Blog-o-Crisco

Love Hurts

2012-01-26T11:09:00.034-05:00

See that guy? That's Kevin-Prince Boateng, a soccer star from Milan, Italy. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, in his case) he is injured. You probably don't care. BUT...you might be intrigued as to how he was injured...

This dude is hurt because, according to his 25-year-old actress/supermodel girlfriend, they "get down to business" 7-10 times per week. This has resulted in a muscle strain in the form of a lesion on his left thigh.

Hardcore (In more ways than one)

And because I know you're probably curious, here are some pictures of the girlfriend-in-question, Melissa Satta:

So the ultimate question is: WAS...IT...WORTH IT?

(Hint: Sure)

Something to Get Off On

2012-01-24T15:58:00.003-05:00

Good news for Halestorm fans that have been waiting anxiously for the band's next record:

The wait is over (almost)!

In a recent interview, Lzzy Hale has finally revealed the track listing, album title, and release date for Halestorm's sophomore album. The album will be called The Strange Case Of..., and it will hit stores on April 10, 2012.

I know...it still seems to be a long way off. While you wait for the new record to drop, you can sate yourself with four BRAND NEW songs that the band has released digitally as a new EP called Hello, It's Mz. Hyde.

There are links available on their website and everywhere else.

In the meantime, I look forward to that new album. Keep you ears open for a new single on the radio.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

New Release Tuesday - 1/24/12

2012-01-24T10:48:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
The Scorpions - Comeback
Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline
Lamb of God - Resolution

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Real Steel
Paranormal Activity 3
50/50

Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century - Season 1

New Release Tuesday - 1/17/12

2012-01-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
Attack! Attack! - This Means War

New DVD/BluRay Releases
The Ides of March
Abduction
Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star

Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain

Merlin - Season 3
Sliders - Season 5 (Final Season)

New Release Tuesday - 1/10/12

2012-01-10T13:59:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
Nightwish - Imaginaerum
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - Music from the Motion Picture

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Killer Elite
Moneyball

Hawaii Five-O - The 12th and Final Season

Good...Let the Hate Flow!

2012-01-04T13:47:00.001-05:00

Donald Trump (portrayed in the blog title as the Emperor) has announced the lineup for the new season of Celebrity Apprentice, which will feature 18 competitors.

The lineup includes:
Arsenio Hall
Adam Carolla
Lou Ferrigno
Penn Jillette
Dee Snider
George Takei
Michael Andretti
Paul Teutul, Sr.
Lisa Lampanelli

There are others, but I either haven't heard of them or don't care. Granted, none of these are Gary Busey, but it should still be a good season. I may actually have to tune in.

New Release Tuesday - 1/3/12

2012-01-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Contagion
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Shark Night 3D

Justified - Season 2

A Slap in the Face

2011-12-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Chevelle has released the music video for their new single "Face to the Floor". The single comes off of their new album Hats Off to the Bull, which is in stores now.

Lead singer and songwriter Pete Loeffler describes the song as "angry", adding, "The lyrics are about all the people who have been taken advantage of. I reference Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme. He raked people over the coals, stole and is a terrible person. One day, these people have everything, and the next day it's completely gone."

Check out the music vid below...enjoy!

An Unexpected Trailer

2011-12-22T11:52:00.000-05:00

I would choose this movie over a handy. Can't wait until next year...

It's Like Whatever, Yo

2011-12-20T13:49:00.000-05:00

Marist College has just released the results of their annual poll regarding the year's most annoying words or phrases.

At number one for it's third year running is "Whatever". The study shows that 40% of people can't stand this one particular word.

At number two is "Like", followed by "You Know", "Just Sayin'", and "Seriously".

I'm actually guilty of using a few of these from time to time. Feel free to slap me the next time I do it around you.

So the question is: Do you agree? And furthermore, are there any words you would add to this list? Leave a comment and let me know!

Try Not to "Expend" on Your Keyboard

2011-12-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

I'll let the trailer speak for itself on this one...

New Release Tuesday - 12/13/11

2011-12-13T11:05:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
Rammstein - Made In Germany (Greatest Hits 1995 - 2011)

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Kung Fu Panda 2

Spin City - Season 6
Family Guy - Volume 9

Back in Black

2011-12-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to this. If it ends up being bad, I'm going to be pissed.

Face Time

2011-12-08T15:21:00.000-05:00

Everybody who's anybody is on facebook these days. Hell, even me. And we all know that we only use facebook for one purpose: shooting our mouths off.

But, at the end of the day, what is it that we are really mouthing off about?

Well today, facebook released the top 10 status trends from the past year. This is what we, collectively, been blah-blah-blahing over:

#1 - The death of Osama bin Laden
#2 - The Green Bay Packers winning the Super Bowl
#3 - Casey Anthony being found not guilty
#4 - Charlie Sheen and his meltdown.
#5 - The death of Steve Jobs
#6 - The royal wedding
#7 - The death of Amy Winehouse (most of which were jokes, I'm sure)
#8 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
#9 - The beginning of military operations in Libya
#10 - Hurricane Irene

I wonder what we will be talking about next year? Hopefully it won't be the crash and burn of a certain night-time radio DJ...

New Release Tuesday - 12/6/11

2011-12-06T12:54:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
KoRn - The Path to Totality
The Black Keys - El Camino
Chevelle - Hats Off to the Bull

New DVD/BluRay Releases
The Hangover Part II
Cowboys & Aliens
Mr. Popper's Penguins

The Simpsons - Season 14
Law & Order - The Ninth Year
The Sarah Jane Adventures - Season 4

Super-$

2011-12-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

Superman is going to need to change his nickname from the Man of Steel to the Man of Gold after this...

A rare first-edition issue of Action Comics #1 (believed to be only 1 of 100 copies left in existence) recently sold for $2.16 Million.

This issue in particular is valuable because it is the very first time Superman ever appeared. So, yeah...it's worth a bit more than the original price of 10¢.

Just goes to show you...you may have never gotten laid due to your extensive collection of Power Rangers memorabilia, but some of the crap may be worth bank. And with that kind of money, you can buy women that will love you.

New Release Tuesday - 11/29/11

2011-11-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

New CD Releases
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish (Remastered)
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (Remastered)

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Our Idiot Brother
30 Minutes or Less

30 Rock - Season 5
Smallville - Season 10
Smallville - The Complete Series
The Six-Million-Dollar Man - Season 1

Nickel's Back(ish)

2011-11-28T14:11:00.001-05:00

The last time Nickelback was relevant (to my memory) was when they lost to a pickle in a race to see who could get more friends on facebook.

Then, just a few weeks ago, football fans voiced their displeasure when we learned that Nickelback was set to perform the Halftime Show during the Thanksgiving Day game between Detroit and Green Bay. Detroit natives even went so far as to sign a petition to keep the show from happening.

Heavy stuff.

In response, Nickelback has created a video with the help of Funny or Die in what appears to be an effort to make light of the situation.

I'll grant them this...it is pretty funny. Check it out

Nickelback responds to NFL Petition from Nickelback

100th Post

2011-11-28T14:05:00.000-05:00

This is my 100th Post.

That is all.

Way Down in Kokomo...

2011-11-11T20:33:00.002-05:00

I've never been to the Caribbean.

And chances are, if it's half as incredible as everyone says, I may not be returning.

Just kidding...they'll no doubt end up deporting my ass back here after a time.

At long last, I'm finally going to get to see what clear water looks like for myself. It'll probably be terrifying when I actually see what's in the water with me, but I have a feeling I'll get over it. White sand beaches, temperatures predicted to be in the 80s for the whole time I'll be there...yeah, I'll be just fine.

I've always wanted to travel to the islands, and now I'm finally getting the chance as I take a well-deserved vacation (or at least what I think is well-deserved) for the better part of the month. I'll be hopping around the Caribbean for the next week, and I'm also taking a few days off after that which will carry into Thanksgiving and then 97.9X is the Station on Vacation for that whole weekend which buys me a few extra days.

I'll definitely be attending "Share the Welt" at the Mohegan Sun Arena on the 26th, and I hope to run into a bunch of you guys there.

Finally, on Monday the 28th, I'll be back on-the-air and we'll all return to our regular routine of nightly shredding.

In the meantime, stay safe out there. And try not to miss me too much.

Later, greasers!

I'm Still the Best Driver

2011-11-09T16:00:00.001-05:00

I've always felt that drivers in NEPA suck, but now I know that they aren't the worst. They're still bad...but not the worst.

In a recent report by a website called Car Insurance Comparison, all 50 states in the US were ranked from worst drivers to best drivers by fatalities per million miles driven, number of tickets, drunk driving rates, and careless driving rates.

The worst drivers (according to this study) are in Louisiana. The best of the best are in Rhode Island (because I'm assuming everyone walks everywhere in RH since the state is too small to bother installing roads). Pennsylvania came in 27th (from the bottom).

See? We aren't all that bad around here. We're at least in the upper half.

You can view the whole list and the report here.

There's a couple problems I have with this list, such as how the hell Jersey came in 39th. That, and how New York came in three spots better than us at 29th. Other than that, it seems pretty spot on.

Feel free to comment and tell me what you think.

New Release Tuesday - 11/08/11

2011-11-08T11:24:00.001-05:00

New CD Releases
Angels & Airwaves - Love Part One & Part Two
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Disturbed - The Lost Children
Rush - Time Machine 101: Live in Cleveland
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here Immersion Box Set

New Video Game Releases
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls V

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
The Change-Up

Law & Order - The Complete Series
Doctor Who - Series 6, Part 2

Want to Feel Inadequate?

2011-11-07T15:32:00.000-05:00

See that guy in the picture? He's better than you....and he knows it.

His name is Christoph Niemann. Originally from Germany, he's currently a columnist for the New York Times Magazine, blogger, and illustrator.

He also runs marathons.

And lately (out of what I'm assuming is sheer boredom coupled with the desire to exemplify his superiority), he's been doubling up and showcasing his multiple talents at the same time.

For instance, while he ran the New York City Marathon, he DREW SKETCHES of stuff that he saw while he ran. Without slowing down. I can only assume he was also nursing a baby eagle, delivering a pizza, and carrying a orphanage-full of children to safety on his back after he rescued them from a burning building.

Here are some pictures of his mid-marathon doodles:

You can see all of the sketches on his Twitter account.

Seriously...screw this guy.

I'd point out that he's never been a DJ, but then he might come take my job just out of spite.

Jerk.

New Release Tuesday - 11/1/11

2011-11-01T11:55:00.001-04:00

New CD Releases
Metallica & Lou Reed - Lulu
Megadeth - TH1RT3EN
Journey - Greatest Hits: Volume 2

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Cars 2
Crazy, Stupid, Love

Californication - Season 4
Deadliest Catch - Season 7
Rawhide - Season 4, Vol. 2

Great...More Lines

2011-10-28T13:14:00.001-04:00

As if the wait in the Emergency Room isn't long enough already (I'm dragging my leg behind me...it's good to see I had to wait while you got checked for the "sniffles"), the world population is set to hit 7 BILLION at some point in the next few weeks.

Can we please end this whole "pregnancy trend"?

Anyway, have you ever been curious as to where you fall into this mangled mess of humanity?

Well, the BBC has a new site to help you figure it out!

Just follow this link and type in your birth date, and it will calculate to a close approximation of where you stand.

The saddest part is that out of 7 BILLION human beings, it seems sometimes that I'm the only one that knows how to drive.

Frisky Business

2011-10-25T12:03:00.001-04:00

The TSA is in the news (again) for being a bunch of filthy, dirty perverts (again).

When an anonymous woman packed her vibrator for a trip (must have been a long trip...ba-dum-bum!), her bag was investigated by TSA agents. As per protocol, they left her a form which alerted her to the fact that her luggage was opened and searched. This particular form, though, had an extra note to go with it.

Way to keep it classy, TSA.

So the question I'm asking is, what other items could we pack that might get a rise out of the TSA? I'm going on vacation outside the country in a few weeks, and I'd love to pack something that would inspire a note. Hell, if you can think of something to freaks these sons of bitches out (without breaking any laws), I'm down!

Comment with your ideas...

New Release Tuesday - 10/25/11

2011-10-25T11:03:00.001-04:00

New CD Releases

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Captain America: The First Avenger
Pearl Jam Twenty

Robot Chicken - Season 5
Dennis the Menace - Season 3
Survivor: Thailand - Season 5

Calm the F*** Down

2011-10-20T12:40:00.001-04:00

Scientists in England have supposedly created the most relaxing song ever.

Seeing as how I am a densely packed singularity of super-heated rage, this caught my attention as well as my skepticism.

According to an article posted by the Daily Mail, a team of scientists in collaboration with sleep therapists and a new age band called Marconi Union have created what they believe (according to their science, anyway) to be the world's most relaxing song.

It's an eight-minute song called "Weightless". Allegedly, it's so relaxing that they advise against listening to it in the car for fear that you might fall asleep at the wheel. Their studies have found that the song relaxed people even MORE than a massage, with 65% of individuals tested as being less anxious after listening.

Most of the music I listen to makes me want to drive fast and light things on fire, and so this was different for me. However, I can attest that I did feel pretty calm afterward.

The whole article can be found here. There is also a link in the article that will let you hear the full song.

Take a listen to it and then let me know what you think.

New Release Tuesday - 10/18/11

2011-10-18T13:55:00.001-04:00

New Music Releases
Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
Everlast - Songs of the Ungrateful Living
Iced Earth - Dystopia
Cradle of Filth - Evermore Darkly

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Bad Teacher
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Super 8

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season 3
V - Season 2
Pawn Stars - Season 3

Wanna Go Fast?

2011-10-17T13:37:00.001-04:00

It's an age old question: How far over the speed limit can you go before you'll be pulled over.

Hypothetically speaking you should never break the posted speed limit. That's why it's called a "limit". But let's assume, for just a second, that we all do speed from time to time (a difficult stretch of the imagination, I know).

Call it myth, call it hogwash, whatever...but we've all heard of the fabled "Buffer Zone". It's that magical place where you can break the speed limit, even within sight of law enforcement, and you won't be pulled over.

I've always personally believed that if you stay within 5mph over the posted speed limit, you're still in the clear. My reasons for this areas follows: First, at only 5mph over the speed limit, even if you are pulled over, it's a minor infraction and no points on your licence. Second, I've actually driven through speed traps doing five-over and not been chased down.

If the "Buffer Zone" does exist, though, there is some disagreement as to where it falls...

In a new survey by Pemco Insurance,
50% of people say the "BZ" lies withing four-over or less.
43% say it lies within 5-9mph over the speed limit.
5% think you're safe even going 10-14mph over (I call bullsh*t on this one, since I've been snagged for 11-over in the past).
1% actually think cops only target MASSIVE speeders, so even 15-19mph over the limit is safe (Also bullsh*t, since I'd consider a 4-point infraction to be pretty damn extreme).

Is there really an area of leeway in which a police officer is willing to allow speeding? What are the circumstances?

The real question: What do YOU think? Comment and let me know!

Guerrilla Cellular

2011-10-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

Look familiar? That's because, at some point you've been the target of someone taking a picture or video of something stupid you've done or are doing.

We've all been there. Me? I'm there often. I do a lot of stupid crap.

According to a recent Harris pool in the Baltimore Sun, a total 50% of Americans admit to having taken a secret video of someone or something for various reasons.

- 23% have taken a pic of someone in a stupid or embarrassing outfit
- 20% have photographed an athlete at a sporting event
- 15% have gotten someone tripping and/or falling
(now we get kind of weird and/or creepy)
- 10% have taken a picture of a sexy waitress/hostess/bartender
- 9% have taken a photo of s shirtless guy mowing the lawn
- 7% have taken pic or videos of cheerleaders (these are the people with signs in their yards)
- 7% have photographed their boss or coworker eating (what?)
- 6% have photographed someone's disgusting grooming habits
- 5% have taken a picture of a couple making out

The survey also found that we most enjoy seeing pics or vids of someone pulling a prank on a coworker.

We are a weird people. It's almost like we all have paparazzi now that are just waiting for us to goof something up so they can record it and post it somewhere online.

That said, I'd like to introduce a new feature on my show: Guerrilla Cellular! Basically, if you have a picture or video of something weird, stupid, gross, or embarrassing, email it to me at crisco@979x.com and I'll feature my favorite opportune picture or video here on the blog and on the show each week.

Go crazy! I can't wait to see what you guys come up with...

New Release Tuesday - 10/11/11

2011-10-11T18:28:00.002-04:00

New Music Releases
Judas Priest - The Chosen Few (Greatest Hits chosen by iconic Heavy Metal musicians including Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, James Hetfield, Kerry King, and more)
William Shatner - Seeking Major Tom
Evanescence - Evanescence
Various Artists - ZZ Top: A Tribute from Friends (ZZ Top covers performed by Wolfmother, Nickelback, Filter, Duff McKagan's Loaded, Daughtry, Coheed & Cambria, Mastodon, and more)
Radiohead - Tkol RMX 1234567
Five Finger Death Punch - American Capitalist

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Green Lantern
Horrible Bosses
Zookeeper

Bones - Season 6
Chuck - Season 4
Workaholics - Season 1

Straighten that Drink, Soldier!

2011-10-10T12:26:00.003-04:00

Are you one of those individuals that can really read people? I'm betting you aren't. Call it an educated guess.

No worries, friend...I'm here to help

Turns out, according to DR. Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at King's College (don't get excited...I'm referring to the King's College in London), "The simple act of holding a drink displays a lot more about us than we realize..."

Alright, I'll bite.

The following is a list comprised of the most common booze-handling techniques and what it means about your personality:

Chicks
1) The Flirt - A woman who holds her glass in a provocative way, with her fingers splayed. She might hold her drink over her chest, to draw attention to her cleavage, or peer over the rim to check you out she's taking a sip.

2) The Gossip - A woman who holds a wine glass by the bowl, and uses it as a prop to gesticulate and make points. She tends to cluster in a group with other women, and she's critical. She'll also lean in over her drink to be more confidential.

3) The Ice Queen - A woman who drinks from a wine glass or a short cocktail, and holds it firmly as a barrier across her body. She's cold, defensive, doesn't want to be approached, and she'll put you down if you do.

4) The Fun Lover - Someone who likes to drink beer from the bottle, hold it loosely by their shoulder, and take short swigs so they don't miss out on anything in the conversation. She's lively, friendly, loves to have an overall good time, and enjoys meeting new people.

5) The Wallflower - She holds her drink protectively and doesn't let go, like she's afraid somebody will take it. Her palms are hidden, and the drink's never finished. She'll fiddle with the straw (if there is one) or the label. Obviously it means she's shy, submissive, and using the drink as a social crutch.

Dudes
1) The Player - A guy with a tall glass, cocktail, or a bottle who uses it as a phallic prop, and plays with it suggestively. He's self-confident, possessive, and can get a little 'handsy' with the women around him . . . and get away with it.

2) The Peacock - The player who's actually more into himself. He spreads himself over as much space as possible, like pushing the glass away and leaning back in his chair. He's over-confident, arrogant, and would rather just drink with his friends.

3) The Browbeater - A verbally hostile know-it-all who prefers large pint glasses or bottles, grasps them firmly, gesticulates in a threatening in-your-face way, and is always making fun of other people. If you can't handle it, don't bother.

That's the end of the list.

I'm a little pissed off that not one "decent" classification of guy is noted, but I guess that's just the culture we live in, isn't it? All of us bros are a**holes.

Regardless, hopefully you find this list informative. Maybe now, when you next go out to a bar, you'll have a better clue of who you want to talk to instead of walking into a stomping.

But the real question is: Where do you fall on the list?

Death Pumpkin

2011-10-07T12:31:00.002-04:00

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat...THIS. IS. COOL!

It seems like Halloween becomes a bigger and bigger deal as each year goes by. Parties get more intense, costumes get sluttier, and sh*t gets way more expensive.

Why not escalate your pumpkin carving to coincide with the rising tide of Halloween insanity?

Introducing http://www.fantasypumpkins.com/. Your mind will melt when you see some of the different designs on this website. The Death Star Pumpkin has a step-by-step tutorial that will show you exactly how to make your very own, but this is only scratching the surface. There are HUNDREDS of patterns posted for you to attempt to duplicate that range from Angry Birds to Avatar to Alica in Wonderland.

So if you're one of those people that goes bat-crap crazy for Halloween, it stands to reason that you would also want to be the biggest pumpkin-carving badass on your street!

It should go without saying that I expect you to make me a delicious pie from all the leftovers.

Want to Live Dangerously? Live Somewhere Else

2011-10-05T12:07:00.002-04:00

Looks like such a nice, tame city from this view, doesn't it? In reality, this is Detroit...the most dangerous city in America.

You're shocked, I know.

Recently, Forbes magazine released a list of America's most dangerous cities. The findings are based on FBI statistics for four types of violent crime.

*Drumroll* And here is the list:
1) Detroit (metropolitan area), Michigan - 1,111 violent crimes per 100,000 people
2) Memphis, Tennessee - 1,006 violent crimes per 100,000 people
3) Springfield, Illinois - 855 violent crimes per 100,000 people
4) Flint, Michigan - 827 violent crimes per 100,000 people
5) Anchorage, Alaska - 813 violent crimes per 100,000 people
6) Lubbock, Texas - 808 violent crimes per 100,000 people
7) Stockton, California - 805 violent crimes per 100,000 people
8) Tallahassee, Florida - 775 violent crimes per 100,000 people
9) Las Vegas, Nevada - 763 violent crimes per 100,000 people
10) Rockford, Illinois - 760 violent crimes per 100,000 people

Surprising to me was Anchorage, Alaska coming in at #5. Who saw that coming? I'm sure Sarah Palin can be blamed in some capacity or another.

Meanwhile, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is nowhere to be found on the list. For that, I am grateful...

...and also slightly annoyed. I don't take well to losing. I think we can make Top 10 for next year if we try our asses off.

Let's do this.

New Release Tuesday - 10/4/11

2011-10-04T11:47:00.002-04:00

New Music Releases
Mutemath - Odd Soul
New Found Glory - Radiosurgery
Real Steel - Motion Picture Soundtrack (featuring the Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Limp Bizkit, Tom Morello, and more)

New DVD/BluRay Releases
Scream 4
Fast Five

Lie to Me - Season 3
According to Jim - Season 5

Work Sucks...I Know

2011-09-30T11:41:00.004-04:00

The good ol' Huffington Post has released a new series of statistics that reveal what our biggest pet peeves at work are.

One of my biggest (maybe THE biggest) is people that have loud/disruptive discussions right next to my desk even when they have their own private office right down the hall. Go in your big, spacious office, shut the door, and have a high time! Why the hell do you need to carry on three feet from my head? This isn't that complicated!

...but I digress...

Worldwide, here are the top 5 things we hate most at the workplace:
1) Co-workers that don't take responsibility for their actions
2) People who complain all the time
3) Dirty common areas
4) Meetings that start late or run long
5) People who don't respond to e-mails (Should include people who don't return calls/texts)

In America, the leading pet peeve was people that steal others' food from the fridge. Pig. It even had my name on it.

So what do YOU hate the most about the workplace? Leave your comments below!

Sociopathic Social Media

2011-09-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

Some interesting new stats have been released by Nielsen that says that 89% of individuals use social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc) to "find and maintain old friendships". Yeah...that's "stalking" to you and me.

Another 51% of people use social media as a means to bitch and moan. (Note: What I do may sometimes seem like complaining, but it's actually "raising awareness". Because I said so.)

A mere 16% of of us use social media for the purpose of dating.

All that being said, feel free to friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter! Then you can stalk or complain about me to your heart's content! Just don't try to date me. I'm not really a "lower 1/4th" kind of guy...

Super Jesus Bros.

2011-09-28T11:11:00.003-04:00

24-year-old Maryland resident Brittany Wampler recently bought a classic Nintendo system on e-bay for $31. But something about this system made it extremely unique...

Jesus was in her Nintendo.

According to Brittany, it isn't a stain or glue residue left over from a sticker. It's actually infused into the plastic.

I guess that pretty much settles it for Sony and Microsoft...turns out God is a Nintendo man.

Give me your take and leave a comment below...

Foo Fighters Vids

2011-09-22T19:56:00.002-04:00

I told you I'd post it...and then I forgot.

Better late than never.

Foo Fighters "Walk" Music Video

And here is the "Hot Buns" video that promotes the Foo Fighters' tour. This was also the video that originally outraged the crazies over at Westboro Baptist

Foo Fighters - Hot Buns

Last of all, we have the footage from the Foo Fighters' counter-protest of Westboro Baptist in Kansas City

Foo Fighters perform "Keep It Clean"

Classic Foo

Death to Capitalism

2011-07-18T11:48:00.002-04:00

You might have been heard me talking about it on the air for a while now, but the first bit of hard evidence came down the line over the weekend.

The guys from Five Finger Death Punch have officially announced a title for their new album and also set a tentative timetable for its release. American Capitalist is scheduled for release in the "first week of September", which would be September 6th. But again...this date is only tentative and is subject to change.

However, we DO have a guaranteed release date for the album's first single "Under and Over It", which will debut on July 27th.

Five Finger Death Punch have done nothing but step up their game since they came on the scene in 2007. And being that they are one of my favorite bands, I cannot wait for this new single!

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Being Human

2011-05-25T11:54:00.008-04:00

It's been a hectic year for the guys in 12 Stones.

It all started back in July of 2010 when the band released their EP The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday. This came as a surprise since they had spent months writing and recording for a full-length album. But instead of a new album, we only got an EP. Strange, indeed.

A short time later, in August, 12 Stones announced that they had parted ways with Wind-Up Records, their label of nine years, leading to speculation that Wind-Up had forced the band into a limited release. Though they took the high road and kept things formal, one can't help but notice the tinge of bitterness in their official statement on the matter:

"We felt it was time for a change. We have a vision for this band that we feel is best pursued elsewhere."

Following their split from Wind-Up, 12 Stones expressed their intention to give their fans the full-length album that they had promised. They hit the studio with producer Skidd Mills almost instantly and got right to work.

In February of this year, 12 Stones made an announcement on their website that they had signed a brand new record deal with the EMG label. Even more good news.

And now, just a few days ago, 12 Stones posted a press release on their facebook where they officially announced their new album, Only Human, which will be released on August 23, 2011!

This is awesome, as I wasn't really satisfied with only an EP's worth of new stuff from 12 Stones. Now our thirst will be quenched with a full album! 12 Stones have really shown through this experience that they can overcome difficulties together as a band, and I'm sure their fans are grateful for that. I know I am.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

A Theory of Truth

2011-05-03T09:29:00.002-04:00

This is running a few days late, and for that I apologize. Anyway, late last week word came down that Theory of a Deadman had let loose a bit of info regarding a new album. I didn't have to look long before I came across this tweet on the band's Twitter page:

Theory of a Deadman To Release The Truth Is...July 12th! http://fb.me/KnDxqocm

Following the link in the tweet will take you to a blog post on Theory of a Deadman's website, but allow me to give you the specifics and save you a little time.

Theory of a Deadman's new album will be called The Truth Is... and it's set to hit stores on July 12th!

After the wild success of Scars & Souvenirs, I'm excited to see what the band has done to follow up. This is definitely a summer album to look forward to.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Cobra Strike!

2011-03-23T20:44:00.003-04:00

It's official. Release date for Limp Bizkit's new album, Gold Cobra, is June 7th, 2011. That means I can finally stop talking about this...for now...

UPDATE: Okay, so I lied. Er...Fred lied. Release date is now June 28th.

Is the Cobra Poised to Strike?

2011-03-18T07:13:00.004-04:00

After all the talk and wondering and waiting and guessing, it looks like Limp Bizkit's new album Gold Cobra is FINALLY going to be released.

I've been keeping after this as much as my sanity and short attention span will allow, and it looks like it has paid off at last. I wasn't so sure after last year when the album was supposedly mixed and ready for release, only to never see the light of day. Then there was a long period of silence. Finally, in early February of this year, frontman Fred Durst finally reported that the album was being mixed (again?) and would be mastered shortly thereafter.

From what I've gleaned, the album was RE-mixed so as to improve the quality of the songs, which up until this point were merely polished demos. But now, according to Durst, the album is ready.

On Thursday, March 17, Durst posted to his Twitter that he was headed to a meeting with the wigs at Interscope. Then, later that night, he tweeted this:

Looks like a fresh summer with new LB album dropping June 7 (MAYBE), BUT will get confirmation this Tuesday from Interscope.

So it looks like we may be getting some new Limp Bizkit in the near future.

Even more curious, though, was the tweet Fred had made some days earlier. During this entire process, Fred has been posting the names of the songs for the new album as they were being mixed, with the total coming out to nearly twenty songs. He had this to say:

Obviously we have two albums here, in case you didn't pick up on that. First one is Gold Cobra. Due soon.

So now, not only are we getting a release date for Gold Cobra, but we are teased with the promise of a SECOND new album to follow! If you are a Limp Bizkit fan, that is news to get excited for! Gold Cobra and the as-yet-unnamed second new album are the first to be released by the band since 2005, and the first to feature the entire original band lineup since 2000.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Want Some New Smashing Pumpkins?

2011-02-25T14:47:00.000-05:00

Download a whole bunch of new songs right now at their website:

http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/

You're welcome

New Foo Fighters!

2011-02-15T13:45:00.000-05:00

FINALLY! We have new music from the Foo Fighters! Below, you'll find the music video for the Foo Fighters' new song "White Limo" from their upcoming new album Wasting Light which is set to be released on April 12th.

The video features Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead.

It rules.

You'll enjoy it.

Are You Hungry for New Limp Bizkit?

2011-02-10T11:00:00.003-05:00

Fred Durst sure is. For fans of Limp Bizkit that have been waiting impatiently since late 2009 for the release of Limp Bizkit's new album Gold Cobra, Durst has finally spoken.

The new record (which is Limp Bizkit's first full-length album since 2003's Results May Vary, and the first to feature the collaboration of the band's entire original lineup since 2000's Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water) has been in the making since 2009. Recording ended in March 2010, the album was supposedly mixed in the following months, and then multiple release dates were set and then rescheduled throughout the remainder of the year. Many fans were left wondering what the hell was going on, including myself.

Now, finally, we have received news right from the source. On February 9th on his Twitter page, Fred Durst posted the following Tweet:

"Limp Bizkit Gold Cobra should be mixed and ready to press by the end of February."

This came as a surprise to all of us that were under the impression that the album was already mixed, as had been announced in early 2010, adding further mystery to the entire situation. At any rate, we at least now have a clue.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

A Call to Arms: Music and the Super Bowl

2011-02-07T17:26:00.001-05:00

I should re-title this blog. The reason being is because it implies that there was actually "music" at the Super Bowl. There wasn't. If you watched the big game last night, then you know what I'm talking about.

First of all, since when is Christina Aguilera relevant? Is it too much to ask for the Super Bowl to pick a musical performer that people give a sh*t about? Apparently it is. Secondly, can we please get some actual talent to perform at the Super Bowl? How hard is it really to find someone that won't make me want to lie down on the highway after sitting through listening to them?

Let's take a look at this year's lineup...

Girl that sang "America the Beautiful" - I don't know her name. I don't care. I wasn't impressed with her rendition. It was very mediocre and generic. That I've never heard of her is another strike against her since I work around music and still didn't know who she was.

Christina Aguilera - Probably the worst rendition of the National Anthem that I've ever heard in my life came from this fine specimen. She butchered it. Not only did she forget the words to it (words that we all learned in kindergarten), but her delivery was terrible. Just awful. She sounded like an opera singer without a throat.

The Black Eyed Peas - Do I even really need to go there? Having to witness the Super Bowl Halftime Show with the Black Eyed Peas was so bad, it was like listening to an album by the Black Eyed Peas while being brutally raped by Ben Roethlisberger at the same time.

Slash - He showed up for about ten seconds before fleeing the stage. Where the f*** did he think he was going? He was the only thing that could have saved the Halftime Show! Though he probably left so soon because he realized just how horrible the show was and couldn't bear to be associated with such trash. I don't blame you Slash, BUT...the fact that you were a part of the show at all earns you negative points. Being that you are Slash, you should have known better, sir.

Greasers, I think that the time has come for a revolution. It's time that we raised our voices up and put a stop to this nonsense. I'm tired of having to endure terrible acts at the Super Bowl. The last really decent act we had was Prince a few years back. I'll admit that I enjoyed his Halftime Show. He rocked it. I also enjoyed last year's performance of The Who, despite that fact that I heard a lot of people giving them flack. So what if they were out of sync? The fact that the two of them are still performing when they are both something like 200-years-old should be commended.

The point is this: even the decent shows at the Super Bowl are still pretty sucky. It's time to get some real talent in the musical acts. How about the Foo Fighters? Or Linkin Park? Or freakin' Metallica, for crying out loud?

Something needs to be done about the quality of the music at the Super Bowl. It's time for a change.

Am I alone in this?

RAGE!!!

2011-01-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

A few months back, RATM hinted at the possibility of putting out a new album after some strong turnouts at some overseas shows. I told you I would say something as soon as I heard something. Well, I heard something.

Rage Against the Machine is, indeed, working on putting a new album together as evidenced by this quote from lead singer Zack de la Roche:

We are all bigger and more mature and we do not fall into the problems we faced 10 or 15 years ago. This is different and we project a lot: we are working on a new album due out next year, perhaps summer for the northern hemisphere.

The quote was made by de la Roche back in October of 2010 during an interview with a Chilean newspaper. I even went through the trouble to translate it for you.

How freakin' sick is this news?! Are you excited? I'll keep you informed when I learn more.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

The Fountain of Fail

2011-01-20T11:24:00.000-05:00

So this girl is now taking legal action against the mall becasue of this video. Not to worry, defendants...just give her a cell phone and she'll be too distracted to formulate clear thinking, much less press charges. You can thank me for my genius later.

Enjoy the video.

"It's Another One of Those F**kin' Foo Fighters!"

2011-01-18T08:35:00.002-05:00

The Foo Fighters are completely finished with the recording process on their new record. All that is left to do is release the thing. In the meantime, they've decided to torment us with a short tease of a new song that should be hitting 97.9X any day now.

Click the link below to hear the first few seconds of "Famous Last Words"

Foo Fighters Tease

We will keep you posted regarding the status of the new album.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Happy Festivus!

2010-12-23T09:08:00.005-05:00

Today, being December 23rd, is Festivus! One of the greatest (not necessarily happiest) times of the year!

According to Festivus tradition, the "Airing of Grievances" requires us to bring up things that aggravate us and make them known to the world!

This blog is here to serve that exact purpose! if you have any grievances about anything, this is the place to air them. Just comment below and tell the world exactly what you can't stand about it!

We'll save the 'feats of Strength" for another place and time.

It's Festivus for the rest of us!

Foo Fighters LIVE Studio Feed

2010-12-13T12:06:00.001-05:00

RED in the Face

2010-12-10T12:22:00.008-05:00

RED is quite easily one of the most well-recognized bands out there right now. Having produced two albums and released multiple hits to radio, they quickly gained a following over the last four years. Now, at the peak of their popularity, RED is preparing for the release of their third studio album, their second with Sony Music Entertainment.

The new album, Until We Have Faces, takes it's name from the book Till We Have Faces, which was the last novel written by author C. S. Lewis, showing that the band is remaining true to their Christian roots. Those roots have produced two bestselling albums, so we should take heart that this album will be equally epic.

Until We Have Faces is scheduled to be released on February 1st 2011.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

What the Hell Ever Happened to Crisco?

2010-12-06T08:51:00.002-05:00

It has kind of felt something like that picture...except it would be me sitting at the desk rather than some chick. I wonder who she is. She looks like she could use some serious help with all that work.

Anyway, bottom line is I've been a busy beaver. There has been a lot going on for me the last few months, including a promotion at the radio station. Yep...you can now hear me Nights on 97.9X! As in EVERY NIGHT...rather than just when Dan "The Man" can't do it. So tune in!

With the promotion came a whole slew of new responsibilities, all of which I am finally beginning to settle into. Now that I've found a relative groove, I'll be back to updating this blog regularly.

I've been gone for a while, but now I'm back from outer space. Get ready for a Crisco-gasm.

A Nightmare Comes to Life

2010-07-28T16:32:00.002-04:00

Avenged Sevenfold released their brand new album Nightmare yesterday. To celebrate, A7X is doing some stuff on the web this week that you can take part in.

1. The band will host a LIVE CHAT online where they will talk to their fans tomorrow night (Thursday, July 29th @ 5p EST).

2. The band will air a LIVE FEED of their concert in Syracuse, NY on Saturday, July 31st.

Both events will happen on Avenged Sevenfold's UStream page.

So there you have it...a few really cool things going on this week that you can be apart of from the comfort of your computer chair. Enjoy!

A Thousands Suns Burst Forth

2010-07-09T14:08:00.006-04:00

Finally! I'm not even going to waste my time with an introduction to this. Linkin Park have announced that their new album, A Thousand Suns, will be released on September 14th.

Score!

Now that the nitty-gritty of the news is out of the way, I'm going to discuss. After all of the back and forth and all the waiting, our patience has finally paid off. We need but wait another two(ish) months.

It's interesting to see that Linkin Park is sticking with the "nuclear" theme. If you don't know what I'm talking about, allow me to enlighten thee. The band's last album title, Minutes to Midnight, is in reference to the Doomsday Clock which marks the theological, philosophical, and hypothetical number of minutes until midnight; midnight being representative of mankind's annihilation via nuclear war. The lower the number of "minutes to midnight", the closer humanity is, in theory, to blowing ourselves to smithereens.

In case you were curious, the Doomsday Clock is currently (at the time of writing this blog) at 6 Minutes to Midnight.

The new album title, A Thousand Suns, is a reference to a statement made by J. Robert Oppenheimer, the developer of the Atomic Bomb, after bearing witness to the first successful detonation of a nuclear weapon.

"Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds."

At the time of the statement, Oppenheimer was quoting The Bhagavad Gita.

"If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One... I am become Death, the Shatterer of Worlds."

What does any of this have to do with Linkin Park? Probably nothing. I just thought it would be fun to give you a history lesson.

Linkin Park's new album, A Thousand Suns, hits stores September 14th. That's all you probably care about.

Do keep an ear out for their new single "The Catalyst", which will be released August 2nd.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Trapt and Unapologetic

2010-07-07T11:30:00.006-04:00

The band known as Trapt has seen a large burst of popularity since it's inception and debut single "Headstrong". Their last album Only Through the Pain debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 and it had two wildly popular singles "Who's Going Home With You Tonight?" and "Contagious".

Personally, while I enjoyed Only Through the Pain, it was obviously an album of ballads. There weren't any songs on the record that really reached out and punched you in the good'n'plenties, if you know what I mean. It was a softer, more melodic album lacking any powerful anthems like "Headstrong" of "Stand Up". I'm not saying it wasn't good, because it was good. In fact, it was very good. Still, it just felt like something was missing.

It was for these reasons that I was excited to learn that Trapt was putting out a new album this year. I was curious as to which direction the band would go from here. Finally, word came down yesterday that the new album is called No Apologies, and it is due out on September 14th*.

Having listened to "Sound Off", the first single off the new record that is due to hit radio on July 20th, I can say with some certainty that Trapt understands the grievances that myself and many more of their fans had with their last studio effort. I say that because "Sound Off", the very FIRST new single, is exactly the type of song that Only Through the Pain was missing. It's an anthem through and through, and the fact that it is the lead-in single to the new record implies that Trapt is making a statement with it. This song is evidence of a great new record, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

* UPDATE 08/12/10 - The release date for No Apologies has been pushed back to October 12th.

How To Destroy Angels

2010-06-17T10:52:00.003-04:00

When Nine Inch Nails called it quits, a great many people were depressed. I sure was. However, Trent Reznor assured all of the fans that Nine Inch Nails was only through with touring, and that he was still writing new material for the band. That was enough to satisfy a lot of people since NIN would still be active in at least some capacity.

Starting in February of this year, a lot of speculation took shape when Reznor posted numerous pictures on NIN.com of various recording equipment, including one picture of Reznor himself singing into a microphone. Many believed that we were on the verge of getting some new NIN. Alas, we were wrong. But we are getting something.

As it turns out, Reznor has been very busy working on a side-project with his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and musician/composer Atticus Ross. This side-project is now known as How to Destroy Angels.

This new collaboration has a self-titled, 6-track EP due to come out as a physical release on July 6th. However, if you just can't wait, How to Destroy Angels - EP is available RIGHT NOW as a FREE digital download on the band's website.

From the little I've heard, this is going to be an incredible band. I've never gotten into downloading music though. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer to wait for the physical release. You'll have to tell me how it is if you take the time to download it.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

A Nightmare Scenario

2010-06-16T09:39:00.005-04:00

It's always difficult to see a talented musician pass away, especially at an early age and at the height of their career. Avenged Sevenfold had to deal with this exact scenario when their drummer "The Rev" passed away at the end of 2009.

At the time, A7X was in the middle of writing and recording a new album. In fact, they were just about to enter the studio when it happened. Most people, myself included, believed that The Rev's death was going to throw the recording of the new album into an indefinite hiatus. Who could blame the band for wanting to take a break?

Avenged Sevenfold did not take a break, however. Still armed with all of the already written material, much of which was written by The Rev himself, the band hit the studio with the intention of finishing the album in The Rev's honor and dedicating it to him by using all of the music that he had written, and even using The Rev's previously-recorded vocals.

With the help of Dream Theater's drummer, Mike Portnoy, Avenged Sevenfold recorded their new album Nightmare which is set to be released on July 27th. Meanwhile, Mike Portnoy has agreed to tour with A7X as their stand-in drummer until the band can find a permanent replacement.

For fans of Avenged Sevenfold and the band alike, this album will serve as a rebirth. I, personally, cannot wait to hear it.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Looking Forward to Yesterday

2010-06-09T14:45:00.007-04:00

It was more than a year ago that I announced here on the ol' blog that 12 Stones was busy working on recording a new album that was (at the time) due out in the Fall of 2009. Well, the Fall of '09 came and went and I heard nary a thing.

Finally, though, at the top of the new year, 12 Stones began slowly releasing information about the new record, even debuting a new single "We Are One" to radio. Still, we did not have an album name or release date. Today, we finally do.

The new release from 12 Stones will be titled The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday, and it is set to be released on July 20th. The title has been public knowledge for a while, but I wanted to make sure I had all the info before I wrote a blog on it.

But hold on to your hat. If you are expecting an album from 12 Stones, I hate to tell you that you're out of luck. Yes, as it turns out, the new release will only be an EP and not a full length album, which defies everything we have been told over the past year.

The tracklisting is as follows:

Welcome to The End
We Are One
Disappear
Tomorrow Comes Today
Enemy

Even I have to admit that only getting an EP is somewhat disappointing, especially considering that I've been eagerly awaiting news on this release for so long, but what can you do? I can only hope that because this release is only an EP that we can expect a complete album sometime within the next year. Time will tell for sure. Still, getting this is better than getting nothing.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Only Roaches Will Survive Annihilation

2010-06-08T09:58:00.003-04:00

In my first post in a long ass time, I'm hitting you with some New Rock news. This time it's coming from Papa Roach, one of the most popular bands out there today.

P.Roach has had one hell of a year, starting with their split from their label Interscope Records. In that time, fans worried and rumors abounded. What was to become of Papa Roach? As if there was any real worry, the band was picked up by a new record label. They are now on board with Eleven Seven Music, a more or less indie label presided over by Nikki Sixx that is rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

Since joining with Eleven Seven, Papa Roach has been hard at work on a brand new album. The new record is called Time For Annihilation...On the Road and On the Record, and it is set to hit stores on August 31st. The new album is very unique in that is will feature a collaboration of both brand new music and live recordings. There have been a total of five new tracks confirmed, and anywhere from nine to eleven live songs (depending on the source). The first new single, "Kick in the Teeth", should be getting airplay on 97.9X by the end of the month.

On top of the new album, Papa Roach has another CD coming out on the 29th of this month (June). To Be Loved: The Best of Papa Roach is a greatest hits compilation being released by Interscope Records, the band's former label. However, numerous rumors have reported that Papa Roach has been telling their fans not to buy it, indicating that they (Papa Roach) are making no money from the album's sales and that it is not one of their official releases. Is that going to stop YOU from buying it?

In a year featuring a radical number of new music releases, Papa Roach is rocking the boat with something new and different with Time for Annihilation. Keep an ear out for that new single...it's coming soon.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Back From Paradise

2010-04-22T16:11:00.003-04:00

Just checking in to report that I have, indeed, returned safe and sound from my little slice of paradise in Florida and with a new lease on life to boot. I'll make another blog with greater detail in time.

Hope you didn't miss me TOO much!

Stick It Where The Sun Shines!

2010-04-14T00:20:00.003-04:00

That, dear greasers, is a picture of the sun. Now I know you are probably wondering why I bothered to put a picture of the sun on my blog that I haven't updated in a while. Well, it's because I'm going on vacation to the Sunshine State (Florida) until April 21st and I was trying to be witty and clever. Also, in this picture the sun kind of looks like an orange, and Florida is a mass producer of oranges. You're getting the point. I'm going to Florida. Don't wait up.

When I get back, I promise I'll start regularly updating this blog again. I swear.

Later, suckers!

FRESH POTS!!!

2010-03-19T12:49:00.002-04:00

It only makes sense that Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures) would have an out-of-control addiction to caffeine.

Enjoy!

Save The Date

2010-03-09T12:48:00.005-05:00

Few bands experience the sudden explosion of popularity that Saving Abel has seen. You may recall a little song called "Addicted", which was the very first single off of Saving Abel, the band's self-titled debut. It was an instant hit, peaking at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks and #20 on the Hot 100. Since then, the band has garnered quite a following.

Now, two years after the release of Saving Abel, the band is preparing for the release of their second studio album. All of the songs were written on the road while Saving Abel toured with the likes of Nickelback, Hinder, Papa Roach, RED, Pop Evil, and more. Following the end of a tour in January, the band immediately hit the studio to record all that they had written. The final product will be titled Miss America, and it's due to hit stores on June 8th, 2010.

Saving Abel's first album was a great one, and I can't wait to hear what they've got in store next. We should have a new single playing on 97.9X within the next few weeks so stay tuned.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Mayhem in 2010

2010-01-20T13:00:00.006-05:00

The 2010 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival has officially announced the band line-up for this year's tour! Can you feel it? I know I can!

Last year's Mayhem Fest ruled in unimaginable ways. If you want to read up on all the went down in '09, check out the entry I wrote about it.

As much as last year rocked, we can rest assured that this year is going to rock just as hard! This morning, Roadrunner records and Mayhem Festival's website sent out press releases detailing this year's tour...and what a year it is going to be!

So, without further delay, I give you this year's band line-up:

HEADLINING (Main Stage)
KoRn
Rob Zombie
with
Lamb of God
Five Finger Death Punch

2ND STAGE
Atreyu
Norma Jean
3 Inches of Blood
In This Moment

JÄGERMEISTER STAGE
Hatebreed
Chimaira
Shadows Fall
Winds of Plague

This is going to be sick! Although some tour dates have already been announced, nothing has been mentioned yet for the Toyota Pavilion. But don't worry, it took them a few months to post a date here in NEPA last year too, so you just need patience. Besides, you can count on myself and the rest of the DJs at 97.9X to keep you up-to-date.

Stay tuned for further details...and get ready to thrash!

Disturbing

2010-01-18T14:42:00.004-05:00

Well, this has been an exciting couple of days for New Rock announcements.

As it turns out, one of our most popular 97.9X bands, Disturbed, is going to be hitting the studio next month (February) to record their next album. This info came in an interview with Disturbed's guitarist Dan Donegan.

Donegan says that there are about "15 to 18 songs" already written out and ready to be recorded so long as vocalist Dave Draiman finalizes the lyrical content. According to the interview, the new album will land in the summer of this year (2010), though no album title has been revealed yet.

Also on the way from Disturbed is a 10th Anniversary re-issue of their debut album The Sickness with exclusive B-side songs recorded during Disturbed's early days and expanded artwork. The Decade of Disturbed DVD is also expected later this year as well.

2010 is going to be a huge year for Disturbed and their fans. I hope you guys are ready for it.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Saints of Sin!

2010-01-17T18:03:00.006-05:00

Keeping you guys up to date as usual with the latest juiciness. This is a big one though.

I, personally, am a huge Godsmack fan...and I am psyched about this new record. Apparently, as this trailer suggests, more of these webisodes will be available at Rockpit.com in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes on that site for more. I'll do my best to keep up on them.

The biggest news is that we now have the title of Godsmack's forthcoming fifth studio album: Saints and Sinners.

Still no artwork or release date...but I'll stay on top of it!

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

UPDATE 1/4/10 - Apparently, the album has been re-named The Oracle according to new webisodes at Godsmack.com.

UPDATE 2/22/10 - The current, tentative release date for the album is May 4th of this year. Source

Profiled Rangers!

2010-01-12T11:13:00.009-05:00

I always knew there was something funny about the Power Rangers...

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Snuffed Out

2010-01-06T16:57:00.002-05:00

At long last, I found it. This is the short film for the song "Snuff" taken from Slipknot's album All Hope Is Gone. It was directed by M. Shawn Crahan and P.R. Brown.

Enjoy!

Cobra Kings

2009-12-02T23:24:00.004-05:00

You can hate me for what I'm about to say because, frankly, I don't care.

I like Limp Bizkit.

I know...sometimes I wonder what I'm thinking too. What it comes down to, though, is that Limp Bizkit is a guilty pleasure. A novelty, if you will, left over from my childhood. As a matter of fact, Chocolate Starfish was one of the first albums I ever owned. So sue me, but I really do like Limp Bizkit.

All that being said, I was pretty excited to hear that the entire originally line-up (Wes Borland and all) had reunited and were going out on a world tour as well as working on a brand new studio album. You can read all about that happy reunion in other places on the Internet that I don't have time to link right now. Basically, Fred and Wes put their differences aside and found common ground in the form of their desire to write and produce music that they enjoy.

That reunion happened months ago, and Limp Bizkit has been on tour in Europe and other places overseas for the better part of this year. They plan on rollin' (no pun intended) through the ol' USA at the end of the tour for a big finale.

Now on to the album, which Fred Durst has claimed is "[Limp Bizkit's] most addictive album yet- instrumentally." That's enough to get my sorry ass excited. Now, through a recent interview with Kerrang!, Durst has revealed the album title and also a general time for release:

"The name of the new Limp Bizkit album is Gold Cobra. We will slowly be revealing the meaning of the title over the next few weeks. Cobras are quite venomous. I wish it were a much longer, more ridiculous title, but Gold Cobra is as ridiculous as we're going to get right now."

Fred-o went on to tell Kerrang! that the new album should hit stores "Early next year." Depending on how early Fred's version of early really is, we could have a single within the next few weeks, or even days.

I'm excited and, what the hell, you should be excited too. If your not excited, then it's probably because you are smarter than I am.

I'll keep you updated on further details as soon as they make their way to my desk.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Breaking the Silence: Shannon Larkin

2009-11-22T15:30:00.003-05:00

Ever since we first heard earlier this year that Godsmack was busy working on a brand new album, we have been itching for details. After all, this new CD will be the band's first since 2006's IV. For a while, Godsmack played it close to the chest with only releasing sporadic and obscure details. All that we knew was that they intended to have the new record out sometime during the First-Quarter of 2010. Then, finally, just as Godsmack was preparing to head out on tour for Crüe Fest 2, they released a brand new single.

The new song "Whiskey Hangover" was quickly proven to be a chart-topping hit, and was played all across the country while the band was out on tour. Having seen Godsmack live this summer, I can attest to the fact that Godsmack is still rocking as hard as ever. Of course, during their performance they went on to tease us with even more talk of the new album and once again reaffirmed their intentions to have it out early next year. Since then, though, was have heard little or noting about it. No release date, no album title, no producer, zip, zero, nata.

But no more...

Finally, after all of the endless pandering and countless questions, Godsmack's drummer, Shannon Larkin, has come forward and given up some small details about the new album in a recent interview. It isn't much, mind you, but it's more than we had before so be happy with it.

You can read the full interview here, but I'll give you the basics of what was said.

According to Shannon, the band is hoping to have the new album all finished by December 15th with the intention of having it hit stores sometime around March of 2010. Also revealed was that Sully Erna was co-producing the new album with Dave Fortman (Slipknot, Mudvayne). Larkin also said the the new album was going to be "a monster" and that it was very reminiscent of their first album, but "much heavier, with simple, catchy guitar-driven riffs." He did not reveal anything else.

If March is, indeed, when the album will be released, we should be able to expect a new radio single any day now. If anything, this news is little more than a tease. Still, it's enough fuel to feed the fire until we actually get our hands on this thing. I, myself, cannot wait. It's been nearly four years since we got anything new from Godsmack, but it looks like the wait is almost over.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T13:03:00.001-04:00

Don't let anyone give you a rock!

Puddle of Mudd's 4th Volume

2009-10-21T20:04:00.000-04:00

It seems like just about every week there is some kind of new rock announcement to be made. Well, as it turns out this week is no different.

I have actually been the bearer of this information for quite some time now, but I have been reluctant to reveal it to you, the listener, since I could not verify how true it was. However, as of today, the information has (for the most part) been confirmed, so it is time that I gave you guys the low down.

In the world of rock, the band Puddle of Mudd has gotten to be a well known name. Ever since their album Come Clean, Puddle of Mudd has enjoyed a steadily increasing popularity with each new record release. And rightfully so, since with each album Puddle of Mudd has continued to improve with their songwriting.

However, I personally think that their last album failed to meet expectations. Granted, Famous had a few good singles that came out of it like "Psycho", which became a #1 Hit, but I think that overall it wasn't Puddle of Mudd's best effort.

Perhaps the band agrees with me, though, because their upcoming new album titled Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate will be much tighter and more focused. According to bassist Doug Ardito, the new record will contain only nine songs to avoid what he called "filler material". The new CD is also expected to contain more edgy, punk rock similar to that which can be found on earlier releases according to interviews with Puddle of Mudd frontman and vocalist Wes Scantlin.

Since Puddle of Mudd has produced some great hits in the past (some of which I am very fond of), I am excited for this new record which is scheduled to hit stores on December 8th. And if their first single off of the new album, "Spaceship" (now playing on 97.9X), is any indication, then Vol. 4 is going to rock!

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

WHOOP!

2009-10-18T14:58:00.001-04:00

Another funny YouTube video I thought was worth sharing. It amazes me at what qualifies as newsworthy anymore.

Again, you need to keep in mind while watching this that it is a 100% REAL news story. Someone actually thought it would be a perfectly good idea to air this on television. Idiots.

Enjoy!

Cleveland Rocks!

2009-10-11T22:58:00.002-04:00

Crazy Cleveland Tourism Video - watch more funny videos

Almost makes you feel grateful to be living in NEPA. Almost.

Mudvayne Ends the Game

2009-10-08T23:22:00.005-04:00

Since their beginnings, Mudvayne had been known for their technical styles of music, incorporating elements from nearly a dozen genres of metal. However, Mudvayne's most recent album The New Game had a distinct rock and roll sound to it that was unheard of in their previous music. Said album produced the hit single "Do What You Do" on 97.9X which was very popular among you listeners.

Although the The New Game wasn't Mudvayne as I knew them, I still sincerely enjoyed it. The album truly showcased Mudvayne's range and skill in versatility, and it left me eager for the next effort from the band.

The original plan was to release The New Game, followed six months later by yet another album release. However, this plan fell by the wayside and the second release (fifth studio album by the band) never came. From the information I was able to gather in the time between, I learned that Mudvayne had completely finished, mixed, and mastered the unreleased new album, but they had no release date planned, opting instead to finish up the Music As A Weapon Tour before they put the new CD on shelves.

But finally, just yesterday, Mudvayne revealed the album title, the release date, and a whole slew of other information about the new album on MySpace. Here is what they had to say:

MUDVAYNE TO RELEASE NEW SELF-TITLED ALBUM on DECEMBER 22, 2009

NEW SONG ‘BEAUTIFUL AND STRANGE’ STREAMING TODAY

MUDVAYNE are back with a self-titled release that will hit stores on December 22, 2009 and leave fans blown away by its eclectic complexity and brutality. MUDVAYNE’S last record “The New Game”, produced two hit singles; the #1 ‘Do What You Do’ and ‘Scarlet Letters’ are continuing to receive massive radio airplay and video rotation on MTV2 and Fuse. One could say that this new album is the hardest, but yet most melodic record, MUDVAYNE has ever created.....
Alongside the blistering new tunes. MUDVAYNE have outdone themselves once again with the mind-blowing packaging for the new album. The new album is revolutionizing album artwork design, as this is the first album to ever use black light reactive ink. Every bit of art and text in the packaging of the record will be printed on ink that can only be seen with a black light. Fans receiving this record as a gift during the holiday season, could truly have a “White Christmas” courtesy of MUDVAYNE.

Matt McDonough MUDVAYNE’S drummer had the following to say about the new album, “I feel that this album is the best that the band has recorded since our second album, The End of All Things to Come.
The album will be available in three formats. Those include, the standard jewel case edition, a deluxe edition that comes with a black light, and the super deluxe edition that includes a larger black light, a special edition black light reactive poster, and more.

Check out the brand new MUDVAYNE song “Beautiful and Strange” today at www.mudvayne.com and www.myspace.com/mudvayne for a taste of what is to come on December 22nd..

Some very exciting news to be sure. I am eager to see how the black light reactive ink will work with the album's artwork. In theory, it sounds like a pretty sweet idea. I can't wait to see it in practice.

Also, I would advise that you check out the new song "Beautiful and Strange" that Mudvayne is streaming on their website and their MySpace, because it ROCKS! Having listened to it myself, I feel confident that this new album will kick all kinds of ass. I cannot wait!

*UPDATE (11/30/09) - The new album is now scheduled for release on December 21st, 2009.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Holy Sh*t! This is hysterical!

2009-10-02T13:48:00.002-04:00

I just happened to come across this video on YouTube a few days ago and I figured it would be worth sharing it with all of you.

Keep in mind that this is a 100% REAL news story!

Enjoy!

Breaking In At Midnight

2009-09-30T14:23:00.010-04:00

Being in radio means that I can get brand new albums for free, usually close to five days before they are released. However, the release of Breaking Benjamin's brand new record, Dear Agony, was a special occasion, and I decided that this time I would, instead, wait like everyone else until the day of sale. I even took it upon myself to stand out in the cold at the Gallery of Sound in Kingston/Edwardsville with a few hundred other Benheads and await the Midnight Release of the highly anticipated new album.

We had a freakin' blast! Also, huge minion points are to be awarded to the two dudes at the front of the line that waited outside the store since 3:00pm, nine whole hours before the release. Now THAT is dedication (and proof of having no job and nothing better to do)!

The big draw to the Midnight Release not only had to do with the desire for an album that has been two years in the making, but also because the Gallery of Sound was raffling off wristbands that would get you into our 97.9X Top Secret Show with Breaking Benjamin the following evening. Everyone that bought the new album that evening was given the opportunity to win.

Excitement was building, and tensions were high. Finally, the doors to the store opened up at Midnight and the crowed rolled in.

Oh, and by the way, look who happened to take the time to stop by the Gallery of Sound in the Gateway Shopping Center and sign stuff...

...None other than NEPA's own, Chad Szeliga, the drummer for Breaking Ben! I think I can speak for all of the people there that evening when I say "thank you" to Chad for stopping by.

The folks who came out had a great time and everyone was thrilled to have the new album. After the line for purchases had ended at roughly 1:30am, it was time to raffle off the passes into the Secret Show, and yours truly was put in charge of picking the winning tickets out of the bucket.

Let me tell you that there are not many things in this world that stress me the hell out, but this was definitely one of those things. While it was simply luck of the draw as to whose number I pulled out, it sucked having to watch people's hearts be broken when they didn't win. So to all of those people whose number(s) I did not pick, I am sorry that I let you down and ask that you please do not hate me forever and ever. To all those people whose number(s) I DID pick, I shall expect gifts and favors as a sign of your gratitude to be forthcoming.

So with the midnight release complete and Dear Agony officially in stores, it was time for part two of the festivities: the Secret Show with Breaking Benjamin!

And what a show it was.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the River Street Jazz Cafe helped us out by supplying the venue, and I hope we can do more things with them in the future, because it was a great time! Breaking Benjamin blew the crowd away with acoustic performances of "The Diary of Jane", "I Will Not Bow", "Until the End", and finished things off with "Breath". Of course, the crowd goes crazy when the band left the stage, and of course the boys came back out and played an encore which featured a song off of the brand new album.

It was an awesome night, and the band even came out afterward to hang out with their loyal NEPA fanbase, take pictures, and sign autographs.

And so, after two straight days of busy-work and very little sleep, the frenzy surrounding the release of Dear Agony has finally begun to settle down. If you have yet to buy the album, I suggest that you stop reading this blog, get off of your ass, and go get it! Trust me, it rocks. And if you couldn't get into the Secret Show, you have my sympathy, and I hope that you can join us for one in the future.

I'm going to catch up on some sleep. Until next time, greasers, KEEP ROCKIN'!

Check Out My Face!

2009-09-19T15:00:00.002-04:00

Due to popular demand (i.e. because I wanted to), I am now on Facebook!

After arguing headlong with the Facebook developers and moderators over the fact that they didn't believe my name was Crisco, I have finally got it up and running. There is hardly anything on it yet and I have next to no friends.

All that being said, make sure to send me a request and some suggestions for friends and help me expand my network a bit. And tell your friends.

You can head over to my Facebook page by clicking here.

Check it out. Rock on.

Kanye Just Won't Give Up!

2009-09-15T22:35:00.002-04:00

Bahahaha!

So much ammunition...so little time to fire!

Three Days Grace "Break" Music Video

2009-09-13T18:31:00.002-04:00

Hot off the film reel, here is the music video for the brand new single "Break" by Three Days Grace.

The new album from Three Days Grace is called Life Starts Now and it will be on store shelves on September 22nd.

Enjoy!

A Double Shot of New Music Goodness

2009-09-08T11:47:00.005-04:00

Most of the time when I am on-air (and on this blog) I try to keep you all up-to-date on any new music announcements that may come around concerning the many bands played on 97.9X. I do this under the assumption that, much like myself, you listeners get excited when you hear that one of you favorite bands has some new music headed your way.

As long as I have been doing this, I have gotten more than a few e-mails from listeners who were grateful for my trying to keep them so in the loop. Though I can't keep up with EVERY piece of news about a band or new music, I try and make you aware of the important stuff. Still, every now and then, some New Rock news will slip through the cracks. There is no excuse, however, for me not covering the two bands included in this blog. Being that I haven't covered this news in the manner that it deserves, I have decided to give you guys a dual report on everything I know about these two new albums, and I hope you will forgive my slacking off.

Spinning In Circles

The first band I want to make a point of reporting on is Creed. The announcement that Creed had reunited was huge news for the world of rock. When a band with three multi-platinum albums that has been apart for half a decade decides to get back together, go on tour, and record a new album, people tend to pick up their heads and listen. But somehow, I feel like this was sort of ignored and pushed aside. For crying out loud, they had a tour date in both Hershey, PA and in Camden, NJ and we never even mentioned either at great length! They are still touring even as you are reading this, but no stops on the remainder of the tour are going to be anywhere near NEPA. Still, if you wanted to check out the remaining tour dates, just head over to Creed.com and check them out.

As far as new music goes, Creed is planning on releasing a brand new album called Full Circle on October 27th of this year. The first track off of the new album is called "Overcome" and is going through regular rotation on 97.9X, so tune in to take a listen. I have included the artwork for the new album in the picture above.

This CD will definitely be one to look forward to.

A Congregation of Musical Styles

The next band I wanted to mention is Atreyu. Most of you will be familiar with their singles "Becoming the Bull", "Falling Down", and "Slow Burn" which received a lot of airplay on 97.9X and came off of their last album Lead Sails Paper Anchor. Some others, like myself, have been long familiar with Atreyu from back when they were signed to Victory Records. I think those people will agree that Lead Sails was not Atreyu's best work. Some might even argue that the band "sold out" and made themselves more commercially acceptable. All may have varying degrees of truth, but that is why we should be excited for their new CD release.

The new album, called Congregation of the Damned, is set to hit stores on October 27th (ironically, the same days as Creed's new album). In various interviews with the band, frontman Alex Varkatzas admits that the last album was a let-down and has promised that Atreyu will make up for it with the new record. Varkatzas says we can expect a mix between the band's primal energy from their earlier records with the dynamic hooks and enhanced craftsmanship of their newer work. The band has promised that the new album will not disappoint.

I know one thing: I am definitely excited to listen to it when it comes out.

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other New Rock announcements.

Fire Up The Grill!

2009-09-07T11:30:00.000-04:00

Enjoy your Labor Day!

Smacked by the Gods!

2009-09-06T12:54:00.000-04:00

A difficult task comes with writing a blog about a concert. This is especially true for a concert that rocked as hard as Crüe Fest 2 did this past Friday at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain. The difficulty comes with the desire to adequately encapsulate the sheer badassedness of the event. The problem is it is difficult to know where to begin. Regardless, I am going to give it a shot.

Having attended the first Crüe Fest that went down last year, I walked into the show on Friday thinking I knew what to expect. Was I ever wrong! The tour was twice as big this year, both literally and figuratively. The first thing I noticed when I entered through the gate at the VIP lot was the crowds rocking out at the Monster Energy stage set up just before the wooden bridge. The news that Crüe Fest 2 had added the second stage came late last spring, and I was very excited. The second stage definitely added something to the show. Not only did it keep the throngs of concert-goers occupied while the bands on the main stage set up their equipment, they also kept a large amount of people running back and forth between the stages, which maintained a very high-energy atmosphere, something that the somewhat lesser-known Monster Energy bands captured and built upon.

Our hometown boys in Destination West kicked things off on the Monster Energy stage, performing a great set for the crowds as they piled into the venue. The always entertaining Destination West did not fail to disappoint. I can't wait to see where these guys go from here.

The Charm City Devils then kicked off festivities on the main stage within the Pavilion. For a band that I hadn't heard of up until a few months ago, the Charm City Devils did a great job. Although they are still a bit unrefined when it comes to live shows, they managed to get the crowd excited nonetheless. With a little polish, I think this band can become very very entertaining in live performances. I'm going to have to pick up their new studio album, Let's Rock-N-Roll, and give it a solid listen.

Up next on the main stage was Drowning Pool, who never fail to thrash our asses off. They played right into the rowdy crowd, opening things up with "Sinner". It is worth mentioning that their new lead vocalist, Ryan McCombs, carries himself quite easily through the vocals of Drowning Pool's older singles, which were recorded with original singer Dave Williams. McCombs does great justice for all of Drowning Pool's singles, and the band rocked the hell out of the Pavilion with a set-closing performance of "Bodies" that had the whole crowd on their feet.

After Drowning Pool left the stage, it was Theory of a Deadman's turn to rock. At a point in just about every festival when the crowd is a bit worn from the first few performances and are eagerly awaiting the main acts, Theory of a Deadman pulled everyone to attention and kept things alive in pro-fashion. Theory kept things light-hearted and entertaining, often pandering to the crowd. Still, they delivered when it came time to rock out. After ripping through a few older singles and some new ones, their moment came when it was time for their hit "Hate My Life", which had the whole Pavilion singing along. They closed out with "Bad Girlfriend", which had the place (especially the bad girlfriends) jumping.

A quick trip down the hill and it was time for Rev Theory to take the Monster Energy stage. This was the first time I had seen Rev Theory perform plugged-in for an entire set, but it was worth the wait. Rev Theory has a very energetic stage presence and they dominated with a performance that should have been in the main line-up. They cleaned up with "Hell Yeah", and put a wrap on the Monster Energy stage.

Then it was time for the huge acts to begin. Rev Theory had only just finished when Godsmack took the stage, tearing it open with "Awake". Godsmack continued into the set with hit after hit, even throwing in a brief cover of Pantera's "Walk" in the middle of "Speak". Then, we were treated to a haunting and mellowing performance of "Voodoo" which brought out the lighters. About halfway through their set, Sully Erna disappeared off stage, only to re-emerge inside of a second drum kit. The drum battle was on as Erna and Shannon Larkin erupted into a 15-minute dual-drum solo featuring more brief covers of AC/DC and Black Sabbath.

I also need to commend Sully for slowing things down during "Keep Away" and calming the crowd after things got out of hand and a few fights broke out in the pit. It was very professional of him, and he managed to pull it off in a way that kept the crowd's energy up. After things had been broken up, the band brought the song back to the whole venue jumping and moving. They finished up their set even stronger than they started it, and left us hungry for more. In my personal opinion, I felt that Godsmack stole the show, even outshining the Crüe themselves. It was definitely the best performance I have seen in a long time.

Last, and certainly not least, was the Festival's titular band: Mötley Crüe! As was advertised, Crüe ripped their way through their album Dr. Feelgood from front to back in the grand fashion that we have come to expect from their shows. Truthfully, I wasn't so sure how to take the whole "playing one album" thing, but Crüe didn't disappoint. After they had cleared the album, they continued to rock with their other famous hits, ending on a high note, but also bringing the night to a satisfying conclusion.

It was most definitely a show that should not have been missed, especially considering that Mötley Crüe has already said that there will be no Crüe Fest next year since the band plans to take time off to write and record a new record. I feel pity for those of you that couldn't be there, and strongly suggest that you attend when it comes back (hopefully) in 2011.

On a side (and amusing) note, I was able to get backstage for a while to hang out with a few of the bands. I wasn't back there for very long, but it was enough time to answer the call of nature in Mötley Crüe's dressing room. Not in a bathroom, just in their dressing room. Good times!

So ends another concert season at the Toyota Pavilion. It is upsetting to see the summer already over, but it only makes me even more greedy for next year. As far as Crüe Fest goes, I seriously hope that it comes back, and I'm sure you will all be joining me as we eagerly await the next run.

New Breaking Ben Album Artwork

2009-09-04T00:28:00.001-04:00

There it is, you greedy listeners! The picture above, snagged from shallowbay.com, is the official album artwork for Breaking Benjamin's new album Dear Agony which is set to hit stores on September 29th.

I know you have probably labeled me as a filthy bastard by now for all the teasing I do for this album. Well, deal with it! I'm stuck waiting for it the same as you!

The anticipation continues to build...

The Mystery That Is Cave

2009-08-30T10:32:00.005-04:00

Some of you may recall the World Premier New Rock debut of the band Cave at the 97.9X Roof-A-Thon this year.

Needless to say, it occurred under unusual circumstances. What happened was I found an unmarked envelope with a CD in it and a note that said only "We are Cave!"

There was a brief intro to the song on the CD, where this mysterious new band recited the name of the band and the name of the song.

The band's name is pronounced "C-ah-v" apparently, and the name of the song was "I'm On A Roof". Essentially, the song is a parody of "I'm On A Boat" by Andy Samberg's The Lonely Island, and it tells all about Roof-A-Thon with 97.9X (even mentioning the radio station in the lyrics).

We were all confused, to say the least, but now Cave has come out with a YouTube video which features the song played over a picture of this past Roof-A-Thon.

We don't know anything more about this mysterious band, but we promise to try to find out. In the meantime, here is the YouTube video:

CAPTCHA say what?!

2009-08-27T23:30:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I was trying to make a facebook earlier this evening when one of those CAPTCHA things came up. You know, the image with the warped text that you are supposed to type out as some kind of security measure.

Usually these CAPTCHAs are just random letters. Sometimes, though, the letters will actually form words. But just take a look at what the CAPTCHA that came up on my screen read out to me:

Yeah.

Talk about a holy s**t moment.

I honestly don't know what to make of this. Is it a mere coincidence? Is it a shameless ploy by the far left? Is it Gawd speaking to me through the interweb? Or is it a sentient Artificial Intelligence like Skynet slowly taking over the world?

This is scary as hell...but I think I am definitely going to take the CAPTCHA's advice before an evil facebook robot sneaks into my cereal and kills me during breakfast tomorrow.

Breaking Benjamin "I Will Not Bow" Music Video

2009-08-27T17:31:00.003-04:00

JUST IN CASE you haven't seen it yet, I felt I should provide for you.

Below, is the Official music video for Breaking Benjamin's brand new single "I Will Not Bow" which you will be able to find on their upcoming new album Dear Agony. The new album is set to hit stores on September 29th.

Enjoy!

Life Starts Now for Three Days Grace

2009-08-10T09:52:00.001-04:00

Merely days after I discovered the news regarding the brand new album from Breaking Benjamin, I discover yet another huge piece of news that has to do with the band Three Days Grace.

Arguably one of the most popular bands around today, Three Days Grace has earned every bit of the recognition they receive. Their last album, One-X, was easily one of the best albums of 2006. However, we haven't received anything new from TDG since that time.

But finally, after almost four years of waiting, we have a confirmed release date and a title for the third studio effort from Three Days Grace! The new album, which will be titled Life Starts Now, will hit shelves on September 22nd. Here is what Three Days grace had to say in a recent blog entry on threedaysgrace.com:

We are stoked to tell you that our new album Life Starts Now will be released on September 22, 2009. Although it has been a long road (from pre-production in January to the start of recording in Vancouver i March, to mixing which literally is just finishing up this week) September is just around the corner. While we are still finalizing the track listing, we can tell you that the first single is called "Break". We can also finally reveal that the ever-popular "KC's Caribbean Takeout" is actually a broken-down version of a song called "World So Cold".

This is some great news. And might I add, September is turning out to be a really kick-ass month for the world of rock! I can't wait for this one!

As always, keep it here for updates on this and other new rock announcements.

And don't forget, you heard it FIRST from 97.9X!

Breaking Benjamin Writes a Letter to Agony

2009-08-04T19:15:00.004-04:00

Alright, pay attention! This is big news. As I was on-the-air for Dan tonight, I had some kick-ass news come down the line. We all know Breaking Benjamin has been working on a new album for quite some time. Well, the album is finished and the wait is over.

Both the album title AND the release date were confirmed by Breaking Benjamin on their MySpace. Here is what they had to say:

Breaking Benjamin's new album titled Dear Agony, will be hitting stores on September 29th. The first single "I Will Not Bow" to be featured in the movie "Surrogates" starring Bruce Willis will be at radio on on August 17th.
Stay tuned for news related to a live webcast with the band later in August, as wells photos from the video shoot taken at Word Trade Center 7 last week.

Let the rejoicing begin! After nearly three years of waiting, we are finally poised to receive some brand new rock courtesy of the hometown boys, Breaking Benjamin! I am pumped, am I'm sure you are too!

Keep your ears tuned to 97.9X for further details, including the first taste of the album. And don't forget...you heard it FIRST from 97.9X!

I'm Still Trying to Dry My Shoes

2009-08-02T11:05:00.002-04:00

I know this is arriving a few days late, but it is definitely worth talking about. I am referring to the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival 2009 at the Toyota Pavilion this past week. And what a show it was.

For most of the first half of the day, the rain held off. A drizzle here and there was all we heard from mother nature while the Jägermeister and Hot Topic bands opened things up and gave us a good preemptive thrashing before the main acts took the stage.

It should be mentioned that those responsible for running Mayhem Festival this year had the show perfectly structured, with various acts alternating play between the Jägermeister and Hot Topic stages, ensuring that each band could be seen individually.

WhiteChapel opened things up on the hot Topic Stage, waking everyone up by blasting out a set to the masses in a light drizzle. Then, newcomers XFactor1 did a good job of keeping the head-banging going with a great set. The Black Dahlia Murder kept things going and kept the crowd involved, and then the bigger acts took the stage. GodForbid took to the stage and thrashed us apart with a great set featuring both new and old songs that really had the mosh pits going nuts! After that, Job for a Cowboy kicked us in the teeth with the heaviest metalcore they could throw at us.

After JFAC got of stage, the rain really started to come down. As the torrents whipped the crowds, All That Remains got to the stage, where lead singer Philip Labonte addressed the crowd by saying: "Do you care that it's f***ing raining?!" Needless to say, the crowds responded by creating a massive mosh pit while ATR tore it up.

Behemoth was more than a little frightening and overly entertaining as the monsoon continued to drench the concert patrons. Trivium then came out and put on one hell of a set, and Cannibal Corpse finished up the opening acts with an awesome performance, but by this time most of the concert-goers had made their way up the hill to the cover of the Pavilion, since it was like a Hurricane out in the open.

Bullet for My Valentine opened things up on the main stage within the Pavilion which had everyone going crazy. Then, on came Killswitch Engage who, in my opinion, stole the show. Mosh pits where everywhere (including a wall of death) and there were more people crowd-surfing than there were standing on the ground.

At last, Slayer come on-stage, and put on one of the best performances I have ever seen. They gave a sneak peak of their upcoming album, and finished things off with "Raining Blood". It was the loudest thing I had ever heard in all my life, and Slayer thrashed the crowds so hard that my back hurt afterward. They actually caused physical injury simply by playing. Awesome!

At the end of the night, Marilyn Manson finished things off with a performance that vaguely resembled Cirque de Soleil...on acid.

Overall, the show was unbelievable in its scope. And although it poured on us, the rain definitely added something to the intensity of the day. Rain or shine, it will be well worth it to be there next year!

Catch You On The Sunny Side!

2009-07-21T16:40:00.004-04:00

Well, greasers, I am on vacation in California until next Wednesday. Hope you guys have a great weekend. I know I will! Hahaha!

A 2nd Stage for the 2nd Crüe Fest!

2009-07-11T20:58:00.006-04:00

Yes, you heard correctly. I broke this news On-the-Air yesterday, but I couldn't write a blog about it until now. In a recent MySpace blog, Mötley Crüe have revealed that a SECOND stage has been added to this year's Crüe Fest(ivities) in a collaboration with Monster Energy!

Here is what Mötley Crüe had to say in their blog:

Crüe Fest 2 announced a partnership with Monster Energy to add an additional stage at most dates on this year’s festival. The new Monster Energy Stage doubles the entertainment value at Crüe Fest 2 with five additional bands - Rev Theory, Cavo, Shram and 16 Second Stare plus one band chosen locally in select markets, showcasing the next generation of rock. With no change in ticket prices, rock fans will now see ten great rock bands for the price of one. For the cost of a Mötley Crüe concert, fans will see a day long rock festival with Mötley as the headliners. Crüe Fest 2 kicks off in Camden, NJ on July 19th with tickets available now at www.LiveNation.com.....

We here at 97.9X have been talking about Crüe Fest 2 all year long. Crüe Fest 2 features the Charm City Devils, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, Godsmack, and Mötley Crüe headlining. This show was already HUGE this year, but it just got even HUGER with the addition of this new stage and expanded acts! If you have yet to get yourself tickets to the Crüe Fest 2 show on September 4th at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, then I suggest you do so now!

979X.com
Keyword: Concerts

And if all of this isn't incentive enough, here is a little video showcasing the Monster Energy Stage at Crüe Fest...enjoy!

How Was Your 4th?

2009-07-05T10:16:00.004-04:00

Mine was great! Barring a few minor mishaps, of course...

Honestly, I think Gabe could have been more of a man after what happened. I would have told him to lighten up...but he already did that! HAHA! Get it? No? Oh well...

In the end, it was a great night. But I should mention that my friends and I would like to sincerely apologize to the cities of Edwardsville and Kingston. To be fair, though, I don't think even YOU could have predicted that fire could spread that quickly.

Accidents happen, right?

Anyway, I hope all you greasers had a great (and safe) 4th of July.

Crisco's Rock Manual: Chapter 3 - Moshing

2009-07-04T19:30:00.013-04:00

I know, it has been a while. But, finally, I am back with yet another installment of my Rock Manual for you greasers to reference. With Mayhem Festival fast approaching, I felt it was very important to make Chapter 3 all about our favorite concert activity: Moshing!

As has been previously stated, Rock music (Metal in particular) is all about violence. While grabbing someone by the throat and hurling them across an expanse is frowned upon in normal society, at a Rock concert it is completely acceptable and even encouraged. By calling this in-concert activity "moshing", we have managed to create an acceptable excuse to beat the crap out of one another. Picking a fight is no longer a crime so long as there is some kick-ass Rock music within earshot. Take that, society! We don't play by your rules here!

Before we discuss how to mosh, I will first give a brief history of moshing.

It is believed that moshing began in Orange Country, California. During a show, somebody in the crowd decided to beat the hell out of another concert-goer and the onlookers thought that it looked like fun and decided to do the same. Soon the whole crowd was fighting each other, and the band, thinking that it was awesome, told them to "keep mashing". However, since most of the people in the crowd were bleeding from the ears by that point, what they thought they heard the band say was "keep moshing". The people who were involved with the first mosh then went home and bragged to their friends about how much it ruled, and so then their friends wanted to be cool too and tried it themselves at the next show. Eventually, the practice spread and there you have it...the birth of moshing.

Now that you know how moshing got started, we can talk about moshing itself, such as how it is properly executed.

Moshing normally takes place in an area of the concert floor commonly known as the "mosh pit". Keep in mind that the mosh pit has no pre-designated location. The pit can appear anywhere and there can potentially be multiple pits occurring at once.

There are three types of mosh pits: the Circle Pit, the Box Pit, and the Wall of Death.

Circle Pit: A circle pit forms when a group of concert patrons simultaneously go crazy and begin shoving each other around. Once this happens, the crowd around the moshers will open up in the form of a circle and surround them. After the circle has formed, the patrons inside will engage each other and start pounding on one another. You may then chose to observe from outside of the circle or you may want to jump in. Be aware, though, that anyone who may wander inside the perimeter of the circle is fair game.

Box Pit: According to the Alphabet of Manliness, the other type of mosh pit is the box pit, sometimes called the "Blood Box". The box pit usually forms at the area directly in front of the stage, spans from wall-to-wall, and is separated from the rest of the crowd by a wall of frightened onlookers. Fights within the box pit tend to be more intense and will typically last longer than those in the circle pit.

Wall of Death:

Speaks for itself.

Now that you have created a mosh pit, a mosh pit has been created around you, or you have fought your way through the crowd to reach the mosh pit, there are a few patented moshing techniques which I learned from the Alphabet of Manliness that you may consider using.

1) The Human Javelin - This one only works for the big, strong guys. What you do is find a short, skinny guy, pick him up, and throw him head-first toward a group of patrons like a javelin. If you should end up being the short, skinny guy...enjoy the flight and remember to tuck your chin. Easy enough and self explanatory.

2) Breakneck Bowling - Pack yourself into a ball and have a strong buddy of yours roll you toward a large pack of patrons in an attempt to knock them over. Don't forget to extend your arms and legs upon impact to increase the effect. If you are feeling especially hardcore, stuff yourself into a garbage can and do it that way.

3) The Battering Ram - As if you can't figure this one out already, you have a group of guys pick you up horizontally and charge through the crowd. If you are feeling exceptionally confident, you can use your dome. If you happen to be fearful of cracking open your skull and letting the yolk get out, then extend you hands forward. But, seriously, which method rules harder?

Now that you have a few good moshing techniques at your disposal, we have to remember to address the issue of moshing etiquette.

An important thing to remember is that moshing is all about fun and we aren't actually trying to hurt each other. It is generally understood that you help people up after they fall down so they don't get trampled and avoid intentionally causing serious injury. Bumps and bruises are going to happen though. This isn't badminton. Man up.

Well that about does it for this entry. If I remember to add something else, I will. Keep it here for Chapter 4.

Until next time...KEEP ROCKIN'!

Some of the material in this blog is not original and was referenced from or inspired by the "Alphabet of Manliness" by Maddox.

Crisco, Take Me Away!

2009-07-03T14:59:00.003-04:00

This one is for the ladies. A friend of mine forwarded this link to me earlier today. I found it hilarious in an educational way. Turns out, I am good for the old complexion, and apparently it is healthy and beneficial to put me on your body.

Now that you feel substantially uncomfortable, read on.

So, the question is: BS or Super BS?

Let me know what you think, greasers!

Run Run As Fast As You Can!

2009-06-24T10:51:00.003-04:00

Alright, greasers...here, finally, are the results of the 2009 Wilkes-Barre Duathlon which took place this past Sunday, June 21st 2009.

We finished!

What? You were expecting some sort of grand spectacle of endurance and fortitude from ME and LAZY E? Are you crazy?! I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, we are in pretty decent shape. But a Duathlon and all similar events require that you be inhuman in order to actually do well. Take the guy that won, Chris Garges, for instance. The man looked like a cross between Lance Armstrong, Michael Phelps, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. No doubt he was either some sort of experiment in genetics created by our government, or an alien from another planet. Either way, he was made of Volcanic Fire, Titanium, and Tornadoes. Lazy E and myself are made of Goo and Perogies. That is why he won and we came in 121st place.

Regardless, Lazy E and I are proud of our performance, especially considering that we had never done anything even remotely like it before. That, and we were up against professionals. These guys had multi-thousand dollar Olympic bikes and were adorned with sponsorships from Nike, Adidas, and Frosted Flakes. Lazy E and I had T-shirts and a mountain bike. So, comparatively, we did a damn good job.

As I said, we finished 121 of 145 Overall, and 22 of 25 in the Relay. That's right...WE DIDN'T FINISH LAST! We also completed the race in under 2 hours, which was a huge goal for us. In case you don't believe me or you are just curious, you can get the full results here.

In the end, Lazy E and I were thrilled with how we did, as is evidenced from the picture at the top of the blog, taken immediately after the end of the Duathlon. 97.9X is happy to have sponsored and participated in this year's Wilkes-Barre Duathlon to help raise money for the YMCA and the JCC. We had a great time, and maybe with a little bit of practice (and some better equipment) we can do even better next year.