Update on the Blog

Hey everybody just thought I would give an update on the blogging here at Music Reviews by a Musician. Technical difficulties have kept me from posting on Thursday and Friday but everything is fixed now. Also starting next week I am scaling back blogging to every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. And I am also going to try and review more new artists so be sure to check back on Monday for a new artist you are sure to love.

Until next time keep on rocking away music lovers,
JAS

Thank God; Guitar Hero is Dead!!!!

Young people all around the globe have
 been playing Guitar Hero since its debut in 2005.

Hey there everyone welcome back to my blog Music Reviews by a Musician. Today I found out something very interesting that has just made my day awesome. Apparently Activision, makers of the game series "Guitar Hero", have announced that they are done making the product due to declining sales in the music industry.

First off THANK GOD!!!!

I absolutely hate "Guitar Hero" and what it has done to the music industry. This game is a giant joke in my opinion. It gives thousands of kids the opportunity to "play guitar" without putting a lot of effort into it. Well here's my advice all along; go out and learn the real thing! You would be much better off if you did that than sitting on your couch playing a mindless video game. It will get you nowhere.

I have spent almost 8 hard years learning to play guitar and I can say that I'm happy with where that has taken me and the hard work I have put into something meaningful. For those people who sit around and play "Guitar Hero" all day, what are you getting out of it. Good hand eye coordination? Seriously why don't you challenge yourself to the real thing.

I am so happy that this game is dying. Maybe now it will force young kids to get off the couch, get out of the house, and maybe enjoy music for real if that's what they are looking for. Screw the video game, hand a kid a Fender, Gibson, or Ibanez and get him some lessons. At least it is a worthwhile activity and a few lessons would probably equal out to buying the game equipment and gaming system anyway.

Plus by pushing kids into playing an instrument, we help create a new generation of musicians to keep bringing music to the ears of the world. Who knows where the next great natural guitarist will come from. Maybe with some encouragement and a real instrument, instead of a plastic guitar controller, we might find the next Eddie Van Halen or Jimi Hendrix. If anything kids may enjoy the music they tried to play on "Guitar Hero" by actually learning it on a real guitar.

Until next time keep on rocking away music lovers,
JAS

Photo used from Creative Commons/Flickr, Max Strzelecki

Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Black Eyed Peas were the main 2011
Super Bowl halftime entertainment.

Ok so I'm still fighting my sickness but decided to press on anyways and blog today. A huge trending topic the past few days has been the Super Bowl halftime performance by the Black Eyed Peas on Sunday night in Dallas. Many people felt that it was one of the worst halftime shows in the history of the Super Bowl. Here's what I think.

Yes, it was not a very good performance in my opinion. Fergie seemed to be largely out of it and her rendition of Sweet Child of Mine with Slash was atrocious in my opinion. She tried to much to be like Axl Rose on it and it was just not that good at all. Also throughout the whole performance the band seemed to be yelling rather than singing a lot of the time.

Now in retrospect this was just the Black Eyed Peas being themselves for the most part. The show and spectacle that came with them was up to standards with their normal concerts. The guest appearances by Slash and Usher were to merely raise the effect of the performance and if the music didn't come off so bad it probably would have been a major success.

Why did the music come off so bad? Who knows it could have been a number of things but honestly I think this poor halftime show proves a point and that is maybe that we have reached a point to where digital editing has too much of an impact. Not saying that the Black Eyed Peas recordings are digitally enhanced in any way but sometimes things like this make people wonder. I know they are all talented but this performance was really bad. Is it because they are just not that good of live singers? You be the judge.

In the end if I was the NFL, stick with a true band for the halftime show. Some of the best halftime shows have been put on by guys like Tom Petty, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, etc. I know people want to hear these pop icons all the time but in my opinion put an act up there that is the total package, like a rock band.

At least that way you can avoid a debacle like what happened Sunday night. Maybe it was just not the Peas night but nevertheless it was not a very good halftime show and it raises a lot of questions about the Peas and their musical practices, at least in my mind that is.

Until next time keep on rocking away music lovers,
JAS

Photo taken by Craig O'Neal, Flickr/Creative Commons

Musicians Need To Keep Healthy

Hey everyone, (cough, cough) welcome back for my Monday blog post. Sorry that it is late at night but I am fighting a major head cold/sinuses that has kept me very much inactive all day. So today's post will be brief but I just want to touch on something if you are a musician or singer like me and that is staying healthy.

Musicians and singers alike need to try to remain as healthy as possible. Especially when they have upcoming dates to perform or studio appearances. With myself I have an upcoming gig Saturday night with my college jam band West of E Street here at Simpson and this sickness is the last thing I need in getting prepared for the event.

Musicians should always practice good health and wellness options to keep their bodies intact for performances. Make sure to take the precautions necessary to remain as sick free as possible, especially around a gig. Not being up to 100% can really hurt a performance and hopefully I can recover in time, I have until Saturday.

Nevertheless in times when sickness is going around, try to stay healthy my music friends. Your fans depend on your health to be good to put on a awesome performance. Anyways check back tomorrow where I will resume my regular blogging hopefully sickness free.

Until next time keep on rocking away music lovers,
JAS