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1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me.
What's your favorite one and why?
Language by The Contortionist is one of the most legendary concept albums. Even though the message of the album is vague, it allows the listener to perceive the album however they desire.
Most of the songs also flow into one another making the album very seamless. It’s kind of like they made a mushroom high into music because you listen to it and feel connected with the universe. But then it’s over and then you realize the universe is a cunt and doesn’t like connecting with anyone.
And that is when you gotta put on a real concept album like Speaker Of The Dead by Emmure. The last song on that record has one of the most honest lyrics ever. It’s indisputable.
2. My very first album was Live Evil b Black Sabbath. Since then I've had a strong affinity for the live record, even if they're a bit fake. KISS set the bar with Alive!. Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of any one.
Tell me about your favorite live record?
I had to look in my iTunes to confirm, but I don’t have any live records. But in my opinion, live music is the best when it’s actually live, and rarely when it’s recorded after the fact.
If I want to dedicate some time to listen to a band, I’d rather hear it how it was originally envisioned (assuming that’s with the perfect mix, the instrument takes, etc.). The closest I ever got to a live record was a live Children Of Bodom DVD, which was awesome when I was 13 and was too young to see bands like that (because they all played in bars).
I got to rage out in my mom's living room in front of the TV, worshipping Alexi Laiho’s shredding. But this pandemic sure got me thinking I better get some live records off iTunes straight away as that’s probably the only way to listen to live music for a while.
3. There are a great number of records I've turned to for my moods. What do you listen to when you're angry? Sad?
Emo kids are always sad, so I’m always in the mood to listen to My Chemical Romance. Except for when I want to be reminded about what mushrooms are like, then I’ll put on that Contortionist record I was yakking about in question 1.
But if I’m trying to make both emotions happen at the same time, its Dance Gavin Dance for sure! That band is a hell of a trip (in the best way.)
4. One of my friends laughs at me, routinely, for loving the Misfit Toys of albums by major bands. Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, Carnival of Souls by Kiss, Diabolous En Musica by Slayer, etc.
What's the strange one that you love?
Yea I’m with your friend on the Lou Reed – Metallica crossover thing. That album legit sounded like if the vocalist of Hotel Books was 90 and did a guest slam poetry spot over his dad’s metal band’s B-side takes, while some guy across the street yells “I AM THE TABLE!”
Anyways, Behold The Arctopus is an odd band I get flack for listening to. Personally I think that band is a gem, but I can see how it doesn’t appeal to most people. I feel like there is a disconnect that happens because most people are only willing to listen to songs with catchy choruses.
So to ask someone to listen to a whole discography of songs with not a lot of easily recitable melodies may be a tall order. However, I always appreciated the band, not only for their use of complex musical ideas, but also how they write everything out on paper first, and then sight-read what they wrote together as a band.
Regardless of how loose some parts of their music gets, it just adds to the charm of that style of music. Plus, the Chapman stick or Warr guitar usage is pretty unique.
5. It's almost fashionable to release live versions of albums or re-record the old ones. King Diamond released a concert with Abigail front to back. Roger Waters has done The Wall twice.
Which ones do you have in your collection?
I think a lot of big bands that have a lot of money to blow would re-record an album, but smaller bands are turning to remixing and or remastering music.
This is mostly because it costs a significant amount less to hire some person to remix the DI tracks than it is to recreate them. That way there’s way fatter profits to play on your nostalgia. That being said, I can’t think of a recent example of a rerecorded album I’ve listened to, but there’s probably an example somewhere in the ether.
That being said, once again gotta bring out Dance Gavin Dance as they just remixed and mastered Acceptance Speech and that album is straight fucking fire the first time, and now its straight fucking fire in 4K, basically.
Apparently The Faceless is remixing Planetary Duality, which could be really cool too! But much like the new Necrophagist album that I’d just like to hear recorded for the first time (let alone make the man record it again), I’m not holding my breath.
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