Unless somebody offers me a ticket of course.
• There has been some speculation that Lady Gaga, might be a Mr. Gaga, or even both. Katy Perry on the other hand lets us know that la Gaga put something in her panties to make it look like she has a penis. Lady Gaga however tells us that she is in fact part woman part man. Who is telling the truth? We might never know.
• I still have one ticket left for The All American Rejects, it's up for grabs people, come and get it!

To wrap this all up I have to mention 'Supernatural'. Dean and Sam Winchester, two brothers on the lookout for evil bastards to kill. Two super-cutie-heroes, cool cars and awesome opponants. What could one want more? I think I already mentioned the series a couple of months back, and if you like Buffy, this is a must watch. Granted, it's not AS good AS Buffy, but it's something to fill up the void that she left behind. Again, I made the mistake of watching some episodes before dark, don't... It'll satisfy you more when it's pitch-black outside.
And on that note, I bid you farewell and I will see you next week.

Give me a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and I'm Ms. Sunshine…
XO-reos
Monco

I wear no shoe-shine...

Hello all!
I took a break from studying to bring you a new entry. Am I not nice? I just finished listening to Soundgarden's version of 'Come Together' and I must say that I could not find any good parts in that. Oh wait, except for the fact that there are guitars in it. The whole song sounded so monotonous and it made me fall asleep regardless of the noise they were making. You might think: "That's all fine and dandy, but the original version is a tad monotonous too..." Then I'll tell you that that is indeed true but all three previous artists succeeded in making the song easy to listen to in spite of the monotony of the guitar and bass lines.
Somewhere between philosophy, Dutch and Italian grammar I did find the time to watch a little movie. This weekend it was Calista Flockhart's turn with 'Fragile'. In this unknown movie she plays a 'young' nurse that has to fill in for another nurse at an almost abandoned hospital. The hospital is closing down and all patients have already been moved to other hospitals, all patients but the children. The children's ward is still open for business and that's where the chaos is happening. A young girl named Maggie supposedly talks to a ghost named Charlotte. Now who Charlotte is, we do not know. I won't tell you either because that would make me, indeed, a spoilsport and a party pooper. What we do know is that the second floor of the hospital is abandoned since 1959, so that's where the activity must be coming from. With a little help from other people Amy Nicholls uncovers the mystery of the 'mechanical girl' and we learn what really happened to one of the patients in that hospital.
Being a die-hard, hardcore horror fan, I was kind of weary. I usually find unknown horror movies to be... quite lame. This one actually was not too bad. It was actually good. It had a good build up and even I could not see through this plot. What I thought I understood, I definitely didn't.
Other news:

• Cobra Starship's new album 'Hot Mess' came out August 11th, you should check it out. So far I haven't really had the opportunity to hear more than two songs from the album, mainly because I haven't purchased it and refuse to download anything from it. 'Good Girls Go Bad' is the first single off the album and in my humble opinion it is one of the catchiest songs this summer.
• Fall Out Boy released a new video for 'What A Catch, Donnie'. It's serene and if you like seagulls or Patrick Stump, you should definitely watch it.
• I recently heard Panic! at the Disco's new single 'New Perspective'. I think it's a great song. Definitely a huge step back in the right direction, according to me. I'm not saying that the whole second album was bad, it had a couple of good songs on it but even though I like the Beatles a lot, I just couldn't finish the whole album. I adored 'A fever...' but this was not my cup of tea.
• Definitely check out 'Open Happiness'. It is also a very happyfying tune.
• Mika is coming back with a sequel to 'Life In Cartoon Motion'. 'We Are Golden' is already a favourite of mine. Way to go.
• I am going to an All American Rejects show in Brussels. (I'm still looking for a person to join me, or buy my extra ticket...)
• Fall Out Boy's 'I Don't Care' is nominated for a VMA for Best Rock Video. Go vote for your favourite videos over here.
• I almost forgot that my friend Moon-Lie Fong has a new blog about China that you should check out here.
  
• I have no more extra news that I can think of.

There, I think that may well be all for the day. Put on your slippers and do something relaxing tonight. If you do... would you mind thinking of me studying, and perhaps raise a toast to the person who started this philosophy thing. I would kill him if he were not already very much dead.
Thank you and good night!

We are not what you think we are...
XO-reos
Monco

Half-mast guitars...

Lester William Polsfuss, great electric guitar pioneer, also known and respected as Les Paul died in New York yesterday. My thoughts go out to his family, may he rest in peace.

Here come old flattop...

So I've finally decided to get this blog started again, to whomever reading this: Thank You.
In the wake of MJ's death I had decided to order in some DVDs. I used to have them on tape, but, you know, technology blah, blah, blah... Anyway, I am now the proud owner of 'The Wiz' and 'Moonwalker' on DVD. I always had a bit of a robo-transformer-phobia, now I know where it came from. Michael Jackson transforming into a robot, car, spaceship, etc... scared the living daylight out of me. Either way, I have a new obsession that comes in the form of a son: 'Come Together'. The first version I ever heard was MJ's. I stumbled upon the Beatles version (which is the original version, I know) by accident while listening to my iPod. I'm now in the process of listening to every version ever made/recorded. I have now heard The Beatles's version, MJ's and Aerosmith's.These are the main, or best known versions of 'Come Together', according to Wikipedia anyway. If you have the time, listen to all three and let me know your opinion in the poll that I will put together after this little shindig. Let's take a look at all three versions and my opinion. It's just my opinion, you might think it's bullcrap. So, sue me.

• Come Together - The Beatles: In my opinion this is the best version, since it is the original one. I also think that in this version both bass and guitar come out best. It's very minimal, unlike the Michael Jackson version, which (musically) is very bombastic and has a very anthematic feel to it. The Beatles's version is very elaborate, in- and outtro-wise. This is the version I would listen to, just chilling with some people. It feels like the song has all the time in the world to be played and in all fairness the song should be played when you have all the time in the world. Don't skip over parts. Enjoy the whole song and take the time to 'taste' it.
• Come Together - Aerosmith: This version stays closer to the Beatles's version although there is a little less bass and a little more guitar. I'd say that this version is also very chill. A lot less intro though, so also a little less 'all-the-time-in-the-world' feeling to it. I also think that this version is a bit more intense than the original version. Aerosmith itself is already very intense, so there we go.
• Come Together - Michael Jackson: The first version of this song I ever heard and it made me fall in love with the song. This song is nothing like the original. Musically it became a lot thicker with the various instruments used. The guitar is still the main component in this version but the vocals are upgraded to 'Michael Jackson'-esque. As I said before, to me, this version has a very anthematic feel to it. I also love the way MJ pronounces things, not that there is a big difference, but he has an unclearer way of singing this song. It's more staccato, shorter. To me this version is the one I would listen to when I want to get pumped up. Or if I want to scream my lungs out.

There are a lot more versions and I will try to include a review of one version every time I update.
Last week I also took a trip to a local media market and I've loaded up on horror DVDs. 3 to be exact, which isn't a lot, I know but I am on a tight budget. Reviews of those movies will follow. I also became re-addicted to 'Full House'. Not for Stamos's pretty face, but I do adore Jodie Sweetin and Dave Coulier.
There you go: update of the week.
Plans for next week: Short review of a horror movie, dissection of the difference between horror and thriller and a shorter review of 'Come Together' by some band.

I know you, you know me...
XO-reos
Monco