What are you listening to?

May have already asked, but any other Twenty One Pilots fans here? I've long admired them for their ability to switch up sounds so often, even within the same song (makes my ADHD very happy), and how they sing and speak so openly about mental health. Plus the lore behind their albums and how cinematic it all is really tickles my nerdy little heart.

Anyway, their new song The Contract, off their new album coming out later this year (the final part of the story they've been telling), has been on constant repeat over the last day. Don't know if it's my absolute favorite song of theirs, but it's got some major Linkin Park vibes to it.

 
Been listening to a lot of 3Teeth. Great band. For some reason the song 'Higher than Death' just gets me hyped. Crank that one up and suddenly I'm doing like 30k over the speed limit down the freeway.

 
I spent basically all day watching the Ozzy/Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning show from this past Saturday. That was a really fun, nostalgic, trip. Some good combinations of classic Sabbath songs with different artists like Tool doing "Hand of Doom," Slayer with "Wicked World," and Anthrax doing "Into the Void." The "super group" stuff was pretty fun too as I really enjoyed Lizzy Hale doing "The Ultimate Sin" and Papa Perpetua V's vocals on "Bark at the Moon." I was hoping someone would do a Dio-era song, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sharon forbade that. Best one could do is drummer Brann Dailor of Mastodon sporting a Heaven and Hell t-shirt. Really cool event and idea and it's hard to think of many bands that could engender such an outpouring. Maybe this starts a trend and we see the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and other fading acts try the same, but for me there is no band more influential than Sabbath so I can't see myself being as invested in other tribute shows.
 
Not gonna lie... Sharon's involvement in this has basically made me ignore everything about current-era Sabbath. I cannot fucking tolerate her.
 
Misfit said:
I spent basically all day watching the Ozzy/Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning show from this past Saturday. That was a really fun, nostalgic, trip. Some good combinations of classic Sabbath songs with different artists like Tool doing "Hand of Doom," Slayer with "Wicked World," and Anthrax doing "Into the Void." The "super group" stuff was pretty fun too as I really enjoyed Lizzy Hale doing "The Ultimate Sin" and Papa Perpetua V's vocals on "Bark at the Moon." I was hoping someone would do a Dio-era song, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sharon forbade that. Best one could do is drummer Brann Dailor of Mastodon sporting a Heaven and Hell t-shirt. Really cool event and idea and it's hard to think of many bands that could engender such an outpouring. Maybe this starts a trend and we see the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and other fading acts try the same, but for me there is no band more influential than Sabbath so I can't see myself being as invested in other tribute shows.
Click to expand...
I've only seen clips so far, but it looked like a damn good show. What I wouldn't have given to be in that crowd. History in the making! Even though it looked like he was struggling a bit, Ozzy's still got it. His throne was cool as hell too; gotta look into getting me one of those.
 
Damien said:
Not gonna lie... Sharon's involvement in this has basically made me ignore everything about current-era Sabbath. I cannot fucking tolerate her.
Click to expand...
Understandable. If it helps, it sounds like she handled the business/logistical end, Tom Morello was in charge of the actual show.

joshsquash729 said:
I've only seen clips so far, but it looked like a damn good show. What I wouldn't have given to be in that crowd. History in the making! Even though it looked like he was struggling a bit, Ozzy's still got it. His throne was cool as hell too; gotta look into getting me one of those.
Click to expand...
He started off strong, but by the end of the Sabbath set he was clearly laboring a bit. The combination of the Ozzy set and Sabbath one was also still shorter than a typical setlist.
 
Misfit said:
Understandable. If it helps, it sounds like she handled the business/logistical end, Tom Morello was in charge of the actual show.
Click to expand...
It helps a little. Just knowing Sharon benefits at all from it makes me feel sick. I can't even explain it. I'm going to end up watching the PPV of the show with my daughter, as she's a big metalhead too and wants to see it. She's so upset that she'll never get to see Ozzy perform live.
 
Have plenty of snacks! The event is almost 9 hours, though you can at least fast-forward through the stuff in between acts. Even though I'm not a fan of all of the acts, I didn't feel tempted to skip many since the sets are so short and it was fun hearing different takes on Sabbath/Ozzy songs. I did have to tap out on GNR though. Axl just can't sing like he used to. I don't know why he insists on going for this weak falsetto to make up for that. It sounds like it's physically painful. Just sing lower, Axl, I promise you it will be all right.
 
My daughter and I are huge GNR fans and we were just talking about this issue with Axl. He still tries to hit the high notes and he can't. And it's like.. dude.. just stop. No one is going to think less of you that you alter how you sing songs at this point in your career. It happens to a lot of vocalists - most in fact. Even Bon Jovi had to change up their songs a bit because Jon can't hit the same notes anymore. That doesn't make him a bad singer.
But he'd be a bad singer if he were still trying to sing those '80s songs in exactly the same way. He'd sound like shit. Instead - he put out Forever, which might be one of Bon Jovi's best albums ever.
 
GNR is one of those bands I've never seen live, but always wanted to, but every time I catch some audio of what they sound like today it reminds me that I'd just be frustrated by the experience. Even going back to that surprise appearance at the VMAs in 2002. Axl sounds okay on Chinese Democracy, but that was an album he literally tinkered with for 20 years sourcing his best takes, modulating them in a studio, and not something representative of what he can produce live. And even there, you can hear this falsetto approach and it sounds not great and like he's trying to do something that isn't in his range. The Back to the Beginning concert alone is full of aging vocalists that sing differently from what they did in their primes. Maynard can't scream like he used to, so he picks his spots instead when performing with Tool. Same with Hetfield. Axl has been singing this way for over 20 years now though so I guess he's not going to change which is too bad. His singing was never low effort so I'm not surprised it's hard for him to adapt. And given his personality, there may be some defiance there as well. Their tours bring in big money so it's not like he has been given any financial incentive to adjust.
 
Since this came out a few days ago I can't stop listening. It's simple and catchy. Hard Rock w/a Punk feel. I loved SS ever since I heard them on a compilation that Ulrich put out on the NWoBHM. It didn't hurt that they had my biggest guitar influence (Vivian Campbell) in the band when they started out. Funny how a lot of those original riffs ended being pilfered by Dio for the 1st album.

 
Really sad to hear about Ozzy passing. I'm glad he got to go out with such an epic reunion/tribute with his Sabbath mates. A true rock and roll legend...those who didn't grow up in the 70s/80s will never be able to comprehend how this man struck terror in the hearts of suburban moms everywhere.
 
Gutted.
I've thought I was prepared for this for like the last ten years, but it really does hit in an unexpected way. Like when we lost Bowie and Prince. Such massively influential and talented performers that I've grown up listening to for my entire life. Ozzy is one of the legends among legends. Sad to lose him for sure.
The daughter and I listened to some tracks from No More Tears on the way home from work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top