Best Music of the Worst Years, part 3

Contains live bonus tracks from deluxe re-releases of Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses and ...And Justice For All by Metallica.  49 on are in memory of my late Uncle, who went home November 30th.

Best of 2018 (no particular order, grouped by album):
1.) Firepower-Judas Priest
2.) Evil Never Dies-Judas Priest
3.) Never the Heroes-Judas Priest
4.) Children of the Sun-Judas Priest
5.) Guardians/Rising from Ruins-Judas Priest
6.) Fat Bottomed Girls (Live in Paris)-Queen
7.) Southern Fried Friday Night-Black Stone Cherry
8.) Dsncin' in the Rain-Black Stone Cherry feat. Warren Haynes
9.) Love Ain't No Stranger (Live)-Whitesnake
10.) The Gypsy (Live)-Whitesnake
11.) Is This Love (Live)-Whitesnake
12.) Fool For You Lovin' (Live)-Whitesnake
13.) Still of the Night (Live)-Whitesnake
14.) Under the Wire-Dream Child
15.) You Can't Take Me Down-Dream Child
16.) Light of the Dark-Dream Child
17.) Until Death Do We Meet Again-Dream Child
18.) Distortion-BabyMetal
19.) Starlight-BabyMetal
20.) The Bitch is Back-Miley Cyrus
21.) Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me-Miley Cyrus
22.) Happy Xmas (War is Over)-Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Sean Ono Lennon
23.) Androgynous-Joan Jett, Miley Cyrus, Laura Jane Grace
24.) Punches-Noah Cyrus feat LP
25.) Topanga-Noah Cyrus
26.) Mad at You-Noah Cyrus with Gallant
27.) Sadness-Noah Cyrus
28.) Roxanne-Glenn Hughes
29.) Heart and Soul-Michael Schenker feat. Robin McAuley and Kirk Hammett
30.) Warrior-Michael Schenker feat. Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley and Doogie White
31.) Take Me to the Church-Michael Schenker feat. Doogie White
32.) Night Moods-Michael Schenker feat. Graham Bonnet
33.) Anchors Aweigh-Michael Schenker feat. Doogie White
34.) Rock and Roll Transplant-Derek Smalls feat. Steve Lukather, Jim Keltner and Chad Smith
35.) What Could Be Greater Than A King-Rupert Gregson-Williams
36.) Permission To Come Aboard-Rupert Gregson-Williams
37.) He Commands The Sea-Rupert Gregson-Williams
38.) A Place Called Slaughter Race-Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot and Cast
39.) Seasons of Love (Live)-Idina Menzel
40.) Cake/Black Dog (Live)-Idina Menzel
41.) Dear Prudence/Do You Want To Build A Snowman? (Live)-Idina Menzel
42.) Let it Go (Live)-Idina Menzel
43.) Blackened (Live in Seattle Coliseum August 1989)-Metallica
44.) For Whom The Bell Tolls (Live in Seattle Coliseum August 1989)-Metallica
45.) One (Live in Seattle Coliseum August 1989)-Metallica
46.) Harvester of Sorrow (Live in Seattle Coliseum August 1989)-Metallica
47.) Breadfan (Live in Seattle Coliseum August 1989)-Metallica
48.) Whole Lotta Rosie (Live at the Marquee Club, London, 1987)-Guns N Roses
49.) The Loner-Bob Daisley, Doug Aldrich, Don Airey, Eric Singer
50.) Nothing's the Same-Bob Daisley feat. Glenn Hughes
51.) Nothing Breaks Like A Heart-Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus
52.) Nothing Compares 2 U-Toni Cornell
53.) Soldier of Fortune (Live)-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
54.) Praise You in this Storm (Acoustic)-Casting Crowns

Best Music of the Worst Years, part 2

There were two weekends in late September 2017 where four albums I was interested in were released, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Black Country Communion and Ronnie Montrose, Eric Singer and Ricky Phillips.

Best of 2017 (no particular order, grouped by album):
1.) Still of the Night-Halestorm
2.) Fell on Black Days-Halestorm
3.) Ride the Lightning-Halestorm
4.) Achy Breaky Heart 25th-Billy Ray Cyrus and the Silver Mullet Band
5.) Tulsa Time (ROKMAN Remix)-Billy Ray Cyrus feat. Noah Cyrus and Derek Jones
6.) Folsom Prison Blues-Billy Ray Cyrus
7.) Younger Now-Miley Cyrus
8.) Malibu-Miley Cyrus
9.) Rainbowland-Miley Cyrus feat. Dolly Parton
10.) Week Without You-Miley Cyrus
11.) I Would Die For You-Miley Cyrus
12.) Love Someone-Miley Cyrus
13.) She's Not Him-Miley Cyrus
14.) Collide-Black Country Communion
15.) The Last Song For My Resting Place-Black Country Communion
16.) Sway-Black Country Communion
17.) The Cove-Black Country Communion
18.) The Crow-Black Country Communion
19.) I'm Stuck-Noah Cyrus
20.) Stay Together-Noah Cyrus
21.) Almost Famous-Noah Cyrus
22.) Bmblb-Jeff Williams feat. Casey Lee Williams
23.) Color Blind-Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer feat. Sammy Hagar and Steve Lukather
24.) Still Singin' With the Band-Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer feat. Glenn Hughes, Phil Collen and Jimmy "Z" Zavala
25.) Strong Enough-Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer feat. Tommy Shaw
26.) One Good Reason-Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer feat. Bruce Turgon and Brad Whitford
27.) Any Minute-Ronnie Montrose, Ricky Phillips and Eric Singer feat. Mark Farner
28.) Nineteen-Hayley Williams
29.) No Man's Land-Rupert Gregson-Williams
30.) The God of War-Rupert Gregson-Williams
31.) Megatron Negotiation-Steve Jablonsky
32.) Did you forget who I am?-Steve Jablonsky
33.) Sorry (Not Sorry)-Demi Lovato
34.) Sexy Dirty Love-Demi Lovato
35.) You Don't Do it for me Anymore-Demi Lovato
36.) Ruin the Friendship-Demi Lovato
37.) The Story of Steppenwolf-Danny Elfman
38.) Aquaman in Atlantis-Danny Elfman
39.) The Final Battle (Full-Length Bonus Track)-Danny Elfman
40.) Come Together-Gary Clark Jr., Junkie XL
41.) Fairies Wear Boots (Live)-Black Sabbath
42.) After Forever (Live)-Black Sabbath
43.) Snow Blind (Live)-Black Sabbath
44.) War Pigs (Live)-Black Sabbath
45.) Iron Man (Live)-Black Sabbath
46.) Dirty Women (Live)-Black Sabbath
47.) Paranoid (Live)-Black Sabbath

Best Music of the Worst Years, Part 1:

Going to submit names of music I really liked that was released during the last few years, which have been really hard on most people in the next few posts:

Best of 2016 (no particular order, grouped by album):
1.) Emerald-Ace Frehley feat. Slash
2.) Bring it on Home-Ace Frehley
3.) Cold Gin-Ace Frehley feat. Mike McCready
4.) Cheaper to Drink Alone-Black Stone Cherry
5.) The Rambler-Black Stone Cherry
6.) Victim of Changes (Live)-Judas Priest
7.) Halls of Valhalla (Live)-Judas Priest
8.) Redeemer of Souls (Live)-Judas Priest
9.) Breaking the Law (Live)-Judas Priest
10.) Hell Bent for Leather (Live)-Judas Priest
11.) You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Live)-Judas Priest
12.) Is She With You?-Hans Zimmer/Junkie XL
13.) Heathens-twenty one pilots
14.) Queen of Swords-Idina Menzel
15.) Karate-BabyMetal
16.) GJ!-BabyMetal
17.) Awadama Fever-BabyMetal
18.) Fortunate Son-The Dead Daisies
19.) The Fight-Operation Mindcrime
20.) Taking on the World-Operation Mindcrime
21.) yes girl-Bea Miller
22.) Heavy-Glenn Hughes
23.) How Long-Glenn Hughes
24.) Flow-Glenn Hughes
25.) Long Time Gone-Glenn Hughes
26.) Catch the Rainbow (Live)-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
27.) Perfect Strangers (Live)-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
28.) Smoke on the Water (Live)-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
29.) Man on the Silver Mountain (Live, Alternate version)-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
30.) Make Me (Cry)-Noah Cyrus feat. Labrinth
31.) Faint of Heart-Tegan and Sara
32.) Boyfriend-Tegan and Sara
33.) Dying to Know-Tegan and Sara
34.) BWU-Tegan and Sara
35.) U-turn-Tegan and Sara
36.) Tulsa Time-Billy Ray Cyrus feat. Joe Perry
37.) Hey Elvis-Billy Ray Cyrus, Bryan Adams and Glenn Hughes
38.) Help Me Make It Through The Night-Billy Ray Cyrus feat. Kenley Shea Holm
39.) Hope (Let It Find You)-Billy Ray Cyrus feat. Glenn Hughes
40.) Goin' where the lonely go-Billy Ray Cyrus and Braison Cyrus
41.) Angels Protect This Home-Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus

It's been a very long time

I got caught up in other parts of life over the last few years and things have definitely changed.  I changed churches from BCC to a reconciling congregation, becoming friends with two lesbian couples and several gay men.  As such, life sometimes gets hard.  Whenever draconian policies are ordered into existence, I immediately think of them and how they're affected.  Sometimes, I worry we'll all be forced into permafrost areas in the Cascades where we're to be beaten within an inch of our lives and they let the cold finish us off.  45's mouthpieces often remind me too much of Minimus from Animal Farm. 

I feel guilty partially praising a PureFlix film in my last post here, as I believe that company takes all of their profits and gives them to cold-hearted, right-wing politicians.  A major reason I believe this is they released at least 5 films last year, a crucial election year for control of Congress.  I haven't been able to buy most explicitly religious albums for the same reason. 

I'm no longer a fan of Stryper, their frontman Michael Sweet expressed immense love for Trump during his campaign run, even saying it was okay for him to say "grab them by the [vagina]."  What really is irritating about that is less that a year before, he said "Miley Cyrus should be judged for the sexually explicit things she does."  So if a woman chooses to dress down and say the "f" work, that's wrong, but it's okay for a man to brag about sexual assault. 

This is why I am glad I go to a reconciling congregation, a place where for once, I don't feel judged for my music choices, opinions or questions, I come to be refreshed from the strain of life, get energy to do good things in the world.  I'm not perfect, I'm just learning as I go.  I hope to pick this blog back up because I want a healthier hobby and most social media is boring me as I get older.  See you next time, whenever that is.

How a Razzie-winning film, a song that became a meme and my family saved my life

I seriously never thought I'd be using this website again. Between Facebook and email, this place just felt like...why bother? But I'm not here about that. Something amazing happened this last weekend that has restored my Faith in God. Like all sermon-stories, we're going to start at the beginning, over a year ago.

 So, last year I re-discovered a young woman I met in High School. For her protection, she will only be referred to in pronouns. Like me, she has an anxiety disorder. She is also an atheist and doesn't believe in anything that can't be proven or studied.

"Daniel, why did you have this relationship?"

When you're 24, never been on a date, worried how your life will turn out, you'll say yes. Heck, we had been friends before, no big rifts, just the fact that I couldn't answer her questions, like "why can I not remember my matter being the things it was before it was me?" Eventually, though, you realize you'd like space from that.

 However...

 "Daniel, why would it be so bad if we got married? Marriage is just two best friends living together."

"My brother and sister in law are a lot more affectionate and bubbly than that. I want someone who makes me feel that way."

"They're them, we're us. You're idealizing their relationship."

That was less than a month ago. As you can tell, it was getting bad. And if that wasn't bad enough... "They just had Thomas touch Jesus to attack the Gnostics, why would God allow himself to be tested?"

Yep. Faith attacks. If you don't know what a Faith attack is like to someone like me, imagine this. Imagine you're in a great restaurant, eating a meal. Then imagine someone uninvited sits down at your table and says, "You are going to die from this meal."
Now imagine that happening several times a day over Facebook conversations. That was last week, CHRISTMAS WEEK! I was expecting better from friends on the week of Christmas, but I felt so bad I was actually afraid to use Facebook and didn't even turn the computer on or take it with me the day I left my apartment to visit family for several days. I felt hurt and beaten and without life. But I didn't realize just how bad things got inside my head until I watched what people will probably vote the "worst movie of 2014." No, it's not Left Behind, it's God's Not Dead. I say that it'll win the Razzie because well, let's face it, it has no idea how professors are supposed to act (when I had the closest thing to this, the professor NEVER denied God, but we didn't study Jesus), the philosophers he mentions aren't ACTUAL philosophers, the film is NOT atheist-friendly, though plenty of atheists ARE Christian-friendly and I'm pretty sure there's a group of Muslims also complaining about that one character, too. On top of that, it continues the glorification of Duck Dynasty, which, upon me reading that in a plot synopsis, made me think this film would say "Obama's evil" and "LGBTs go to Hell." Thankfully, the last two were skipped.

However, you're probably wondering... "You're reading this film rights like a standard blogger, how did it 'save your life?'"

The Professor has a wife. The wife is a Christian. The Professor tells his wife to keep quiet about Jesus to keep the marriage happy. God pretty much said, "You marry the person you're dating, THAT'S your life, buddy. You're going to be praying in the dark corner of the bedroom when she's not home, trying to keep her happy. You want her happy, or do you want to be happy?"

Yep, God talks to people, today. And He can be pretty candid about how He talks. And even if God had said nothing, the images were enough to say, "seem familiar, Daniel?" But still, I have a brain in my skull and wasn't sure, so I prayed. My family members, my brother and sister in law, were talking to friends, so I prayed by myself. My brother noticed and I told him everything. He agreed and gave me this advice.

"Until you're not afraid of being alone, you're going to have bad relationships." And this is were the last part comes in.

It's amazing how in this age, a movie can jump from simple 2-hour film to significant part of culture due to the Internet. In this case, I'm talking about Frozen. The film is a year old, and merchandise is still everywhere, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman" and "For The First Time In Forever" have become iconic, Idina Menzel made a tremendous Christmas album and I swear Elsa and Anna are going to replace Santa Claus and Rudolph as Holiday icons. But the song I didn't mention is the one that matters most. It's sung twice in the film by (I mean this, ladies) national treasures Idina Menzel (Elsa) and pop star Demi Lovato. It is of course, "Let It Go." In the film, Elsa's powers have been revealed and she hides herself on a faraway mountain, creating a castle of ice while singing this. I'm not going to post the whole thing, or a link, just the relevant parts. "Don't let them in, don't let them see/ Be the good girl you always had to be/ CONCEAL, DON'T FEEL, don't let them know" "LET IT GO, Let it Go, Can't Hold it Back any more/ Let it Go, Let it Go, TURN AWAY AND SLAM THE DOOR" And most of all: "It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small/ AND THE FEARS THAT ONCE CONTROLLED ME CAN'T GET TO ME AT ALL."

I urge everyone in an abusive relationship, let's get out, let's go, let's not be desperate anymore, let's let it go and take control.

Songs for The Crowners, my band, to learn

Subject to change. Last update 7/30/2015
AC/DC: Shoot To Thrill, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Thunderstruck, Let There Be Rock, Whole Lotta Rosie

The Beatles: Oh Darling, I Want You (She's So Heavy), Here Comes The Sun, Dig A Pony, I've Got A Feeling, One After 909, I Me Mine, I Saw Her Standing There, Taxman, Drive My Car, In My Life, She Loves You, I Feel Fine, Ticket To Ride, Day Tripper, Paperback Writer, Yellow Submarine, Get Back, Revolution, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Don't Let Me Down, Nowhere Man

Billy Idol: Rebel Yell

Billy Ray Cyrus: Thrillbilly, I'm So Miserable, I'm American, Never Thought I'd Fall In Love With You, Face of God, Amazing Grace, Some Gave All, Enough is Enough, The Past, Stand Still, The Freebird Fell, Achy Breaky Heart, Words By Heart, Stand

Black Sabbath: Neon Knights, Heaven and Hell, Fairies Wear Boots, Paranoid, After Forever, Into the Void, Iron Man, End of the Beginning

Blue Oyster Cult: Godzilla, Black Blade

Bob Seger: Old-Time Rock and Roll

Casting Crowns: Voice of Truth, Praise You in this Storm, Stained-Glass Masquerade

Cheap Trick: Dream Police, I Want You To Want Me

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son, Bad Moon Rising

DC Talk: Jesus Freak

Def Leppard: Foolin', Pour Some Sugar On Me

Deep Purple: Highway Star, Stormbringer, Mistreated, Perfect Strangers, Lady Double-Dealer, Nobody's Home

Demi Lovato: Party, Don't Forget, U Got Nothing On Me, Every Time You Lie

Dio: Straight Through The Heart, Rainbow In The Dark

Guns N Roses: Nightrain, Sweet Child O' Mine, You Could Be Mine

Idina Menzel: Let it Go

Iron Maiden: The Trooper, Wasted Years, Fear of the Dark, New Frontier

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: I Love Rock and Roll

Journey: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Any Way You Want It, Open Arms

Judas Priest: Metal Meltdown, Victim of Changes, Redeemer of Souls, Breaking the Law

Katy Perry: Hot N Cold, Roar, By the Grace of God

L.A. Guns: Never Enough

Led Zeppelin: Black Dog, Rock and Roll, The Ocean, Immigrant Song, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Lovin' You, Whole Lotta Love, In My Time Of Dying

Lynyrd Skynyrd: I Ain't the One, Call Me The Breeze, Gimme Back My Bullets, Saturday Night Special, That Smell, Simple Man, Free Bird

Miley Cyrus: These Four Walls, Bottom of the Ocean, GNO, The Climb, Wrecking Ball, Can't Be Tamed, Adore You, Drive, Maybe You're Right

Ozzy Osbourne: Crazy Train, Goodbye to Romance, I Don't Know, Believer, Over the Mountain, See You On The Other Side, Not Going Away

Paramore: Ignorance, Brick By Boring Brick, Monster, Ain't It Fun, Last Hope, Crushcrushcrush

Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb

Queen: I Want It All, Fat Bottomed Girls, Tie Your Mother Down

Queensryche: Jet City Woman, Where Dreams Go To Die, Arrow Of Time

Quiet Riot: Metal Health (Bang Your Head), Thunderbird, Slick Black Cadillac, Sign of the Times

Rainbow: Long Live Rock N Roll, Tarot Woman, Stargazer 

Sammy Hagar: I Can't Drive 55

Scorpions: Lovedrive, Blackout

Steve Miller Band: Abracadabra, Fly Like An Eagle

Stryper: Saved By Love, Renewed, To Hell with the Devil, Free, Yahweh, Always There For You, All For One, Soldiers Under Command

Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown: Lipstick Wonder Woman

UFO: Lights Out

Van Halen: Why Can't This Be Love

Whitesnake: Is This Love, Still of the Night

Winger: Seventeen

2013 in review

What a year! I didn't post much here because I figured most people stopped caring about this blog with me going a little crazy and paranoid, but a heck of a lot happened. Baseball games? Loads of them, I saw the Mariners play four, though they lost each one, usually due to offense, but there were tough pitchers on the mound for the opponents, too (Andy Pettitte and Jeff Szjmardzja). I also saw the Pirates, Indians and Phillies all play, each had their own degree of interest to them, though since the Pennsylvania chapter of my Dad's life appears over, I doubt I will be back. The Hot stove has definitely been active, and I doubt it's going to slow down, with the Mariners making a huge, 10-year signing of Robinson Cano. While he will not magically lift the Mariners to playoff worthiness, it's good to finally have an everyday player who can be a popular face of the franchise for years to come and I hope the young guns (Ackley and Franklin, especially) can produce enough to join him in that circle. Concerts? By the ton. 1964 the Tribute was the tip of the iceberg. Before seeing classic rock came a metal concert not unlike Iron Maiden's from last year, only this was within walking distance of my apartment. It was the band Dio Rising, a tribute band to the late Ronnie James Dio, former frontman for Rainbow, Black Sabbath (he replaced Ozzy Osbourne in the 80s) and Dio. They covered many loud songs of his, as well as some of the more introspective ones. Lynyrd Skynyrd produced a blistering show of classics and they actually opened for Bad Company, who were more laid-back. Sammy Hagar had a partying style about him, yet carried his show with the professionalism you would expect for someone who's been active for 40 years. A week after him came my first Canadian concert, the metal band Black Sabbath. The audience was more rowdy than I'm used to, but the band was great, the music solid and the performance truly memorable. In September, I saw Zepparella at the Skagit Valley Casino, where they played classic Led Zeppelin hits, some of which I had heard the year before at the band's performance at the Tractor Tavern, others were new, like "Misty Mountain Hop," "The Ocean," "How Many More Times" and "Whole Lotta Love." Late in October was my first very local concert, HalloQueen and Voyager. HalloQueen is a Queen tribute, and delivered many Queen hits, including Bohemian Rhapsody and Fat Bottomed Girls. Voyager, though, is a tribute to "Hard Rock and 80s metal," with songs from bands as varied as AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Winger, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses and Van Halen in their setlist. Sadly, everyone, including Voyager, seemed out of their heads by the time that performance took place, it was loud and uncomfortable. The last show was another local club concert, the all-woman AC/DC tribute Hell's Belles played downtown, performing various songs I had heard through life and Iron Man 2. This was a much better show, the club had seating and the band seemed to be having more fun. 2014's concert plans are already underway, I am the proud owner of a ticket to Miley Cyrus' show at the Tacoma Dome on February 16th. I also plan to see Journey and Steve Miller when they come to the White River Amphitheater with a friend from Church. Others I hope to see are Stryper, Billy Ray Cyrus, Katy Perry and if the rumors of rumors are true, Led Zeppelin. I also would like to start a band, if possible.