William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Motel California ; Year: 1996; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap Rock I do not know why, just wanted to go with something from Ugly Kid Joe today. Also decided on going with one off of this album, which I have not picked one off of yet. Motel California was released just prior to the band breaking up and going their separate ways with other bands and such until reuniting back in 2010. You can really feel that they were getting burned out by this time and probably calling it quits was the best course of action. A great deal of the music on this one was essentially doing the same music and ideas the other popular metal bands were creating. Good thing though is that after getting back together that "spark" and originality they were known for has been ever-present.   Watch the music video on YouTube.          My song pick 1 year ago today: Loverboy - Working for the Weekend     My song pick 2 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - I'm An Animal...

From: The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ; Year: 1994; Genre: Alternative Metal Last night was going over my "Music" app on my computer; man, I miss iTunes.... I know "owning music" is so passé and out of fashion and I should just be streaming, but that's just not for me. Anyway, I noticed quite a few of my songs greyed out, apparently missing the file that goes with it. I have absolutely no idea how I "lost" the songs, so had to go searching around for the original copies. Long story short, I got most of them recovered and backed up in multiple places. As you probably surmised, this was among the missing songs; I was really glad to have The Crow soundtrack complete once more digitally. I really wish more of the recent films had such a great soundtrack; all big hit songs that actually could serve as an early 1990s rock music soundtrack as well as a film's. This is one of those albums that you can put on and just enjoy from alpha to zed, ...

From: Vivid ; Year: 1989; Genre: Hard Rock/Alternative Metal Seems like every time I put one of the discs on I'm blown away at just how hard they rock. I really need to have them more in my rotation; at that there's no doubt!   Hear Open Letter (To a Landlord) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Lalo Schifrin - Mission: Impossible     My song pick 2 years ago today: War - This Funky Music Makes You Feel Good     My song pick 3 years ago today: Blancmange - Blind Vision   My song pick 4 years ago today: Brenton Wood - Gimme Little Sign   My song pick 5 years ago today: Duran Duran - Too Much Information   My song pick 6 years ago today: Billy Joel - We Didn't Start the Fire   My song pick 7 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Sex Machine My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Crossword My song pick 9 years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - You've Made Me So Very Happy My song pick 1...

From: Badmotorfinger ; Year: 1991; Genre: Alternative Metal For me it is very difficult to say one of Soundgarden's albums is "my favourite," I just love them all and can listen from front to back, everyone of them. I will say though, there is something special about Badmotorfinger ; truthfully I cannot say I dislike a single track on it. Maybe it's because I was becoming a teen when it dropped and thus hit me a the perfect moment; who knows, right? The dynamics are amazing on this one with both hard-hitting de-tuned riffs shaking the Earth, and somewhat quieter and intricate, but just as heavy sections. Of course the musicianship and writing are near perfect, and Chris Cornell showing off his unmatched vocals throughout.   Hear Holy Water on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Ball and Chain     My song pick 2 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - That's the Way of the World   ...

From: Rage Against the Machine ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap This is one of those records that has continued to reverberate almost 35 years since its release and counting; will probably still be totally relevant for another century or two. I absolutely love how their music is not stuck as a signpost from the 1990s, but feels and sounds as new as when released. The only real sad part about their music is that the same BS they were raging against is still happening and in some cases has gotten a lot worse. C'est la vie .   Hear Township Rebellion on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Cameo - Slyde     My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - Miles Away   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Eagles - New Kid in Town   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)   My song pick 5 years ago today: Positive Force - We Got The Funk   My song pick 6 years ago today:...

From: Educated Horses ; Year: 2006; Genre: Alternative Metal Since I've been watching a lot of Rob Zombie movies lately I thought I would pick one more of his songs. This one is the namesake and seems to be about the film he released one year prior. Describing each of the main three of the Firefly family with a great grinding groove that is both unnerving and gives you the urge to dance; such a great tune.   Hear The Devil's Rejects on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stray Cats - Rock This Town     My song pick 2 years ago today: UB40 - Please Don't Make Me Cry   My song pick 3 years ago today: Debbie Harry - Chrome   My song pick 4 years ago today: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain   My song pick 5 years ago today: Jim Steinman - Left in the Dark   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Flat Broke Love   My song pick 7 years ago today: 4 Non Blondes - Spaceman My song pick 8 years ago tod...

From: Angel Dust ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Rap Metal You can definitely hear some of Mike Patton's influence from his other band, Mr. Bungle , on this one. I just love the way they mix so many types of music and sounds and come up with more or less a brand new sub-genre, which is something that Faith No More excels at in spades.    Hear As the Worm Turns on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Clarence Carter - Slip Away     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bloodrock - D.O.A.   My song pick 3 years ago today: King Crimson - The Talking Drum   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Association - Never My Love   My song pick 5 years ago today: Boston - Walk On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Heresy   My song pick 7 years ago today: Sister Sledge - Do the Funk Do My song pick 8 years ago today: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 My song pick 9 years ago today: The Guess Who - Share the Land My s...

From: Badmotorfinger ; Year: 1991; Genre: Alternative Metal/Grunge From this record I would have to say that this track in particular has the most "sludgy" sound, hearkening back to earlier days of the band.   Hear Searching With My Good Eye Closed on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: John Cougar Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)   My song pick 2 years ago today: ABBA - Bang-A-Boomerang   My song pick 3 years ago today: Faster Pussycat - Nonstop to Nowhere   My song pick 4 years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Mountain Labyrinth   My song pick 5 years ago today: David Bowie - Star   My song pick 6 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Standing in the Rain My song pick 7 years ago today: David Bowie - Five Years My song pick 8 years ago today: Queen - Tenement Funster/Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley My song pick 9 years ago today: Don Henley - Sunset Grill My song pick 1...

From: Ozma ; Year: 1989; Genre: Sludge Metal Felt like listening to some Melvins' music today. \m/    Hear Revulsion/We Reach on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Joe Satriani - Driving at Night   My song pick 2 years ago today: Big Maybelle - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Coasters - Run Red Run   My song pick 4 years ago today: Return to Forever - After the Cosmic Rain   My song pick 5 years ago today: Nazareth - This Flight Tonight   My song pick 6 years ago today: Sam Cooke - Wonderful World My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - For The Weekend My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Lights Out My song pick 9 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Throw-N-Down the Funk My song pick 10 years ago today: Foreigner - At War With the World My song pick 11 years ago today: King Crimson - Pictures of a City (including "42nd at...

From: Rage Against the Machine ; Year: 1992; Genre: Funk Metal/Rap Metal Perfect song to get the blood and endorphins moving to bring not only the workweek to a conclusion, but also the month. Dang, that is one killer groove from beginning to end; a perfect platform for Zach de la Rocha to belt it out over the top; amazing work.   Hear Bullet in the Head on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Santana - Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation   My song pick 2 years ago today: Weather Report - River People   My song pick 3 years ago today: Audioslave - Until We Fall   My song pick 4 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Power of the Laser Dragon Fire   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Cold Dead Reckoning (2044)   My song pick 6 years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Good Rockin' My song pick 7 years ago today: Carmen - Bullfight My song pick 8 years ago today: The Outfield - Say It Isn't So My song pick 9 years ago today: Qu...

From: King Animal ; Year: 2012; Genre: Alternative Metal Been insanely busy lately and haven't been getting as much or maybe too much sleep as it were... so anyway, here's a short-but-sweet blazing track from Soundgarden's final album. I just wish they'd come out with some unreleased material that sat in a dusty shelf, I doubt it'll happen at this point, but I can dream....    Hear Attrition on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Maria Muldaur - Midnight at the Oasis   My song pick 2 years ago today: Parliament - Prelude/Gamin' On Ya   My song pick 3 years ago today: Ram Jam - Black Betty   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jigsaw - Wildfire   My song pick 5 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkel - El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)   My song pick 6 years ago today: IQ - Awake and Nervous My song pick 7 years ago today: Nirvana - Polly My song pick 8 years ago today: Maktub - Lies My song pick 9 years ago today: Al Stewart - Ye...

From: The Real Thing ; Year: 1989; Genre: Alternative Metal Difficult for me personally realizing that The Real Thing is now 35 years old; it doesn't sound like it, I tell you what. They've always been a forward-thinking band that never seemed satisfied and was never "stuck" sonically, experimenting and going to realms that other popular music acts would fear to tread. Anyway, this one merges a few genres seamlessly and does so in a way that is still quite accessible; still sounds fresh all these years later.   Hear The Morning After on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - The Lantern   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bernard Wright - We're Just the Band   My song pick 3 years ago today: Scandal featuring Patty Smyth - The Warrior   My song pick 4 years ago today: Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight My song pick 5 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - My Own Space   My song pick 6 years ago today: Foreigner - Ho...

From: Frizzle Fry ; Year: 1990; Genre: Alternative Metal/Funk Metal No other reason for choosing this one today, just needed some early Primus.    Hear Mr. Knowitall on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Steve Miller Band - The Stake   My song pick 2 years ago today: John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - Presence of a Brain   My song pick 4 years ago today: Jethro Tull - The Clasp My song pick 5 years ago today: Stuart Hamm - Quahogs Anyone? (119, 120 Whatever It Takes) My song pick 6 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Tattoo Vampire My song pick 7 years ago today: Automat - The Rise My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Minstrel in the Gallery My song pick 9 years ago today: Pink Floyd - High Hopes My song pick 10 years ago today: Megadeth - 99 Ways to Die My song pick 11 years ago today: Bachman & Turner - That's What It Is My song pick 12 years ago today...

From: 1983 ; Year: 2012; Genre: Alternative Metal Just been rockin' out to the thumping and thudding sounds of the one and only Melvins today.    Hear Psycho-Delic Haze on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rammstein - Ohne Dich   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bobby Freeman - C'mon and Swim (Parts 1 + 2)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Martha and the Vandellas - Heat Wave   My song pick 4 years ago today: Funkadelic - Standing on the Verge of Getting It On   My song pick 5 years ago today: Carmen - Conclusion (She Changed) My song pick 6 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Bare Trees My song pick 7 years ago today: The Offspring - Days Go By My song pick 8 years ago today: Geddy Lee - My Favourite Headache My song pick 9 years ago today: Sly and the Family Stone - Family Affair My song pick 10 years ago today: The Guess Who - Rain Dance My song pick 11 years ago today: Primus - The Devil Went Down to Georgia My so...

From: Dirt ; Year: 1992; Genre: Alternative Metal/Grunge After hearing a song from this album in a movie I was watching it got me kind of sentimental; I had to pick another one from it today. Hate to Feel really exemplifies that slow, de-tuned, and heavy sound that really put them on the map; hard to believe that it has been over 30 years since it came out... boy, tempus fugit indeed.   Hear Hate to Feel on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Midnight Oil - Sell My Soul   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Expletive Delighted   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Hollies - On a Carousel My song pick 5 years ago today: The Guess Who - Flying on the Ground is Wrong My song pick 6 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Warakurna My song pick 7 years ago today: The Outfield - Your Love My song pick 8 years ago today: Jefferson Starship - Jane My song pi...

From: Down on the Upside ; Year: 1997; Genre: Alternative Metal/Grunge Getting back to normal since arriving home from the coast yesterday; had Soundgarden on the ol' cabeza and, well, you know the rest. Down on the Upside is yet another record that I have grown to love the more I listen to it; it's one of those albums that you put on track one and just let it play through. One of their best efforts I would hazard to say. This is the longest song from it, which makes it all the better in my opinion; I just love the use of the Leslie Amplifier on it, which adds another neat sound.   Hear Tighter & Tighter on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Damn Yankees - Runaway   My song pick 2 years ago today: Camel - Lies   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - 65 Million Years Ago   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Police - Don't Stand Too Close To Me My song pick 5 years ago today: Mastodon - The Wolf is Loose My song pick 6 years ...

From: Rainier Fog ; Year: 2018; Genre: Alternative Metal/Sludge Metal Getting in a "Seattle" mood I guess today; wot a better band to do so with, right? Anyway, this track in particular has a very familiar feel and sound to it, reminds me a lot of their earlier material from the Dirt / Jar of Flies era; gotta love that drop tune and slow metal sound.   Hear So Far Under on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: C.W. McCall - Black Bear Road   My song pick 2 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Sheep   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bill Withers - Lean On Me   My song pick 4 years ago today: Small Faces - Itchycoo Park My song pick 5 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Night in the City My song pick 6 years ago today: The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink My song pick 7 years ago today: Cesar 830 - Bridges My song pick 8 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - So Damn Cool My song pick 9 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - R...

From: Metal Jukebox ; Year: 1999; Genre: Metal/Alternative Metal One of my favourite bands covering one of my favourite songs from one of my other favourite bands out there; this is such a win-win situation and awesomely epic!   Hear From Out of Nowhere on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Black Sabbath - Lord of This World   My song pick 2 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cowgirl in the Sand   My song pick 3 years ago today: Band of Horses - Infinite Arms   My song pick 4 years ago today: Paris - Heart of Stone My song pick 5 years ago today: Mudhoney - Empty Shells My song pick 6 years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama My song pick 7 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Sea of Sorrow My song pick 8 years ago today: Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Summertime My song pick 9 years ago today: Genesis - Seven Stones My song pick 10 years ago today: Stuart Hamm - Call of the Wild My...

From: Deadwing ; Year: 2005; Genre: Progressive Metal/Alternative Metal Enjoying this post-Christmas Monday actually by listening to this Porcupine Tree record, which is one of my many favourites from the band. This track, Shallow , was apparently also a hit single, which is surprising seeing as anything "progressive" usually gets marginalized and hammered by critics, but this song and entire album for that matter has amazing production quality and the song writing is exquisite as always from anything Steven Wilson touches, or so it would seem.   Hear Shallow on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man   My song pick 2 years ago today: Carmen - Stepping Stone   My song pick 3 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Joan Crawford   My song pick 4 years ago today: Frank Zappa - Theme From The 3rd Movement Of Sinister Footwear My song pick 5 years ago today: The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving My song pick 6 year...

From: King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime ; Year: 1995; Genre: Hard Rock/Alternative Metal Lately I have been thinking quite a bit about bands/solo artists that either have a "set sound" or one that changes to varying degrees from song to song. I would have to put Faith No More more toward the extreme of the later category. Whilst they more or less stay on, I guess you could call, the "rock/metal/popular music" side of things, they often bounce around styles even within a single album. Some people may find this irksome if they purchase an album based on the lead single and such, but just for their incredible musical abilities to seemingly effortlessly switching across genres from song to song is simply amazing.   Hear Digging the Grave on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Stone Temple Pilots - Heaven & Hot Rods   My song pick 2 years ago today: Vixen - Rev It Up   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jigsaw - Come With Me   My song pick ...