Gay & Lesbian Musicians: Joan Jett

Joan Jett defined rock and roll for an entire generation of young girls who aspired to be like her.  The oft leather-clad singer is best known to the masses for her unique brand of simple, stripped-down, three chord rock and roll.  Her solid, gutsy sound is loud, raw, and performed with a defiant "up yours" attitude!  Stated simply, Joan is the total package; her sound and image contain every element needed to make a truly great rocker!

She combined the tough, swaggering image and beat of the Stones with the thundering power chords of bands like AC/DC, and the trashier elements of glam and punk rock to create her own personal sound.  Throughout her entire career, she has remained true to this formula, never changing her music or compromising her artistic vision.  She has truly proven that rock music is no longer just a man's world, and has done so by simply letting her talent speak for itself.  She has never made an issue of her gender by drawing undue attention to it.

Before Joan became the rocker that we know today, she entered the world as Joan Marie Larkin, on September 22, 1958.  She was born in a suburb of Philadelphia called Waynewood, Pennsylvania, where she lived until the age of twelve.  She then moved with her family to Los Angeles.  Then in 1973, at the tender age of 15, she had formed her first group and began playing gigs in the L.A. area.  The band quickly caught the attention of record producer Kim Fowley, who became their manager.

After renaming the all-female group, Fowley secured a contract for the band with Mercury Records, and The Runaways were born.  The band released three albums without having much success in The States...at least in terms of their record sales, that is.  Still, in spite of this, they did find popularity as a live act on the L.A. rock and punk scenes.  They also achieved a great deal of popularity in Japan before breaking up in 1979.

Their breakup left Joan facing an uncertain future, but this did not keep her down for long.  She decided to move to New York to pursue a solo career.  Once there, she began making the rounds, and was systematically rejected by every record label in town.  Her reputation for associating with the most notorious punk musicians of the day caused labels to shy away, as they feared that she would be difficult to control.  It was also rumored that she was a lesbian, which was yet another nail in her coffin as far as record executives were concerned; none of them wanted to touch her.

In fact, the issue of Jett's sexuality was something that had followed her for most of her career.  When pressed about it, she would neither confirm nor deny the lesbian rumor; she would always decline to answer the question, admonishing that it was none of anyone else's business.  It wasn't until much later in her career that she finally decided to address the issue once and for all, by allowing herself to be billed as an "out lesbian rocker" at one of her performances.

Sexuality issues not withstanding, Joan quickly grew tired of getting the runaround from labels, and eventually hooked up with producer Kenny Laguna, who then became her manager.  Together, the team released Jett's self-titled debut album in 1980, which Laguna financed by using the money he'd been saving as a college fund for his daughter to press the records.  They then sold the records out of Laguna's trunk, making Joan one of the first women in the business to start her own label, Blackheart Records. 

The album was very successful for an independent release, and that success helped to land Joan a contract with Boardwalk Records.  Upon signing with the new label, the title of that album was changed to Bad Reputation and re-released by Boardwalk.  Soon after, she formed her band The Blackhearts, and released her second album, which was titled I Love Rock & Roll.  The title track became a number one hit.

As her success continued to grow, she gained more freedom to do things as she pleased.  Although she walked a tough road to get there, she finally claimed her independence as an artist, and an out lesbian woman...and all without compromising her integrity and personal vision, or jeopardizing the career she had worked so hard to build!  No wonder so many young women see her as a role model!  Though she may be reluctant to accept that title, it is definitely well deserved.  May she continue to enjoy success as she entertains us all for years to come!

Rock on, Joan!

Gay & Lesbian Musicians: Rob Halford

When it comes to heavy metal singers, few others can even come close to matching Rob Halford.  His voice is completely unique, and his high-pitched operatic wails make his vocals instantly recognizable.  Given his status in the heavy metal community, it goes without saying that his singing style has influenced a countless number of artists who came after him.  In a career that has spanned more than three decades now, Halford has seen multi-platinum, worldwide success fronting the legendary Judas Priest, and has had an equally impressive solo career for nearly twenty years now!

The story behind the music begins on August 25, 1951, when young Robert was born to working-class parents in Birmingham England.  He first began singing as a teenager, fronting a local band called Hiroshima, while he worked as a theatrical lighting engineer by day.  That band didn't last long, and Rob went through a few other short-lived musical projects before his fortunes changed in 1973.  As fate would have it, Rob's sister was dating Ian Hill, who was the bass player of an up-and-coming local band called Judas Priest.  One day, several of the band members were hanging around the Halford home, and happened to hear Rob singing along to the radio.  Having just lost their previous singer, they immediately arranged a tryout for Rob, and he was quickly accepted into the group.

With Rob now fronting the band, their sound shifted more toward heavy metal.  It didn't take them long to build a local following.  By 1974, their first album, Rocka Rolla, was issued on Gull records.  Unfortunately, the material on the album was unfocused, and the record tanked.  With each successive release, however, the band honed its sound and its songwriting skills.  Their hard work paid off by broadening their worldwide fan base, and leading to a string of what are now considered to be classic heavy metal albums.

Priest's climb to the top began with their 1976 release, Sad Wings Of Destiny.  The album gave them modest success, and their popularity continued its slow but steady rise with future releases like Sin After Sin in 1977, Stained Class in 1978, and double dose featuring new studio album Hell Bent For Leather, as well as a blistering live recording called Unleashed In The East in 1979.  The last two recordings went on to have a profound impact on the heavy metal world by being the inspiration that launched many popular bands, including: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, and Pantera among others.  Rob's influence on metal goes beyond his singing prowess, however.  His stage apparel also came to define the heavy metal look.  He would arrive dressed from head to toe in black leather and studs, and driving a Harley onto the stage!  In addition, his stage presence as a performer, and his ability to work an audience are second to none.  Simply stated, he is the quintessential heavy metal singer!

By the dawn of the 1980s, Priest had a rabid underground following, and they continued to focus on broadening their sound in an effort to reach mainstream success.  It would take a few more years for them to reach the level that they had their sights set upon, but their efforts to achieve this really showed in their Eighties releases.  Even though the band had shown steady artistic growth with their past records, the albums released during this period were much more focused and polished than past records had been.  On each of these the material was stellar, and they brought the band one step closer to their goal.  Finally, their 1984 release Defenders Of The Faith pushed them over the top, making the band a headlining arena act.  They finished out the eighties with four more successive multi-platinum albums, and ushered in the 1990s with their most monstrous creation to date: an album called Painkiller.  By this point, it seemed they were only poised for even greater success.

As it turned out, that was not meant to be.  Once they had finished the massive tour for the album in 1992, Rob announced that after twenty years, he was going to leave the band.  His reasons had nothing to do with the band itself; he loved being in Priest, but he had carried a desire to experiment with other musical styles that could not be expressed within the framework of the Judas Priest sound.  Fortunately, the split was completely amicable, and everyone remained on good terms.

Upon his exit from his former band, Rob embarked on what would be an extremely successful and creatively satisfying solo career for him.  He immediately set himself to the task of forming a new band.  The result was a group that he called Fight, which was very similar in style to Painkiller-era Priest.  Fight would go on to release two full length albums: War Of Words in 1993, and A Small Deadly Space in 1995, as well as a disc of remixes called Mutations that was released in between these records.

After disbanding Fight in the latter half of 1995, Rob signed a deal with Trent Reznor's label, Nothing Records.  He formed a new project called Two, which released a single album in 1997 called Voyeurs.  Despite the fact that it's industrial sound was far different than anything Rob had done in the past, the album still did reasonably well.  However, its sales were far below those of any other project he'd been associated with.

It was also around this time that Rob finally addressed long-standing rumors about his sexuality, by announcing publicly that he was gay.  This was a fact that had previously been known only by his band mates and those close to him.  They had tried to keep it a secret for fear that it may damage his career, but it was long suspected by many fans who had picked up on subtle references in his lyrics anyway.  Some were probably also tipped off by his leather clad look that was known to be a popular mode of dress among some certain groups of gay men.  The story came via MTV news in 1998.  In his announcement, he said that he hadn't even felt comfortable enough himself to publicly address the issue until then.  Surprisingly, the metal community responded with an outpouring of support, quickly laying to rest any fears that Rob may have had about alienating his fans.

Following this, Rob took a brief rest before returning with a newly formed group that bore his last name in 2000.  Halford was a return to his true heavy metal roots, and the closest thing in his solo career to the classic Priest sound that he was known for.  The band pumped out a total of three albums, including their self-titled debut in 2000, another concert recording called Live Insurrection in 2001, and a second studio release called Crucible in 2002.  And new releases continue to pop up every few years!

Through all of this, rumors that Rob would reunite with Judas Priest were continual.  Metal fans were elated when their wishes came true in 2003.  The original Priest has since released two more albums, Angel Of Retribution in 2005, and Nostradamus in 2008.  Both recordings were accompanied by very successful world tours that saw the band performing at the top of their game and seemingly prepared to continue indefinitely.

Of course, no one can predict the future, but where Rob Halford is concerned, one quickly learns to expect the unexpected!  At the age of 58, he shows no sign of slowing down...and one look at his impressive resume is proof that he is not an artist who will ever be content to rest on his laurels.  Judging by what he has given us in the past, it seems safe to assume that we will be hearing from the Metal God for a long time to come!

Biography: Curly Howard

We all remember Curly Howard as the funniest member of the legendary Three Stooges.  Everyone, young and old alike, remembers him as the portly bald comedian with the high voice, whose zany antics have entertained us for three quarters of a century now.  Just the mere thought of hearing his "Soitenly," or "Woo-Woo-Woo" can bring a smile to even the most sour of faces.  Curly is so beloved and familiar to so many, yet most of us are surprised to realize how little we really know about the man behind the laughter.

The man who would become everyone's favorite stooge was born Jerome Lester Horowitz on October 22, 1903.  The youngest of five sons born to parents Jennie and Solomon Horowitz, Curly and his brothers grew up in the Bath Beach resort section of Brooklyn, New York.  Young Jerome was a well-loved and happy child.  Nicknamed "Babe" by his brother Moe, he was a quiet child who gave his parents little trouble.  This was probably a good thing, because the mischief caused by his older brothers Moe and Shemp made up for Babe's reserved behavior in spades!

He idolized his older brothers, and made a habit of following them wherever they went.  In fact, it was Moe and Shemp who gave Curly his interest in comedy.  When he was four, they began staging impromptu performances to entertain their friends, and would often include him in the cast.  The trio would give performances in the basement of their home, and invite everyone in their neighborhood to see them for an admission of two cents!  This gave Curly a love for the art of comedy that only grew as he got older.  In addition to comedy, he also loved musicals.  Moe encouraged this interest, and helped to broaden his kid brother's theatrical education by taking him to vaudeville shows and melodrama theaters when he was growing up.

Jerry, as he was often called by family and friends, was only a fair student in school.  Several friends and family members confirm that he was a superb athlete who excelled at basketball.  In fact, many who were close to him have gone on record as saying that his love for athletics was probably the only thing that kept him in school long enough to graduate.  He did manage to graduate, however, and afterwards kept himself busy doing odd jobs.  Jerry also had a great appreciation for music that began in his teens and stayed with him for the remainder of his life.  He loved to dance, and was known to be a very good ballroom dancer.  He could also play the ukulele, and often used it to accompany himself when he sang.  According to Moe, he had a very beautiful singing voice, a trait which put him in high demand socially.

Throughout his childhood and well into his early twenties, Curly's interest in show business continued to grow.  In 1928, he landed his first job as a comedy musical director for the Orville Knapp Band.  He was billed as the guest conductor, who would come out in a breakaway suit which fell away piece by piece as he stood there swinging the baton.  Moe later recalled that his performances regularly stole the show.  After this, he continued to watch his brothers perform.  He often hung around backstage, and sometimes ran errands for those in the cast, like fetching sandwiches or coffee.  His big break finally came in 1932.  His brothers, were performing as "stooges" in Ted Healy's vaudeville act, and were booked to do J.J. Shubert's Passing Show.  Just before show time, however, Healy got into a huge argument with Shubert.  He walked off the show, taking Moe with him.

Shemp, meanwhile, decided to remain with the Shubert show, as he had grown tired of Healy's drunken tirades.  Moe then suggested to Healy that his younger brother, Babe, was available to replace Shemp.  He told Healy that Babe would be a natural since he was already familiar with the act.  Healy would only agree on the condition that Curly shaved his head.  Curly complied, and became a member of the team.  The formation of the classic trio was completed with the addition of Larry Fine, whose real name was Louis Feinberg.  He was asked to join the act after Moe and Healy saw him perform in a Chicago nightclub!

It wasn't long before Curly's uniquely wacky style of comedy began to assert itself; first on-stage, and then later on screen when Ted Healy and his Stooges starred in several features and shorts for MGM in the early thirties.  He would also play a large role in the success of The Three Stooges without Ted Healy.  Once they had signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1934, it was Curly's standout comedic performances that earned a great deal of notoriety for the act.  He would go on to star in 97 of The Stooges 197 short-subject comedies.

Success came quickly for The Stooges once they were at Columbia.  Unfortunately, when it did, it virtually ruined Curly.  He began to drink heavily, which quickly took its toll.  His shaved head made him feel very self-conscious.  Those who knew him say that he felt as if it robbed him of his masculinity; it made him feel child-like.  Long after his passing, Larry Fine stated in an interview that Curly almost always wore a hat in public in an attempt to reclaim an image of masculinity.  In addition to this, Curly's real personality was the complete and polar opposite of his on-screen character; he was actually very introverted and shy off camera.  In fact, he often felt trapped by his film persona; at times, he felt the need to live up to it, so as not to disappoint fans who would meet him in person.  Although no one can state this as an absolute fact, by most accounts these are believed to be the main reasons for his excessive drinking.

Although he was very successful professionally, Curly's personal life was filled with turmoil.  His finances were always in a shambles; he was never able to save a cent.  He spent lavishly, enjoying what he saw as life's pleasures: wine, women, and fine food.  He was constantly buying new houses, automobiles, or expensive gifts for the ladies in his life.  He also had a great love for dogs, and would spend huge amounts on pedigreed pooches to keep as pets.  His spending habits were so bad, in fact, that Moe eventually stepped in an began to handle his money for him.

Women were another downfall for Curly.  He loved women, and although he was known to be a very sweet and loving man, many who knew him say that he really wasn't mature enough to be able to contribute to a one-on-one relationship; he was restless, and he just never grew up!  Simply put, he was a sucker for a pretty girl, and would fall head over heels for any girl who took an interest in him.  He was a hopeless romantic who was actually more in love with the idea of being “in love” than committing to a real relationship.

It could never be proven, of course, but people who were close to Curly strongly suspected that his second and third wives had only married him because he was a film personality, and they were after his money.  He married four times in all, fathering two daughters along the way; one with his second wife, and one with his fourth.  His first marriage had taken place in his late teens.  He'd married a girl whose identity remains unknown to this day.  However, his mother strenuously objected to the union, and quickly had it annulled.  In fact, with the exception of his fourth wife, Valerie, whom he married on July 31, 1947, every other romantic relationship that Curly had had been miserable for everyone involved.

Moe could see that his younger brother was on a destructive path.  He begged Curly to settle down and take better care of his health.  In fact, he was actually the one who had fixed Curly up with his third wife, in the hopes that a good marriage would change his wild ways.  Unfortunately, the stress and misery of the doomed marriage only worsened his condition.  He suffered a stroke in 1947, during the filming of his 97^th Stooge comedy “Half-Wits Holiday,” and was forced to retire from the team in order to recuperate.

For a very brief period of time, it seemed that he was actually on the mend.  He even felt well enough to join The Stooges alongside Moe Larry and Shemp for a small cameo in the 1947 short “Hold That Lion.”  Although Stooge fans may not immediately recognize him here because he had a full head of hair.  Curly is the sleeping man on the train, who does his famous snore/bark when they take his hat from his face!

Sadly, however, a full recovery was not meant to be.  Toward the end of 1947, his health took a turn for the worse.  It was also during this time that he married forth wife Valarie, who would remain by his side, lovingly nursing him through his agonizing final years.  In 1949, he suffered another series of strokes; from there, his health began to decline rapidly and steadily.  Finally, his body just gave up completely, and Curly passed away on January 18, 1952. He was only forty-eight years old.

Finding The Best Gay-Themed Films: La Mission

This 2009 film is a great one that I happened to stumble upon one evening while I was browsing Netflix.  It was one of my recommendations offered by the site based on my previous viewing history.  Prior to finding it there, I had been completely unaware of it.  My interest was piqued by the synopsis provided, so I figured I would take a chance and check it out.  I was just about to add it to my queue when I saw that it was available on Netflix streaming service.  Perfect!  I didn't have to wait to see it!  Instead, I just hit the play button and watched it right there on my PC!

As the title implies, La Mission is set in the Mission district of San Fransisco.  Benjamin Bratt stars as Che Rivera, a recovering alcoholic and ex-con with a typically macho view of the world.  When Che discovers that his son, Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez), is gay, all hell breaks loose.  He makes this discovery when he comes home one evening to find Jesse asleep in his room, and happens to notice a pile of snapshots of Jesse kissing his boyfriend on the bedside table.  When confronted the next day Jesse admits the truth, and his father flies into a rage!  Refusing to accept the news, Che angrily proclaims that Jesse is now dead to him!  Their fight turns physical, and Che orders Jesse out of his house!

During their estrangement, Che develops a friendship with an upstairs neighbor by the name of Lena (Erika Alexander).  The friendship gets off to a rather rocky start, but the two are finally able to get past their differences.  As the friendship progresses, and the bond between them grows stronger, Lena helps Che to realize that he can't just abandon his son, who needs him more than ever at a time like this.  So Jesse eventually comes back home, but things don't really improve much.  Che still can't accept his gay son.  The two of them do make attempts to communicate, but always end up walking away from the conversation.  They basically spend their time walking on eggshells and tolerating one another more than anything else.

Things pretty much continue on this path until tragedy strikes.  Jesse lands in intensive care after a run-in with a couple of thugs who had been harassing him since discovering his sexuality.  As Jesse slowly recovers, Che maintains a constant vigil at his bedside, as does Jesse's boyfriend, Jordan...at least until he is angrily confronted and threatened by Che.  When Jesse recovers fully and learns of the confrontation between them, he again leaves home.  With his son no longer in his life, Che slips to his old ways and begins drinking again.  Jesse, meanwhile, goes off to attend college at UCLA, not knowing that his dad is sinking deeper and deeper into despair.

While I did enjoy this film, I have to say that I was rather dissatisfied with the ending.  I can't really tell you why without giving it away, so you'll have to watch for yourself as far as that is concerned.  Aside from that, it was great.  The performance of all the main actors here is entirely authentic, brimming with a heart and soul that truly brings these characters to life.  Although, the story here will certainly not win any points for its originality, the movie is well-written and moving.  Some of the confrontational scenes between Jesse and his dad can be difficult to watch for some, but they do accurately reflect the struggles that often take place between gay teens and their parents.  The pace gets a little slow in spots, but the quality of the acting lends enough reality to the characters that you really end up caring about them and want to know what happens to them.  All things considered, this is a great film that I would highly recommend!

Finding The Best Gay-Themed Films: Prayers For Bobby

Prayers For Bobby is a made-for-TV adaptation of author Leroy Aarons' 1995 book of the same name.  The film originally aired on the Lifetime Network in 2008 and has recently come to DVD.  Based on a true story, Prayers For Bobby stars Sigourney Weaver as Mary Griffith, a mother who is forced to come to terms with the death of her gay son by suicide, after her well-meant but misguided campaign to "cure him of his sickness."

The story begins in 1979.  Bobby Griffith, nearly sixteen, realizes that he is gay, which sends his world into a tailspin.  Having grown up sharing his mother's faith and beliefs, Bobby knows what the church and the world...and even his own family thinks of gay people.  Terrified, and believing that he's headed straight for the fires of Hell, Bobby tries to resist his feelings, while keeping them a secret from everyone.  Finally, when the struggle becomes to much for him to bear, he decides to commit suicide by swallowing an entire bottle of aspirin, but can't bring himself to go through with it.  When his brother Ed wanders into the room to find the pills scattered all over the floor and Bobby lying motionless on the bed, Bobby finally confides in him, swearing him to complete secrecy.  In the end, however, Ed's concern for Bobby gets the better of him, and he reluctantly breaks his vow of silence.

When Mary hears the news, she does the only thing that she knows to do.  She turns to her Bible, and the faith that has always provided the perfect cocoon of safety for her.  She convinces herself that if they are faithful, God will heal Bobby.  From then on, she wages a relentless Spiritual war against her son's homosexuality.  Leaving Bible verses taped all around the house that warn of the sin of homosexuals, she continuously badgers Bobby to be steadfast in his faith, to pray harder in order to resist being tempted by his “sinful nature.”  Together they tried everything imaginable to get Bobby “on the right path again.”

What Mary didn't know was that Bobby was already dealing with his own guilt and shame, because he shared her beliefs and was repulsed by his own inclinations.  He was already trying with everything in his Soul to “change,” and was disgusted by his inability to conform, which proved him weak in his own eyes.  Her constant badgering only caused his already strong sense of self-loathing to increase exponentially!

Finally, after three years of this, Bobby is at his wits end.  He finally realizes that this is not going to change, and he quits trying.  Unable to bear his mother's tirades any longer, he moves to Oregon to live with a cousin.  For a brief time, things seem to improve, but Bobby is still unable to reconcile his sexuality with his own Spirit...and it doesn't help that Mary's admonitions keep coming, both by phone and by mail.  By mid-summer, he had reached his breaking point.  On August 27, 1983, Bobby was walking home alone from a night out, and as he crossed the bridge above the freeway overpass near his home, he climbed over the side, jumped directly into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler, and was killed instantly at the age of twenty.

Following Bobby's death, a distraught Mary went looking for answers.  Limited education and a complete ignorance of anything to do with homosexuality had forced her to rely solely on her religious faith for guidance in Bobby's situation.  For Mary, that faith was what had provided her with security and peace; before these events, it had always provided her with answers when she didn't understand.  But this time, something had gone horribly wrong.  When her own church proved to be no help whatsoever, Mary began to educate herself.  She read everything she could find on homosexuality, and began attending services at the local branch of the MCC, a gay-friendly church.  In her time there, she slowly began to learn that The Bible's words left room for other interpretations than the ones that she was taught.  Armed with this new knowledge, she began a very critical scrutiny of The Bible, and came to understand that The Bible states many things that are no longer enforced or put into practice in today's churches.  This was a comfort to Mary, because it allowed her to believe that Bobby could be in Heaven, but at the same time, it also brought her to the terrible realization that her efforts to “change” Bobby had been tragically wrong!

The guilt that she felt at this realization nearly consumed her.  Realizing that she had done a grave injustice to her son, she vowed from that point on to spend the rest of her life making it right.  She has chosen to take the story of her personal tragedy to the world in the hopes that no other parent should ever have to pay the terrible price of ignorance as she did.  Now, at 76, Mary travels the country telling her story and working tirelessly to make the world a safer and more loving place for others like her Bobby.

Prayers For Bobby is a wonderful film.  The acting is first-rate, and the gravity of the story will keep you riveted.  There are some minor changes in the film version, but overall it is a very good adaptation of the book.  More importantly than all of that, this film (and its accompanying book) have probably saved countless lives.  This is a story that should be read or seen by every parent, and every so-called “Christian” who sits in a church pew crying “Amen” as their fellow human beings are slandered, ridiculed, and persecuted.  Stories like this are very common among the gay community, and this illustrates all too clearly the dire consequences that can come from ignorance and blind, unquestioning faith.

CD Review: Lightning Strikes Again, By Dokken

Dokken has recently released their tenth studio album, entitled Lightning Strikes Again, and in my opinion, it is their most impressive collection of new music since their 1999 effort, Erase The Slate.  Shortly before its 2008 release, Don Dokken did a series of interviews in which he repeatedly stated that the new album would be a return to the classic Dokken sound of the mid-Eighties.  I have to admit that I was instantly skeptical when I heard this, because many classic hard rock bands of the period have made that promise, and have failed miserably to deliver.  It often seems that for many of these bands, nostalgia has become their best marketing tool.  In fact, many of them rely on it to keep themselves afloat.  I can assure you that this is absolutely not the case with Dokken's latest venture!

In addition to that fact, there were other reasons for my skepticism as well.  I didn't understand how he could make that claim considering that only two of the original band members remained, and that one of the absent members was George Lynch.  After all, George's guitar sound was a key ingredient in that classic Dokken formula.  While the band's current guitarist, Jon Levin, is a stellar player in his own right, his style is very different from George's.  How in the world could Don ever expect to recreate the band's heyday without George?

Once I heard the album, I had to hand it to Don, though; he delivered on his promise in fine fashion.  LSA is full of the heavy-yet-melodic rock that Dokken is best known for.  Several titles stand out here, including: Standing On The Outside, Give Me A Reason, Heart To Stone, and my personal favorite song, Oasis.

In spite of the fact that George Lynch is MIA, the overall vibe of the album is solidly Dokken; it stands up very nicely alongside their early albums without sounding dated.  Jon Levin effortlessly proves that while he may not be George, he is certainly no slouch; his playing is phenomenal.  For those of you who have not listened to Dokken in a few years, I can promise that one listen to this CD will have you scrambling to find your old vinyl copies of Tooth & Nail or Back For The Attack!

Although I liked some tracks more than others, which I guess is to be expected, there is only one song that I would call a stinker.  I'm referring to the ballad entitled “How I Miss Your Smile.”  The acoustic guitar melody is beautiful on this tune, but for me, the lyric just kills the song.  It is a sappy little scribbling about love gone wrong, which relies entirely too heavily on hokey sentiment for my liking.  Otherwise, the album shines, and I would recommend it highly; it's definitely worth the money!

CD Review: Death Magnetic, By Metallica

By the time that Metallica's long-awaited new album, Death Magnetic, hit record store shelves on Tuesday, September 12, 2008, I had already been let down by the band so many times that I no longer trusted them to give me my money's worth.  For several months before it's release, I had been hearing that this album would be a return to their glory days.  Unfortunately, I had heard that from the band when they finished their previous effort, the very dismal sounding St. Anger, back in 2003.  This time around, I just couldn't fall for the hype again.  Needless to say, I approached this album with more than a little trepidation.  To say that I was skeptical would be putting it mildly.

I suppose if I were to be completely honest, there was a part of me that actually wanted to hate this album simply out of spite; hating it would have been the perfect revenge for being disappointed so many times!  Still, no matter how hard I tried to hate it, I just couldn't bring myself to do so!  I have to say that James and the guys have finally delivered on the promise that they made so long ago.  This album is truly amazing from start to finish.  After one listen, all of my doubts had been erased.  I was grinning from ear to ear; at last, the real Metallica is back!

This is the album that should have followed And Justice For All.  In fact, it is not surprising to me that many reviewers have drawn comparisons between those two albums.  When you listen to both of them back-to-back, their does seem to be a very logical progression from one record to the next.  Death Magnetic sounds like what should have been the next step in Metallica's natural evolution following the Justice album.

While some elements of the more recent Metallica sound do remain, they are used differently than they have been in the past.  There is still the great sense of melody that was seen on the Load and Reload albums, but these new elements don't sound as strange on this record, because they are woven into the context of the band's former style, creating a much more subtle change in the band's overall sound.

On Death Magnetic, the band has returned to the more intricate arrangements and complex melodies seen in their earlier albums.  This outing also brings us some blistering guitar solos from Kirk Hammett, which had been noticeably absent in the recent past.  The vocals for all tracks are intense; they really pull you into the song.  There is also some truly outstanding drum work by Lars.  Choosing a favorite track here has proven to be difficult as they are all worthy candidates, but The End Of The Line did stand out to me, as did The Unforgiven III and Cyanide.

I certainly never thought that I would get to say these words again, but fans of Metallica's early work rejoice!  This album is what we have been waiting and praying for since 1988, and our patience has finally paid off!  Go and get it; I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Speculation On The Forthcoming Album By Metallica

Author's Note: The following article was originally written in 2008, just a few weeks prior to the release of Metallica's "Death Magnetic" Album

* * * * *

To be honest, I'm not really sure that this is a subject I even want to speculate on.  I have always been a huge fan of Metallica's early work, but I have to confess that I have been sorely disappointed by all of their more recent releases.  In fact, my feelings on this matter are so strong, that after hearing the songs which were released as singles from these records, I have emphatically refused to buy any of their albums that came after their 1991 self-titled CD, often referred to as “The Black Album.”  Yes, I am one of those old-school metal-heads who feels that the real Metallica has not made a record since their 1988 album ...And Justice For All.

Being a musician myself, I understand the artist's need for growth; artists must grow and change to stretch their creativity.  However, I do feel that if the change is too drastic, then it begins to feel fake.  This is what happened to Metallica.  The musical style that was embraced by the band on their Load album, as well as its successor, the redundantly titled Reload, was just too much of a curve ball for many fans to accept.

The songs on these records were well written and well performed, so the quality of the music is not what I took issue with.  These songs sounded like a completely different band; the music just wasn't Metallica.  I felt that they were trying to be something they weren't just so they could appeal to a wider audience.  I felt that they cheated their loyal fans by doing this, because there was still a lot of unexplored territory and potential for artistic growth within the framework of their former style, and they took the easy way out by making more accessible music that appealed to those who would jump on the bandwagon of any artist who happened to be hot at the moment.

The band's next release did very little to help matters.  The album, 1998's Garage, Inc., was a collection of cover material.  While the guys did return to their metal roots on some of the songs, playing tunes by Black Sabbath and Mercyful Fate, there were also some very odd song choices made.  To me, this band just sounds completely out of their element when covering tracks by the likes of Bob Seger and Queen!

Needless to say, this album was another letdown for me; so you can imagine how stoked I was when in 2003, I heard that Metallica was planning a new release, and that said album would be a return to the old days.  I waited eagerly for the release date, and when it came, I dropped by my local record store to preview the album before buying.  I have to say, St. Anger was not a complete disappointment, as it was heavier than the previous records had been, and some of it was actually tolerable.  But again, I just felt like they had missed the mark.  This album sounded to me like an attempt at the more modern metal sound that was getting big at the time; lots of dropped-tunings, very heavy on the bass, and no guitar solos.  I was crushed.

While I am interested in seeing what the next CD sounds like, I'm sure you can understand that after so many letdowns, I am a bit wary; I don't want to raise my hopes again, only to see them dashed in the end.  I know that the talk about this album is that it will be a return to Metallica's former glory.  I very much hope that this will be the case, but I have heard that song before, and I will not hold my breath to see it happen this time!

How To Select The Perfect Christmas Gift On A Limited Budget

With the Christmas season fast approaching, we are once again faced with the challenge of finding just the perfect gift for each person on our holiday list.  Seeing the joy on a loved one's face when they open your gift is always a wonderful feeling; unfortunately, most of us wind up spending more than we can really afford to get that reaction.  For many of us, this can become a source of stress that causes the true joy of Christmas to be lost.  The dilemma of trying to figure out what to buy and how to get it without plunging yourself into financial ruin can be overwhelming to say the least.

However, there are many ways that you can avoid these yuletide traps.  Holiday gift giving needn't become a stressful or expensive endeavor.  With a little thought and creativity, you can give your loved ones uniquely personal gifts that are relatively inexpensive and sure to bring a smile to their faces.  For example, everyone knows that we all love to enjoy holiday treats, so edible gifts are always a safe bet.  Baking brightly decorated cookies or any variety of sweet bread, or maybe even making some other type of treat like homemade fudge or bread pudding will undoubtedly be appreciated.  Or, if you aren't much for cooking, you could buy some little dishes or holiday tins and fill them with candy.  Most discount or dollar stores have a wide selection of such things that are very affordable and very cute!

For those of you who enjoy arts & crafts, your hobby can open up another great gift giving possibility.  Many craft stores can offer great ideas for easy gifts to fit any budget.  If you knit or crochet, you can make sweaters, scarves, hats, or any number of other personalized gifts.  Those who enjoy scrap booking can make remembrance books for almost any significant event in a loved one's life.  This will give them a keepsake to be treasured for years to come...and these ideas barely scratch the surface!  In fact, there are so many different types of crafts that the possibilities here are almost endless.  Gifts of this nature can also give you the satisfaction of knowing that you are giving a one-of-a-kind gift that will have a deeply personal meaning to your loved ones because you have put a lot of time, thought and love into its creation!

If you happen to be a bargain hunter who enjoys frequenting garage sales, thrift stores, or flea markets, this can offer a wonderful avenue for finding great gifts at a fraction of their original cost.  For the careful shopper with an eye for quality merchandise, it can be possible to find almost anything this way.  You can give a wonderful present for pennies on the dollar, and no one will be the wiser!  If you attend these events regularly, you can pick up things at any time during the year and store them away for future giving.

And here's another great tip for those who come from very large families.  Since most people have children to buy for, and that is usually a parent's main focus at this time of year, it may be beneficial for the adults in the family to get together and draw names before your gift exchange.  This way, each person will only have to buy one gift, and everyone will have something to open.  It will allow you to still make the holiday special for the little ones, while ensuring that no one is left out!

No matter how you choose to go about finding that perfect gift, I think it is helpful to keep in mind the unique and individual personality of the person for whom you are shopping.  Sometimes, when we aren't sure what to buy, we tend to pick out things that we think they would like, or things that we would like them to have.  Instead of “flying blind” like that, I think it is helpful to focus on their specific likes and dislikes.  For example, if your loved one is the artistic type, give them a supply of materials necessary to create in their chosen medium.  If they enjoy a certain sport, a unique collectible related to that sport makes a great gift; you could even give them a pair of tickets to a game!  Wherever their interests lie, they will be more likely to enjoy your gift if it is chosen with those interests in mind!

So to those of you who dread the coming Christmas season, I would just like to close by saying don't lose heart.  Hopefully my suggestions have shown you that it is possible to have a holiday that is stress and worry free...and these are just a few ideas to simplify gift giving; I'm sure that if you do some investigating, you'll be able to find countless others as well!  As I said before, all it takes is a little ingenuity! 

CD Review: Saints Of Los Angeles, By Motley Crue

Being the rock fan that I am, I was really stoked when I heard that Motley Crue would be releasing a new album in the summer of 2008.  The album's first single was the title track, Saints Of Los Angeles.  The song was shipped to radio in advance of the release, and heavily played to promote the record.  It is based on the strength of this tune that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the album.  The song had that classic Crue vibe; it was solid hard rock with an in-your-face attitude.  Needless to say that by the time the release date was finally announced, I was chomping at the bit.  I had already pre-ordered the disc from amazon, and eagerly awaited its arrival.

When it finally came, I was momentarily at a loss.  I was sort of disappointed at first, because I was expecting a classic Motley record that would stand up well next to their 1989 masterpiece, Dr. Feelgood.  Unfortunately, this wasn't what I got.  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I hated it or anything...at least, not completely.  However, I have to say that it definitely took me a couple of listens to warm up to this one.  There is more than enough good material here to make the disc worth buying; it has many strong points...one of them being some very menacing guitar work on the part of Mick Mars...but overall, I didn't feel that it was the Crue's best effort.

The album kicks off with a spoken-word intro, reminiscent of the band's 1983 album, Shout At The Devil.  It then segues into the slightly punk-influenced Face Down In The Dirt, which is a decent track, but not one of my personal favorites.  The next track, What's It Gonna Take, was the first that really stood out to me.  It has a great groove, and the wah-wah guitar tone used on the chorus just suits the song perfectly.  Also, this song is one of two...the other being the title track...that contain exceptional vocals by Vince Neil.

Next up, we have Down At The Whiskey.  This is a fun tune, but again, not a favorite.  The music is enjoyable, but the lyric is a downright cheesy ode to the band's club days.  The nostalgic feeling of this song adds to the cheese factor.  I guess I am not terribly interested in hearing a band whose members are now entering middle age attempt to relive the debauchery of their lost youth!  In my opinion, you wouldn't be missing much if you skipped this one altogether.

This brings us to my reason for buying the disc in the first place.  Saints Of Los Angeles is classic Crue in every sense.  The combination of Tommy's thundering drums and Nikki's pounding bass are about as subtle as a concrete baseball bat to the base of the skull, to which Mick's growling guitar is the perfect complement; he really bares his fangs on this one, folks!  On top of all of this, add Vince's shrill shrieks, and viola, instant masterpiece!

I found the track after Saints to be pretty interesting as well.  MF Of The Year is another heavy tune where Mick shines.  As for the remaining tracks, they are cool enough, but in my opinion, there was nothing else of real interest until I got to track eleven, This Ain't A Love Song.  I guess it was just my type of song.  Again, the other tracks aren't necessarily bad, they are just not what appeals to me personally.

I think my biggest problem with this album is that it lacks cohesion; the song styles are all over the place.  This is definitely an album that you will have to hear and judge for yourself, though.  Some may like the tracks that I did not care for, while others may agree with my assessment.  As I said earlier, it's a strong record with enough good songs to make it worth the cash, but overall, not the best Motley Crue record.

CD Review: Anomaly, By Ace Frehley

As a longtime fan of the band with whom he gained fame, I have loved Ace Frehley for a majority of my life.  While he isn't necessarily the most technically proficient guitar player in the world, he has a completely unique style of playing that is all his own.  His sound is instantly recognizable; it was one of the best things about Kiss as a band, and has influenced many people, myself included, to take up the guitar themselves.

Being a loyal fan, I always support Ace's solo efforts, just as I do with every other member of Kiss, both past and present.  That being said, I shouldn't have to tell you that I was among the first in line to purchase his fifth solo album, Anomaly, when it was released on September 15, 2009.  I placed my order that very day.  For the next week, I waited eagerly for the CD to arrive from Amazon.  When it came, I felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness, as I unwrapped it and dropped it into my player for its inaugural spin.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from Ace this time, considering that he had not released a solo album since his 1989 disc, Trouble Walking.  My excitement came from the anticipation of finally hearing the record that he had been promising fans for the last twenty years, but I was nervously hoping that what I was about to hear would be worth it.  Still, I was optimistic in spite of my trepidation, so I hit the play button and tried to keep an open mind.

I wish I could say that I was blown away by this masterpiece, and I spent the rest of the day rocking out as it played over and over.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.  The first time through, Anomaly left me hollow with disappointment.  It actually took a couple of listens for me to get it.  By the third time through, I was starting to hear what Ace was trying for.  The main things that I found fault with on this CD were its lyrics, which in some cases sound like they were written by a fifth grader, and the often sub-standard vocals...most notably on the song Pain In The Neck.

To Ace's credit, the guitar playing remains strong throughout.  The CD does have some really great moments, but to be honest, Anomaly isn't quite as strong of an album as I was hoping for; it isn't completely terrible, but I felt that Ace could have done better.  After all, he'd had more than twenty years to write and record it.  In that amount of time, he could have (and should have) produced a brilliant opus of staggering magnitude.  I mean, heck, that's five years longer than it took for Axl Rose to record the elusive Chinese Democracy for crying out loud!

To be honest, only about half of the twelve tracks here are really good.  Four of them are just so-so, and two of them are flat out stinkers.  In most cases, the lyrics are hopelessly cheesy.  There is even a spoken section in one tune that is just laughable.  On the good side, the few strong tracks that the album does have really do a lot to make up for its multitude of other flaws.  The tracks that really rock here are: Foxy & Free, Outer Space, Sister, Fractured Quantum, an instrumental cut called Space Bear, and a great cover of the Sweet classic, Fox On The Run.

Although it pains me to speak harshly of The Spaceman, I would only recommend this for die-hard loyalists like myself.  The casual fan would probably be bored by it.  Your best bet would be to listen to preview samples and spend a buck a song to download the ones you like, rather than laying out full price for too much filler material.

More On The Use Of Insulting Words

Recently, I published an article discussing my opinions on the use of insulting words.  I was surprised and very gratified to receive some very positive and thought-provoking responses to my words.  The comments that I received from those who read that piece raised some very good points on the issue that I had not considered when I wrote the original article, and I felt that those points should be addressed; hence, this companion article!

Before I get into the specifics on this, I want to be perfectly clear about the fact that I was in no way advocating the use of these words for abusive purposes.  Thankfully, my readers realized this and understood what I was trying to communicate.  My intention was to open a respectful and civil dialog on the subject, and if the replies that I received are any indication, then I succeeded in doing that; my readers certainly gave me much to consider.

One of my readers pointed out that while there are many insulting words that have been "reclaimed" by the groups at which they are aimed, their use should remain exclusive to that group of people.  This is a very valid point, because when these words are used within the particular group that they describe, they take on a completely different connotation; they are used with an understanding and acceptance that robs them of their usually hateful meaning.  She went on to say that their are some words which she felt could never be "reclaimed" in this way.  One of the examples she gave of a word which cannot be "reclaimed" is the horrible "r" word used to refer to those with mental disabilities.  This is also valid.  In this case, even when such a word is being used in jest, a person with severe mental disabilities may or may not have the capacity to make the distinction between joke and insult. Let's face it, that distinction often treads a very fine line, even for those who are in full possession of their faculties.  Therefore, it would always be hateful to use such a word.

Another of my readers stated that while she understood my point, she felt that the examples that I cited from my own experiences were unique to my specific case, and didn't necessarily justify the use of these words by everyone.  I have to say that I completely agree with her point as well.  Whenever you may be in doubt as to whether you will insult someone by choosing a particular word, it is wise to take the safe path, and not do it.  These are all perfectly reasonable and logical truths, and I never intended for my previous article to dispute them in any way.  I was merely trying to communicate my personal belief that if you allow yourself to become insulted by a non-hateful use of any word, then you are giving those words a power over your life that they should never have.

I guess my belief about this was shaped by my upbringing.  I grew up with Cerebral Palsy, and knowing that I would probably be teased and ridiculed by the ignorant, my parents taught me that my own opinion of myself was far more important than what others said about me.  The most important thing was to like the man I see in the mirror.  This was a lesson that they drilled into my head over and over from the time I was a small child.  This gave me a very strong sense of self, and a very thick skin.  So for me, even when these words are being thrown at me in a hateful manner, I tend not to care as much as some would. 

Regardless of what others may say, I know exactly who and what I am...and what's more, I like who and what I am.  I do not define myself according to the opinions of others.  Since I have this wonderful inner knowledge of myself, why should I waste my energy feeling negative because of the hateful words of an ignorant idiot who doesn't even know me well enough to make such an assessment of my character in the first place?  The way I see it, that person's opinion should never matter to me.  That makes sense, doesn't it?

Can Insulting Words Ever Carry A Positive Connotation?

The idea for this article came to me some time ago during a conversation by instant message with one of my Internet friends.  I found the conversation so interesting that I wanted to write about it but I was hesitant, because it was a very sensitive topic, and opinions about it are likely to be polarized at best.  I spent the days that followed thinking about our talk; I just couldn't get it out of my mind, so I decided for better or worse to sit down and express all of my thoughts on the matter.

What were we discussing, you ask?  Well, I'm still not sure just how we got started on the subject, but we got into this great debate on the use of the word fag, and other such insulting terms.  Like me, this friend was also gay, and he was saying that he wished people would realize how hurtful that word is, and how angry it always made him to hear it used.  He also remarked about how surprised he was that some of his other gay friends did not seem to mind its use, and sometimes even referred to themselves as fags.

I told him that the way I saw it, there were two ways to look at the situation.  First, I let him know that his point of view was definitely not wrong; there are many who agree with him.  Many gay people are horribly insulted by the word fag, and other such slurs...even when they are used in jest.  But on the other side of the coin, there are a lot of people out there, (of which I am one), who believe that there are some instances when those words can have a positive connotation; it all depends on the context in which they are being used.  Some people feel that those words are only insulting when it is obvious that they are being used in a manner that is meant to be deliberately hateful and hurtful. 

You see, words in and of themselves are never good or bad; it is the manner in which a person uses them that makes them either good or bad.  And just because certain words have come to be associated with negativity does not mean that they can't have any kind of positive meaning.  These words only become insulting when it is clear that the users intention is maliciously hateful; otherwise, they are only words...and words can only have as much power as we allow them to have in our lives.

Allow me to illustrate my point with examples from my own life.  When I first realized that I was gay, the whole idea of it made me very uncomfortable; I was very much in denial about it.  I did a lot of reading and research trying to understand my feelings, and learn about life as a gay person.  I even did counseling for a brief time, and one of the suggestions that they made to help me get comfortable with who I was is to have a sense of humor about the whole thing...to laugh about it as much as possible and poke fun at yourself in a good-natured way.  So that's what I did.  I joked about it and often referred to myself as a fag in a humorous way.  Doing that helped me in such a profound way.  Without it, I am not sure I would have been able to become comfortable with my sexuality at all...and I am absolutely certain that I would not have been able to do it as quickly as I did.

I have a very good friend who was there for me through much of this difficulty.  We shared so much during that time, and are so close because of it.  She is now known affectionately as my favorite fag-hag, and I am her favorite fag!  When we refer to each other in this way, there is nothing hateful or negative or malicious about it at all.  The terms are used very playfully and affectionately.  It is a very positive vibe between us.  In fact, many of my straight friends use the word fag in reference to me...always with the same affection, of course.

So to me, use of the word fag is not always necessarily a negative thing.  As I said earlier, it is only negative when the word is being used with hateful intentions.  And you can always tell the difference between the hateful use of the word and the type of use that I have described here.  I think that the key to making sure that you don't offend anyone is simply to always use the word with extreme caution and care.  You have to use your own judgment on a case-by-case basis.  In each case, you must know the people around you very well, and just be sensitive to their feelings about its use.  If they hate it and are offended by it, don't use it around them; however, if they do not mind it being used in a playful way as I have described here, then I feel it is okay to do so.