Cadillac Moon in Concert, together again?

Cadillac Moon Original Group

The band I used to work with, who just as they got famous playing the bar scene in Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino & Charlize Theron, the lead singer married his long time live in girlfriend who he let make him quit & it destroyed the band because his vocals were the sound, are back together performing live for an hour below. I can't stop crying, and I found this by accident today, their music can NOT be found anywhere online, or on CD anywhere, never mind live! I'm the only one who had live footage because they are the band I traveled with & filmed, the one I gave up music for 10 years over their breakup, the one who broke my heart, so to find this is an incredible gift & a rare special treat. It is blues jazz with a New Orleans sound though they are from LI, NY. I hope this means they will be performing regularly, and coming up my way again, I'd travel to them if necessary, whatever it takes. They got me started in this industry, my old film of them is on a dead hard drive (I still need to find someone certified to restore corrupted XP drives), no other film existed until now. Bawling my eyes out with joy, sadness, disbelief, bliss, and they sound exactly the same because the lead singer is back too (he looks like shit though, guess his marriage---which broke up the band--didn't agree with him?) and Mike Nugent looks the same as ever & sounds even better. Awesome is an understatement.

Nightwish: Imaginaerum 2CD+DVD Digipack

I finally received my 2 CD+DVD digipack from Nightwish yesterday, pre-ordered before released on 4-13-2012 and at 1st worried the PAL format would not work on DVDs in US. However my concerns were unfounded, everything is working perfectly. These come packaged in a beautiful boxed container

The DVD is the Making of Imaginaerum album and movie, roughly an hour 20 minutes long, with more behind the scenes & band member info than actual Making Of info unfortunately, though a bonanza for fans new & old, being able to see into the camaraderie and work ethics of such a group is always fascinating to me. However, I'd hoped for more than a peek into the coming movie of the same name. In fact, the only visual included is the music video for the single Storytime which is the introduction to Imaginaerum. The albums were released in Nov. 2011, so this digipack release was for the DVD, and includes both CD's, including an orchestral version I have yet to listen to. 


Last night I viewed the DVD, which is subtitled in English with spoken Norwegian by the band. Interviews of all band members, along with a bit of each one's childhood history & images that would perhaps embarrass most of us, with very frank & revealing facts that can mostly already be found in Wiki, there's about 10 minutes combined of newer revelations, yet no fan will want to miss the DVD. A comedy roast of Marco is intermittently mixed in, their global touring and activities leading up to the release of the album are more focused on than their work, although we do get quite a few shots of Marco in the studio mixing tracks together, adding vocals and drum tracks, as well as the "boys" at a summer camp they had attended as boy scouts and used as their work location for the final polishing of the music for the album. Interesting that they were all wearing coats even in late Aug. & Spet. 2011.


We also get a peek into their label Nuclear Blast Records, which gives me more respect for this label, where most employees are dressed in jeans casual, the band members were more dressed up while still also in denim, than the label reps were. I was surprised to see such a phenomenal band with a relatively newer and smaller label, although this album is also under the Roadrunner label, they were not at all referred to in the DVD.


Any who denigrated Anette's vocals as a replacement for Tarja may have to eat their words when they hear the range of variety, talent & sound in this album. I know Tarja will regret having left this band when she hears the album, sees the movie & realizes she left right before they hit their stride. If anything, the band is doing better without her, and everyone seems much more relaxed & enmeshed than ever before, with their priorities & goals well matched. I look forward to much more to come, as Tuomas said, "What next?"


This album is unlike their previous albums in many ways, and to my ears is more classical operatic with metal aspects, than heavy metal music. As I've only listened to the primary CD so far & not the orchestral, I can't imagine the sound being more symphonic than the primary disc already is! Anette's vocal range is astounding on this album, and the styles the band create travel from the jazzy Slow Love Slow to the more metal Scaretale (which the band members all consider their favorite of the album), Song of Myself is an incredible spoken word piece using over 20 different people as different reader characters, another brilliant idea from Tuomas as is the entire concept. Tuomas is quick to state that he had a wonderful childhood that inspires his music, songwriting & storytelling. 


Anette had several unfortunate incidents that kept her and Marco from recording their vocal tracks together for this album, and Tuomas was tasked with weaving them together in post. While one can not tell from listening that the vocals were recorded separately, I can only wonder how much better they might have sounded had the 2 vocalists been able to record together & feed off each other's energy & ideas?


The album is a journey in and of itself, without a movie or visuals, it takes the listener to surprising places within, and is a listening experience I can't compare to anything in existence. this is not an album to be listened to while engaged in other activities, especially thoughtful ones, because the listener finds oneself distracted often by the lyrics, or the particular high notes & range of Anette's voice, or the growling then sublime vocals of Marco, or the powerful & deeply felt drumming, the background choral singers, so I suggest one sit back and enjoy the ride without distractions getting in the way of the adventure.

Magical, gorgeous, intense, beautiful, sublime, incredible depth, all these and many more, describe this effort and the price for this set was under $30 Euro. A steal of a deal for the experience one will never forget & will take many times over again.


Teaser Trailer:








More Resources:


Buy the Digipack $21.99 Eu: http://presales.nwshop.fi/siteshop/item/-/id/51
Imaginaerum Official Website: http://www.imaginaerum.com/
Nightwish Website: http://nightwish.com/en/
Imaginaerum on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginaerum
Nightwish on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightwish
Nuclear Blast Records: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Blast

Dark Gothic Rock Music Medley cloudcast I made

Dark Gothic Rock Medley #1 BPM 85-115 by Awolgina on Mixcloud

Wuthering Heights: Masterpiece Classic (review)

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Masterpiece_Classic_Wuthering_Heights/70213224?trkid=496624 


It's been so long (and so many other books inbetween) since I read this that I had no expectations, and am sublimely satisfied that this is the best version ever portrayed in film. These actors lived & breathed the characters to life, one watches rapt, unable to look away. Excellent quality production, absolutely nothing left out or done shabbily. No corners cut. I'm beginning to love British films for the acting & locations, production & cinematography, everything is far & above what a US film would provide. The viewer is lost in time, immersed in the story from start to finish, and yes, a box of tissues should be handy for several parts of the film, not just the ending (which does have a hopeful positive note). Highly recommend this, even buying for watching again & again. 


Emily Brontë's sweeping tale of romance set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors gets the "Masterpiece" treatment in this lush made-for-television adaptation starring Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy. Cathy (Riley) eventually fell in love with Heathcliff (Hardy), the young Gypsy boy her father brought home years ago. But now that they're adults, another man (Tom Payne) is offering her his affections -- and a far more comfortable life.

Cast

Tom Hardy Charlotte RileyTom Payne Andrew LincolnSarah Lancashire Burn GormanRosalind Halstead Rebecca NightDes McAleer Kevin McNallyShaughan Seymour Sia BerkeleyJames Harper Barnaby Kay

Public Sex (Dogging: A Love Story) [Review]

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Public_Sex/70127237?trkid=7728649

PREVIEW MOVIE VIDEO:

Summary: To jump-start his career, wannabe journalist Dan (Luke Treadaway) sets out to write a juicy exposé on dogging, the practice of sleeping with strangers in parking lots. While researching the story, Dan falls for a curious co-ed (Kate Heppell) and struggles to overcome his hang-ups. This naughty British comedy co-stars Sammy T. Dobson as Dan's longtime girlfriend, Tanya, and Richard Riddell as his bed-hopping flatmate, Rob.

REVIEW: I thought it was a documentary but apparently it is a film pretending to be a documentary in style, which was an interesting viewpoint, since the viewer has no real idea whose view they are seeing of all the characters, which gets confusing at times. The sexual content is definitely R if not a soft X even, which is fine with me, but if the word twat bothers you, don't watch this, it is used more often than the F-bomb in other movies. An interesting twist on a love story, meeting through a sex web site, arranging to meet for public sex & all that goes wrong between the decision & the actuality, if there ever is one, is much of the movie's content. For voyeurs, this movie is a pearl. For exhibitionists, inspiring perhaps? This kind of movie would never be shown in US theaters, too sexy & raunchy for the hypocritical prudes here. A fun movie, not for kids, but perhaps couples would enjoy this raunchy comedic romance. I know I would see it with a guy if I had one.

Biker's Poem--I Saw You

I SAW YOU 

[biker poem]

I saw you,
hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.

But, you didn't see me,
put an extra $10.00 in the collection plate last Sunday.

I saw you,
pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk.

But, you didn't see me,
playing Santa at the local mall.

I saw you,
change your mind about going into the restaurant.

But, you didn't see me,
attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.

I saw you,
roll up your window and shake your head when I drove by.

But, you didn't see me,
driving behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

I saw you,
frown at me when I smiled at your children.

But, you didn't see me,
when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.

I saw you,
stare at my long hair.

But, you didn't see me,
and my friends cut ten inches off for Locks of Love.

I saw you,
roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves.

But, you didn't see me,
and my brothers donate our old coats and gloves to those that had none.

I saw you,
look in fright at my tattoos.

But, you didn't see me,
cry as my children where born and have their name written over and in my heart.

I saw you,
change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere.

But, you didn't see me,
going home to be with my family.

I saw you,
complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be.

But, you didn't see me,
when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

I saw you,
yelling at your kids in the car.

But, you didn't see me,
pat my child's hands, knowing he was safe behind me.

I saw you,
reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road.

But, you didn't see me,
squeeze my wife's leg when she told me to take the next turn. 

I saw you,
race down the road in the rain.

But, you didn't see me,
get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

I saw you,
run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time.

But, you didn't see me,
trying to turn right.

I saw you,
cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in.

But, you didn't see me,
leave the road.

I saw you,
waiting impatiently for my friends to pass.

But, you didn't see me.
I wasn't there.

I saw you,
go home to your family.

But, you didn't see me.
Because, I died that day you cut me off.

I was just a biker,.....
A person with friends and a family.

BUT, YOU DIDN'T SEE ME...

[Reprinted, unknown anonymous]

It's that time of year again, please pay attention to each other on the road folks & let's get through this one alive.

Music:
DOWN TO DIE-SEAN P (YOUNGBLOODZ)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPEE8-N8rUE
Mood:
Pensive

America: the New Nazis

This morning I've been thinking of the state of our nation, and the meaning of recent actions by President Obama that seem to be escaping the general public's notice or concern. Is it that American's are ignorant, blind, intentionally stupid when it comes to policies that are harmful to innocent people whether in our country or international? How is it there is no uproar in response to Obama's signing away our constitutional rights, not once but TWICE so far in 2012???


First of all, the power was already in the government's hands to detain people without due process, and they have abused that power repeatedly by jailing the wrong suspects, & the innocent, for years without legal access or rights. Now the govt. wants to apply this to American citizens within our own country. Does anyone feel safer from all the lost rights we already gave up since Bush started this process? Doesn't taking away our constitutional rights make the "terrorists" win? How is taking away our right to due process making us safer???


Secondly, Obama got away with it the 1st time, then signed in another violation of our rights within a month of the 1st & no one is paying attention. How can anyone even consider voting for such a POTUS who has violated our rights & his most solemn oath to UPHOLD the constitution of the United States? The only result that can come from such a measure, is the govt.'s freedom to abuse their power in jailing ANY CITIZEN it decides is a threat in ANY way: people protesting peacefully are already getting a taste of this power abuse, before our rights to due process were signed away! With the new policy, any one protesting any govt. action can be seen as a "traitor" or a "terrorist" or a threat to the security of the govt. monopoly of power, and detained indefinitely with no legal protections. Too many people are making excuses--oh that will never happen, you're blowing this up out of proportion, & similar justifications for remaining willfully ignorant. We will still be accountable for the harm we cause to the innocent, even if we refuse to acknowledge the harms done, just as we are accountable to laws whether we know they are a law or not; ignorance is NOT an acceptable defense in court, nor will it be acceptable in defense of our actions against others, whether in our nation or global.

Third, for those who are not seeing the parallels between the German Gestapo & Nazi actions against Jews & other "undesirables", and our actions against Muslims & similar "undesirables" or anyone resisting the new status quo, policy or dare I say, new world order, wake the hell up. When the Nazi's 1st came into power, the changes were so subtle no one really believed nor understood how far their govt. meant to go, until it was too late & they watched people being dragged away in the middle of the night, without reason or crime, to never be seen or heard from again. Families were destroyed, their property stolen by the govt. & soldiers in the streets, people were beaten & killed for nothing more than being an "undesirable" of the regime in control.


We are in the exact same situation that Germany was in before the Nazi's came into full power. The changes here are subtle, people don't want to believe or understand the far reaching abuses already happening, nor the potential for abuses that are now being made into laws that ordinary citizens will have NO RIGHTS to fight legally or otherwise! How is it we are going about our daily lives ignoring these facts? Those who blamed the German citizens for following the Nazi's without protest, we are now doing the exact same thing! We are not protesting the violations of our own rights, never mind those of the "undesirables", whether they be Muslim, peaceful protesters or bothersome citizens of our country.

When we are being dragged out in the middle of the night, with no legal rights and no reason or justification, never to be seen again, it will be too late to pay attention or take action. In fact, it may already be too late, considering the actions Obama has already taken against the citizens he is charged to represent & protect! When we are the new Nazi's, will you try to excuse your willful ignorance & say you didn't know? You will be lying, you DID know, you DO know, and there's no excuse for not having taken some action to prevent this from happening. Being busy is no excuse for not saving a life.


I am extremely concerned about these matters, yet feel powerless to stop them from happening. I don't have the money, or the influence or the reach to reverse the violations already in place, and if I could, I would leave this country & never look back. I felt this way when Bush became President, not by our votes but by a nepotistic Supreme Court judge related to his family. I've been ashamed of my country of birth for 12 years now. Instead of seeing anything improve over time as I'd hoped, our country has only become more greedy, power hungry & despotic in its reach for absolute power, over the world, not just out little nation. 


However, with our economy derailed, only the top 1% can actually afford to emigrate, and their needs are being catered to by our govt., they aren't going to leave! The intelligent, concerned & compassionate citizens are the ones too poor to leave, those like me without the resources to relocate to a truly free society in another country outside the reach of the totalitarian US govt., and I can't help but see this as part of the overall plan. Those who don't believe there IS a plan, are purposely blind. All these changes have taken a decade to put into place, slowly but surely, worse is coming, such as the ACTA, SOPA & infinite names for the same action that the govt. keeps trying to slip in without notice (they just keep renaming it & trying again, until eventually we won't be watching & BOOM, too late AGAIN).


A citizenship without the money or power to fight back, has to be part of the plan, we the people no longer even have the right to peaceful protest without extreme harm being done to those exercising their American rights to such protest, by those who work FOR us!


If one wanted to OPT OUT of the US, emigrate elsewhere, what happens to all the money we paid into the system for a lifetime, our taxes, disability, unemployment insurance & other MANDATORY thefts of our earnings over our entire life? Not that there's any money in those coffers for those who have been paying faithfully & without choice, also without any input in what is done with our own money as a nation or state entity. Do we leave as refugees, begging for mercy from the truly civilized & free countries? Where is the UN to protect us when our govt. becomes like Sadaam was to his citizens? Who will rescue us from the abuses our govt. have visited upon we the innocent? With our govt. becoming the new Nazi's, who will come to battle for our lives, our freedom & our safety?


Think about it, please. THINK. Wake up! Pay attention. Pull your heads out of your asses, or out of the sand they are buried in, and LOOK. Do your own research, make up your own mind, but do it deliberately, for you will be held accountable for your actions, and ignorance will NOT be an acceptable excuse. 


Resources for further reading [Each link opens in a new window]:

• Bill of Rights: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights
• Constitution:  http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States
• Nazi Enabling Act: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act
• Holocaust Denial: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_denial
• Gestapo: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestapo
• National Defense Authorization Act:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Authorization_Act_for_Fiscal_Year_2012
• ACLU On Obama's Plan To Detain American Citizens INDEFINITELY With No Trial [video]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVdRanfzhyc
• Nazi Concentration Camps [Detainment camps]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_concentration_camps