Nirvana and The Beatles are two amazing bands respectively; both were at the top of their games in their separate eras and continue to have a massive influence on artists today, but when I heard about Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl reuniting as Nirvana but with Sir Paul McCartney replacing the legendary Kurt Cobain, I was unconvinced. The idea of the 90’s grunge sound of Nirvana being belted out by co-vocalist of 60’s rock and roll group The Beatles just seems so wrong, especially as both bands existed more or less 30 years apart. While I love both bands a great deal, the styles of their music are worlds apart and I can’t comprehend combining the two.
Nirvana’s surviving members, including touring guitarist Pat Smear, and McCartney joined forces for a very worthy cause however – a relief concert held on 12/12/12 in support of the victims of Hurricane Sandy. And unlike the Nirvana songs I thought they would be playing, the four performed an original song called ‘Cut Me Some Slack.’ It’s (surprisingly) not bad either; the entire song has a Beatles’ ‘Helter Skelter’ vibe to it, with Cobain-esque vocals and an equal mixture of the signature sounds of Nirvana and The Beatles met with the music of the guitars and Grohl’s insane drumming talents.
The entire performance is borderline awesome - each person up on that stage is a legend in their own right. It’s also great to see that at the grand old age of 70, Paul McCartney’s still got it.
The third set of songs to come from My Chemical Romance’s originally
scrapped album Conventional Weapons were released yesterday.
‘The World Is Ugly’ and ‘The Light Behind Your Eyes,’ have
proven to be two of the most beautiful songs that the band have ever produced. They’re
full of pure energy and meaning and feeling, with invoking lyrics and what I
think is the rawest sound on any MCR songs since their first album. For me, ‘The
World is Ugly’ and ‘The Light Behind Your Eyes’ lead a clear pathway to Danger
Days, particularly the songs ‘SING’ and ‘The Kids From Yesterday.’
I can’t really find the words to capture either of the songs.
‘The World Is Ugly’ and ‘The Light Behind Your Eyes’ are two songs that move
you; they’re striking and inspiring. I
love both songs. They are proof that My
Chemical Romance are one of the most perfect rock bands in existence.
Conventional Weapons Number Three can be purchased on iTunes
here.
‘Dig Up Her Bones’ is the first song I ever heard by the Misfits and even after listening to (and loving) their other songs, this one has remained my favourite.
The song is just completely great. While it’s not the best example of the typical Misfits sound due to it being the first single to come from the reformed band, after the break-up of the original band in 1983, their heavy influence on rock, metal and punk music has stayed strong. I personally think that the Misfits are one of the best things to come out of the late-70′s rock music scene.
‘Dig Up Her Bones’ can be found on the Misfits’ 1997 album, American Psycho, an album that is definitely worth checking out (especially the song ‘Crimson Ghost.’) The early Misfits sound is best showcased by ‘Die, Die My Darling,’ another really awesome song.
Most fans of rock music will agree that the majority of classic Christmas songs are aged and cheesy and overplayed, and it’s hard to escape them. So this is my playlist of some of my favourite Christmas songs, either created or covered by some of the best in rock music…
1. LostAlone – I Want Christmas Always
‘I Want Christmas Always’ is potentially one of the most perfect Christmas songs ever, everything about it screams festive spirit. LostAlone’s take on Christmas combines rock music and catchy riffs with signature elements of a classic Christmas song – including ‘ding-dongs’ and jingling bells – to create a song that is up there with the best. It always leaves me with a smile on my face and feeling super festive.
2. blink-182
Where to start with blink-182? They’ve made three great Christmas songs, all of them with the signature blink-182 sound. The lyrics in both ‘I Won’t Be Home For Christmas’ and ‘Happy Holidays, You Bastard’ are probably the most anti-Christmas lyrics possible for a Christmas song, yet I still always listen to them around this time of year to get me in the festive spirit. The band recently unveiled a new song from their upcoming EP, ‘dogs eating dogs,’ called ‘Boxing Day’ – while it’s only standard blink-182, with a folksy spin on their sound, it’s still a pretty good song.
3. Fall Out Boy – Yule Shoot Your Eye Out
‘Yule Shoot Your Eye Out’ is a typical FOB masterpiece and manages to be un-Christmassy whilst still being a Christmas song, which I guess the title defines well. Opening with the sound of sleigh bells and ending with an electronic snippet of Christmas carol ‘Deck the Halls,’ the lyrics refer to Christmas in a completely un-festive way. Its acoustic sound makes a nice change from all the cheer from classic Christmas songs, and it’s Fall Out Boy, so of course it’s going to be an awesome song.
4. All Time Low – Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass
The pop-punk sound and cheeky lyrics of All Time Low are what really make this song; like the classic Christmas songs, it’s catchy and it’s funny, but ‘Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass’ sounds nothing like the classic Christmas songs, which makes it 10x better. I love this song and it always leaves me looking forward to the holiday.
5. The Killers
Like with blink-182, there’s not much I can say about The Killers’ Christmas songs – they speak for themselves. Every year the band come out with a new song specially for the season, and every year they are amazing.
6. No Doubt – Oi To The World
I’m a fan of anything No Doubt, but their ska twist on this song (originally by The Vandals) is brilliant and manages to be a Christmas song without sound even remotely Christmassy, except from the guitar which maintains the sound of a festive song throughout.
7. My Chemical Romance – All I Want For Christmas Is You
In the first 40 seconds of this song, the only way you’d be able to tell that this is a My Chemical Romance cover of the classic Mariah Carey song (an unlikely choice, I know) is Gerard Way’s distinctive vocals. The full band make themselves known eventually though and pull the song off so well; I especially love the raw edge they’ve put on what is otherwise the classic Christmas song I hate the most. Basically, MCR’s take on this song makes for one of the best Christmas covers of all time.
8. Kids In Glass Houses – Secret Santa
This is the final song on the list, and with good reason. I don’t think I can put into words how much I love this song, it’s just so amazing. As much as I love Kids In Glass Houses, I don’t think I expected anything this good when I heard about their Christmas song. It’s made me feel even more Christmassy than I already did, which I didn’t think was possible. I love the video that accompanies it too.
So that’s my list of some of the most awesome Christmas songs of all time, in no particular order because they’re all bound to leave you in the festive spirit and looking forward to Christmas. Less than two weeks to go now!
I can never pin-point exactly what it is I like about this
song, I just find it insanely beautiful. A combination of soaring riffs, Billy
Corgan's simultaneously gravelly yet soft voice and inspired lyrics, it's a
song I can listen to again and again without ever tiring of it; it's possibly one
of the most perfect love songs ever. 'Stand Inside Your Love' is the epitome of
the classic Smashing Pumpkins sound, and the video accompanying it is
completely mesmerizing too.
The song
can be found on the band’s fifth studio album, Machina/The Machines Of God.
