SPUN

Just watched this and it was pretty cool.
I' m a sucker for a good druggy/stoner movie!
(Requiem For A Dream, Trainspotting, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Up In Smoke)

This is worth an entry for the track played during the opening credits alone!

MP

TOM GREEN

It's great to have him back in action with his new show!

I though Freddy Got Fingered was gonna (pre-maturely) spell the end of him, but I'm so glad he's back and doing what he does best.

With 5 hours a week, I don't know how the hell I'm gonna keep up (and not blow up my TiVo!)

MP

THE MARS VOLTA

Wow....these guys are really cool!
Kinda like King Crimson meets Led Zeppelin meets Pink Floyd.
But very original sounding.
Also reminds me a bit of Damn The Machine (our opening band back in Fall '93)

It's nice to see some guys from the "popular" scene (At The Drive In) go in a more daring, progressive direction.
Maybe mainstream media (Rolling Stone, MTV) will take notice...
(then again, probably not!)

MP

"WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC

Never in my life have I owned a Weird Al CD, but when I heard there was a tribute to my all-time hero Frank Zappa on his latest CD, I HAD to check this out!

The track "Genius In France" is pure brilliance!!
It is one thing to parody Michael Jackson or Nirvana, but to parody one of the most talented musicians of all time is a seriously tall order!
My respect for Weird Al has just blown up ten-fold after hearing the DEAD ON Zappa-isms in this track!!

MP

PINK FLOYD

Watched the new "Classic Albums" DVD of Dark Side of The Moon.
What an awesome look inside this legendary album.
The best part (as always in this series) is when they put up the master tapes and isolate certain tracks....what an amazing thing to be able to hear!

As I've noted before, Floyd is one of my top 3 bands of all-time - so this DVD was a real treat for me...

MP

LOST IN TRANSLATION

I really enjoyed this very subtle film.
It's very slowly paced and not for all tastes (it has alot in common with Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise)...but I really appreciated it on several levels:

a) I continue to be very impressed with Sofia Coppola (I LOVED the Virgin Suicides...one of my favorites of recent years)
b) Bill Murray continues on his streak of great comedic/dramtic performances (after the last 2 Wes Anderson films)
c) I could totally relate to the setting and scenery of the Japanese culture as I have been there so many times in the past 10 years!

MP

DAVID CROSS AND BOB ODENKIRK

I've been in heaven with the recent DVD releases of the brilliant 3rd season of Mr. Show as well as the film Run Ronnie Run (which BTW, Bob and David have disowned because the released "studio cut" is really not that good - but it is a must view for any Mr. Show fan)

Y'all are brutalizing meeeeee,

MP

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

One of the greatest Rock and Roll films of all time has finally gotten it's release on DVD.

This film LITERALLY changed my life when I saw it back in 1979. (see Modern Drummer's Keith Moon tribute issue from a few months ago that I contributed to)

Thankfully this DVD totally does this brilliant documentary justice and is given the full tilt extras treatment. (Audio commentary, extra footage, restoration documentarys, multiple camera angles, the Ox Cam with isolted bass tracks, awesome packaging and menus, trivia games, etc.)

A MUST HAVE if you ever wanted to know anything about one of the greatest rock bands in history.

MP

QUENTIN TARANTINO

I am happy (and relieved) to say in my humble opinion,
Kill Bill is absolutely f*cking brilliant!!!

To be honest, I was dreading that I was going to hate it (I'm not a Kung-fu fan) as the trailer looked border-line cheesey...
but boy was I VERY pleasantly surprised to be wrong!

It took 9 years, but we finally have the natural successor to Pulp Fiction that I was hoping Quentin still had in him!
(with all due respect to the well made, but not very Tarantino-esque Jackie Brown...)

All of the traits that made him such an original and fresh director when he hit the scene over 10 years ago are back in full force:
The non-linear story structure, the cracking diologue, the way hip soundtrack, the DePalma meets Scorsese direction...
and of course THE VIOLENCE!!

This film is bloodier and more violent than Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction (and Natural Born Killers for that matter) put together...

I cannot wait until Volume 2!

MP

RUSH

The new Live DVD "Rush in Rio" is awesome and a long time coming!

To be completely honest, there's not much on Disc One (the concert) that I haven't already seen or heard a million times already (including how great and crazy the Brazillian audiences are as DT has always LOVED playing there)

But Disc Two (the documentary) is the real gem and worth the price of the package alone....

Never in Rush's entire history have the fans been given such access to a close and personal look into their lives...as well as such a great look behind the scenes at their shows and tours.

Major kudos to the 3 of them for finally opening up the camera eye to their fans!

MP

GEORGE HARRISON

Watched the just released "Concert for George" DVD last night.
What a classy and touching tribute to one of my biggest heroes.
An absolute all-star cast of everybody that was a part of George's life and music: Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar and of course Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.

The ever presence of George's drop-dead look-alike son Dhani on stage for the whole show was very eerie but really cool...

And I must admit the McCartney/Clapton version of Something brought me to uncontrollable tears and was an unforgettable piece of music history that could not have been a more heartfelt tribute.

MP

FRANK ZAPPA

My #1 Hero of all my Heroes!
The day I've been waiting a VERY long time for has finally arrived:
Baby Snakes on DVD!!!

Of all the Zappa videos I have (and there's alot of em!) Baby Snakes is still my favorite....and my beat up, worn down VHS copy from 20 years ago has been in SERIOUS need of an upgrade!

Terry Bozzio, Adrian Belew, Tommy Mars, Patrick O'Hearn...(and even a young fan Warren Cuccurullo!)
This was a great band and a great period for the master!
Watch and LEARN kids!!!

MP

PS - the Roxy trailer has me DROOLING!!!!

AMORES PERROS

WOW!
How did this brilliant Mexican film escape me all these years???

What an amazing talent director Alejandro Gonzalez Iriarritu is!!
A perfect blend between Quentin Tarantino and Krzysztof Kieslowski...

I had to watch many scenes in this film with my hands halfway across my eyes being the animal/dog lover I am, but it was worth it!

Can't wait to see 21 Grams hopefully very soon...

MP

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

I'm thoroughly enjoying Comedy Central's 50 Greatest Episodes of SNL marathon....
(my new TiVo/DVD Burner is working overtime!)

Of course, I grew up on classic SNL and have always loved the old stuff (I went to a live taping in 1980 when Bill Murray and Gilda Radner were still in the cast..)

I am getting reminded of how many incredible talents have passed through the show....from Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss to Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman and Chris Farley to the newer casts with Tracey Morgan, Jimmy Fallon and Will Ferrell (who cracks me up!)

Some truly classic stuff!

MP

OK Kids, time for another years end Round up....

Best CD's of 2003:
(in no particular order)
1. Opeth - Damnation
2. A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
3. The Mars Volta - DeLoused In The Comatorium
4. Spock's Beard - Feel Euphoria
5. King Crimson - The Power To Believe
6. Radiohead - Hail To The Theif
7. Coldplay - Live
8. I Mother Earth - The Quicksilver Meat Dream
9. Derek Sherinian - Black Utopia
10. Tomahawk - Mit Gas

Honorable mentions:
1. Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
2. TransAtlantic - Live In Europe
3. Neal Morse - Testimony
4. OSI - Office Of Strategic Influence
5. Yellow Matter Custard - One Night In New York City
6. John Arch - A Twist Of Fate


Best Films of 2003:
(in no particular order)
1. City Of God
2. Irreversible
3. Kill Bill Vol.1
4. Lost In Translation
5. 21 Grams
6. American Splendor
7. A Mighty Wind
8. Elephant
9. Monster
10. Big Fish


Happy New Year everybody!!

MP

PAIN OF SALVATION

Their new acoustic live CD "12:5" is a masterwork....

It completely confirms in my opinion that Daniel Gildenlow is one of my favorite vocalists in the world and one of the most talented musicians/songwriters out there.....

MP

AMERICAN SPLENDOR

What a unique and original film!
Totally enjoyed this....
Paul Giamatti is perfectly cast.

MP

CHARLIZE THERON

Saw "Monster" tonight and I was TOTALLY blown away by her performance...
Her physical transformation is quite possibly the most incredible I've ever seen in the history of film!!

I'm still in disbelief that it was her...and her body!
Absolutely Oscar worthy..

MP

THE GREY ALBUM

What happens when you mix The Beatles' White Album with Jay-Z's Black Album?

This album has been pulled off the shelves by EMI, so you'll need to do a little searchin for it....but it's the coolest Beatles-related offshoot I've heard since Beatallica!

MP

TIM BURTON

Finally got to see "Big Fish".
What a totally magical movie!
"Forrest Gump" meets "Wizard of Oz"....

I'm shocked this disappeared so quickly and got ignored by the Academy Awards....
Albert Finney and Ewan MacGregor were both fabulous...surely one of them should have been nominated for an Oscar...????

In any case, this totally convinced me that Burton is the PERFECT choice for the upcoming Willy Wonka re-make!

MP

MEL GIBSON
(never thought I'd write that here!)

The Passion of The Christ was brutal, emotional and incredibly intense...
One of the most important historic films since Schindler's List.

MP

KING CRIMSON

Watched the new DVD "Eyes Wide Open" last night on the tour bus drive from Denver to Minneapolis...
Me and Jordan (in particular) were TOTALLY blown away!

I hate to say it, and maybe this will be controversial within Forum discussion, but these guys are the only ones left from the 70's Progressive scene (including Yes, Genesis, ELP, Jethro Tull and yes...even Rush) that are still making ground-breaking, vital and cutting edge music that stands up to anything in their back catalog....

Truly inspiring....

MP

RON AND BOBBY JARZOMBEK

I've known these guys for a long time and they never cease to completely blow my mind!!!

I've been friends with Ron since the old WatchTower days back in the late 80's...they stayed at my house in NY while on tour back in 1989...and I had the "re-united" Tower on the bill with DT back in the summer of 2000...

I've gotten to know Bobby the past few years...Jose teched for him when he was with Halford for a little while...and his instructional video "Performance and Technique" had sent me running into the woods with my tail between my legs!

These guys are both SCARY, INSANE, SICK....and GENIUSES!

If you don't know about them, then learn more here:
http://www.spasticink.com/inknews.html

...and prepare to have your minds melted!

MP

THE SOPRANOS

I almost feel that is "a given" and doesn't even need to be mentioned...but it's great to have the show back!

It still remains light years above anything else out there on TV in terms of writing, acting, direction...
Quite possibly my favorite series of all time...(at least in the top 3)

MP

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

Wow!
What a combination of creative forces at work together....

The totally abstract mind of Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation)
The haunting score from Jon Brion (The Greys, PT Anderson's films)
The groundbreaking visuals from Michel Gondry (possibly the greatest video director of all time)
And an amazing cast of which Jim Carrey gives one of the greatest porformances of his career....

One of the most original films I've ever seen and surely will be one of my favorites of 2004...

MP

WEEZER

I am in Power Pop heaven with their 2 new releases:
The "Blue Album" Deluxe Edition and the long-overdue, much-anticipated DVD "Video Capture Device" which is really an incredibly thorough look into every aspect of the band.
Great job of this one!
I really love these guys!

MP

TAKASHI MIIKE

This brilliant and daring Japanese director is like throwing John Waters, Harmony Korine, Lars Von Trier, Gasper Noe and Quentin Tarantino all in a blender (on sautee!)

I watched "Visitor Q" and "Itchi The Killer" this weekend and my mind will never be the same again!

Nothing like some happy, feel-good films containing Incest, Rape, Necrophilia, Drug abuse, Torture, Blood & Guts, Blood & Guts and more Blood & Guts!

Proceed with SERIOUS caution!

MP

CITY OF GOD

I was finally able to see this brilliant film.
WOW!
This is not only one of the best films of last year, but will EASILY be one of the best of the decade...

An epic masterpiece on the par with Goodfellas, Boogie Nights and Pulp Fiction (three of my top films of all time, so that's saying alot coming from me!)

Fernando Meirelles is a tremendous talent and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next....

MP

JIM JARMUSCH

Finally got out to see his long-awaited new film "Coffee & Cigarettes" (not to be confused with PT Anderson's "Cigarettes & Coffee"!)
Definately his most minimalistic film since "Stranger Than Paradise"

Some classic scenes and performances by a great cast...especially Iggy Pop, Alfred Molina & Steve Coogan and Cate Blanchett.

I can only recommend this film if you are already a Jarmusch fan...otherwise his pacing and subject matter (or lack of it!) may be tough for some people to sit through.

MP

NEAL MORSE

Neal's been my hero (and friend and musical partner) for so many years now most of you probably don't want to hear about it again...
But this week brought me some fresh new gratitute for our valued relationship:

1. the Testimony Live DVD was just released and is really something to be really proud of.
It is a fabulous memento of what was a truly magical band and tour...
Your MP DVD collection is absolutely incomplete without this!
The behind the scenes documentary is worth the price alone!
Get it now!!!! www.radiantrecords.com

2. Neal sent me an update of his latest tracks on the new CD we've been working on....
If I may say so myself, it is another incredible piece of work and I am honored once again to have this great musical collaboration with him.
This is going to be another prog classic very much in the vien of the TransAtlantic CD's....
Can't wait for you all to hear it!

MP

No single Hero in this entry....

With Fall's new release season upon us, I am fortunate to have a shitload of new advance CD's to digest..(the benefit of being "in the industry" and/or friends with so many bands!)

Currently in rotation in my car:
1. Fates Warning X
2. Megadeth - The System Has Failed
3. The Jelly Jam 2
4. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
5. Jordan Rudess - Rhythm Of Time
6. Marillion - Marbles (out now)
7. The Flower Kings - Adam and Eve (out now)
8. new Spock's Beard
and of course,
9. new Neal Morse
10. DT - Live At Budokan

There's some real good music comin your way folks!
Get some Q-tips and clean out your ears!

MP

METALLICA

Went and saw "Some Kind Of Monster" tonight and loved it.
I know they are so controversial and so many fans have such divided feelings on them these days (even this film will probably catch so much criticism)...but I must say I have a whole new level of respect for them personally after this film.

I can TOTALLY relate to so much in this movie.
I see so much of myself in both Lars and James...the control issues, creative frustations & complacency, addiction recovery, family commitments vs. band commitments, etc.
Alot of these feelings and potential time bombs was the stuff I went through with DT in '97-'98...

This film really is a modern day "Let It Be".
Witnessing the unraveling of a band while the cameras document the making of an album, the shelving of one album and relocation to another recording studio, a member walking out and leaving....even the hovering constant presence of their therapist was exactly like Yoko's extra presence...

I must say I have a new respect for Bob Rock though.
As much as I have openly stated my feelings for where he took the band through the 90's, he seemed like a very grounded, objective and positive mediator throughout the making of this album and movie.

And Jason Newsted and Dave Mustaine also came off incredibly respectable.

The most realistic movie about being in a band since "This is Spinal Tap"!

MP

MUSE

HOLY SHIT!!
What rock have I been living under???
How could I never have heard these guys?

John Petrucci just turned me onto their latest CD "Absolution" and I am blown away!!
(I also have to honestly say after 19 years together, this is the first time he ever introduced me to a band!!!)

I'm sure they have endlessly been compared to Radiohead, but I can't help doing it as well...
This is the album I've been waiting for Radiohead to make since The Bends and OK Computer....(plus throw in some Queen influence for good measure)

I have some serious catching up to do and a favorite new band!

MP

DANIEL GILDENLOW

I haven't stopped listening to the new Pain Of Salvation CD "BE" all weekend....
This CD takes many listens to "get", but if you're willing to invest the time, once you do - the payoff is VERY rewarding.


1st listen:
2nd listen:
3rd listen:


It is a masterpiece of incredible complexity, depth and intensity and has to be one of the most AMBITIOUS CD's ever made.

Upon first listen, I wondered if Daniel had gone off the deep end (think Brian Wilson with "Smile" or Pete Townshend with the "Lifehouse" project), but upon several listens I realized he has created a concept album as deep and dynamic as Roger Water's "Pros & Cons Of Hitchhiking" or "Amused To Death" and as theatrical as "Phantom Of The Opera" or "Jesus Christ Superstar".

Daniel Gildenlow in the same company as musical geniuses like Brian Wilson, Pete Townshend and Roger Waters? Yes my friends....he is indeed THAT talented!
(and I am privileged to have worked with him in TransAtlantic and Hammer Of The Gods)

MP

SAW

I just saw Saw (or better yet - tonight, I went to see Saw)

WOW!
What an intense and deepely disturbing film!!!
A total cross between "Seven", "Memento" and "Reservoir Dogs".

Admittedly, there were some moments of laughable acting - but that was outweighed big time by the dark and disturbing tone of this great new film.

This has the makings to be a thriller classic - I just pray it doesn't get ruined by turning it into a slasher franchise.

MP

ANTHRAX

Just got a copy of the new CD (of all the old tunes redone) "The Greater Of Two Evils"

This brought back so many memories as I grew up on the first 3 Anthrax albums...(Among The Living is one of my favorite metal albums of the 80's)
These songs sound HUGE and sooo groovin with the 2004 band and mix.

Pick this up and hear where real New York Metal started....

Between this CD, going to see Megadeth a few days ago and playing the gig with Overkill a few weeks ago, I'm having serious flashbacks to my old school metal roots!

MP

CHRISTIAN BALE

Just saw "The Machinist" and Christian Bale gives one of the most extreme performance / shocking body transformations that I've seen on film.
It is easily right up there with Charlize Theron in Monster and Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull.

The movie was also very good. Absolutely hypnotic.
Kind of Jacob's Ladder meets Angel Heart meets the Twilight Zone.
I also loved the Bernard Herrmann-esque score by Roque Banos.

MP

DIG!

This may be one of the greatest Rockumentarys I've ever seen.
It follows the love/hate relationship between psychedelic/alternative/punk bands The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre over a 7 year period.

These guys couldn't have been scripted any better....
It's all right out of Spinal Tap - but it's real!

Anton Newcombe from the BJM is one of the most eccentric "musicians" I've ever seen - walking an incredibly dark and dangerous line of destruction reminiscent of Syd Barret, Jim Morrison and GG Allen.
I would not be surprised if he's dead within the next 2 years....
A very sad, but fascinating character.

MP

TARNATION

One of the most mind-bending films I've ever seen!
(and it's a DOCUMENTARY!!)
Kind of a cross between a 20 year reality show and an acid trip!
Shades of David Lynch meets Todd Haynes.

A heart breaking story of a broken family plagued with mental illness and the undying love of the filmmaker for his mother.

A truly original piece of work and unlike any film I've seen in quite a while.

It's in very limited release at the moment, so check out www.i-saw-tarnation.com for more info...

MP