Music: A to Z 08.07.09: F is for...

Posted by Chris Crowing on 08.07.2009

...Faith No More, Filter and Funeral for a Friend



It's alternative rock a-go-go this week, with two of the biggest bands from the nineties coming up next to a band I used to hate, and now kind of like. So, I'm fickle, deal with it...



Movies

Last night's DVD, Knowing starring the occasionally excellent Nicolas Cage is possibly the worst major movie I have seen in years. Usually I've got a soft spot for sci-fi tinged, effects laden disaster movies (Roland Emmerich specials) but this one fell flat on it's face.

There was too much maundering between set pieces, and then the plot advances too quickly to follow and while a sense of grim foreboding was built with consummate skill, I just couldn't CARE about any of the characters - especially once it was apparent that the end of the world was nigh, and everyone was fracked, whatever happened.

Then the tacky sci-fi with the men-in-black 'whisper men' and their CGI spaceship (there is no 'wow' factor in a well rendered spaceship anymore folks) was tacked on, and worse it came across as unexplained and unnecessary.

These type of movies should always have some uplifting moral, that bravery, ingenuity or compassion will somehow save the day for some of us (see Independence Day, the Day After Tomorrow, or the Day the Earth Stood Still.) This one doesn't, and the underlying theme seems to be resignation to defeat, and I can never get behind that.

Dodgy characterisation, a lumpen plot and a total lack of empathy makes this one of the most soulless and uninspiring movies I have ever seen - and what's worse, it was directed by Alex Proyas, so we KNOW he can do better!

MMA

Re: Fedor NOT signing with UFC. I appreciate that Fedor's management want to use his reputation to turn M1-Global into a worldwide brand, rather than a glorified management company that has promoted some cards in Russia, but the concept of them 'co-promoting' with the UFC is ludicrous.

While Fedor remains under contract, I can see the logic in their reasoning, but at the end of the day it is a farcical demand. Management contracts do not translate to co-promotion: why should Dana White cheapen his (and let's not forget the Fertittas') years of hard work establishing the UFC brand so some jumped up Russians can try to piggyback on that while promoting their own brand?

It would be like every game Carlos Tevez had played for Manchester United being billed as MSI & Just Sports Inc. in association with Manchester United vs. Whoever.

As well as being over-greedy and controlling, I think this is a short sighted move by M-1. I'd agree to let Fedor fight in UFC, with all those nice cherries (£30 million, first fight at title shot at Lesnar etc.) as in the worst case, they'd have 10% of his purse, and get their M-1 promotional gear seen in millions of homes.

However, if Fedor is the fighter he is reputed to be he would beat Lesnar and run roughshod over the UFC Heavyweight division, and his deal (five fights? I can't remember) would run out with him as an Undefeated UFC Heavyweight Champion. At that point, M-1 can start building cards around their M-1 Undisputed Champion of the world, with a far stronger hand to play and a few years grace to build a roster.

Perhaps they just don't have THAT much faith in Fedor?

UFC 101 Predictions

BJ Penn defeats Kenny Florian via submission in the 3rd round to retain the Lightweight title
- Kenny saying he would submit BJ is just a bad idea, he is NOT a man to piss off. For all that Kenny is on a roll and BJ is coming off the biggest beating of his career, Penn is different level at Lightweight and I think his jiujitsu and incisive strking will be too much for Florian.

Forrest Griffin defeats Anderson Silva via choke in the 2nd round
- yes, that is just because I like Forrest, and I'd rather see Silva beaten (and Forrest elevated) and sent back to Middleweight - what's the point in Silva being a Light Heavy when he won't fight Machida as they are team-mates? OK, in reality Silva will up his game and bring the Muay Thai, and Forrest will likely soak up plenty of hits without getting much chance to get stuck back in. If Forrest takes it down, he could win, but in a stand up he needs to TKO Silva or he'll get KO'd or outpointed.



* Please note, all 'Best...' designations are merely this writers opinion, and stand as a recommendation for new fans, rather than an attempt to make a definitive statement. I'll likely change my mind by next week anyway.

Faith No More

What: Alternative music demi-gods, forefathers of nu-metal.
From: San Francisco, California
In the Beginning: Formed in 1981, released debut album We Care A Lot with singer Chuck Mosely in 1985, replaced Mosely with Mike Patton in 1988 and breakthrough record The Real Thing in 1989
Best Album*: The Real Thing, Angel Dust, King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime, Album of the Year
Best Song*: "Epic", "Falling to Pieces", "Jizzlobber", "the Gentle Art of Making Enemies", "Ashes to Ashes"
Recently...: The band split after Album of the Year in 1998 and reformed as a touring concern in February 2009, playing many European shows this summer. Hope remains of a new album at some stage...

I won't even attempt a play by play of this band's career.

Faith No More are a band I came to very late in the day. I had never heard of the band until they performed "Ashes to Ashes" on TFI Friday in about 1997 or 1998, although that did compel me to request Album of the Year for my Christmas - in fact, it was my first ever CD.



Ok, so that's the less fun TOTP performance, but all the TFI Friday one's are 'embedding disabled...' BOO!

Come to think of it, the first time I heard FnM was quite a few years earlier when my roommate at a Scripture Union camp (believe it or not, your cynical agnostic writer went to SU summer camps for a few years, thanks Dad!) was an older kid who liked Faith No More, and Jim Martin in particular because they we 'sick, sad and ugly like me.' That kind of thing tends to confuse a sheltered twelve year old, but I still remember that conversation sixteen years later, so it must have made some kind of impression.



It was quite a few years later, after consuming all that nu-metal and thrash could throw at me that I started digging back towards the alternative scene of the early 90s to see what I could find, and from that search (amongst other things) came FNM.



They are a band I have loved more and more as I have got older, seeing their widespread influence in almost all facets of alternative music to come after them. Their ability to lurch wildly between MTV favoured pop fare like their cover of the Commodores "Easy" to profanity laden, comparatively heavy tunes like "the Gentle Art of Making Enemies" is very impressive to me, as I always like bands to show a little variety in their output and their influences.



It's hard to say who is responsible for this, but a lot of praise tends to go towards maverick front man Mike Patton, who has shown in his varied work aside from FNM (check out Peeping Tom, Fantomas, Tomahawk and Mr Bungle amongst other things) that he is an artist of rare versatility, not to mention just a hint of insanity.



It shows that I came to FNM well 'after the fact' as my favourite albums (for listening to as an album, if you know what I mean) are Album of the Year and King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime when the established classics are the Real Thing and Angel Dust. It is a source of considerable annoyance to me that I missed out on the period of music which seems to work best for me by the sheer expedient of being too young, and too British - I spent the early 90s listening to Oasis and techno, when I really wish (in hindsight) that I'd been listening to FNM, White Zombie, Alice in Chains and Megadeth. Dammit!

I have to be honest and say that FNM are a band who hold my deepest respect, and I see their place in music's pantheon of legends as being assured. However, due to the fact that I missed them at the time, they will never really be one of my personal 'top' acts. That said, the fact that many of the bands I DO hold close to my heart are clearly very influenced by FNM (Deftones and System of a Down for example) surely counts for something.

In short, classically, lengendarily awesome band, juts not one that's especially close to my heart - but there are literally millions of alternophiles out there who would kiss their feet and declare them walking gods. I'm not kidding...



Filter

What: Industrial Rock Paragons
From: Cleveland, Ohio
In the Beginning: A member of the original (touring) lineup of Nine Inch Nails, Richard Patrick left and started his own band, resulting in the debut album Short Bus in 1995.
Best Album*: Short Bus or Title of Record
Best Song*: "Hey Man, Nice Shot", "Take A Picture", "Dose", "Welcome to the Fold"
Recently...: Following the release of the Amalgamut Patrick checked himself into rehab in 2002, and Filter were on hiatus for some time as he worked on side projects the Damming Well and Army of Anyone. Comeback record Anthems for the Damend was released in May 2008, a greatest hits compilation was released in March 2009 and Patrick has said he has started the writing for the next record which will take the band back to their industrial roots. Kickass...

Filter are one of those bands that I liked for years before I actually knew who they were. Their iconic and memorable first single "Hey Man, Nice Shot" must have been used in more trailers and TV spots than I can even count, you know the one...



Formed by former Nine Inch Nails member Richard Patrick, Filter (like Faith No More) are one of that generation of alternative rock/metal/industrial bands who revolutionised the way we think about alternative music and trod all over the genre boundaries, which gives us today's varied pantheon of acts.

From his industrial roots, Patrick led his band down a more conventional, anthemic alt rock route, perhaps best signified by their best known single, apparently written as a reaction to the furore when Patrick got absolutely gazebo'd (copyright, Michael McIntyre) on an plane flight. Sorry to disrupt anyone's misconception that this is a nice love song...



Again, in keeping with their contemporaries, Filter haven't been the most prolific band with only four full length albums (Title of Record, the Amalgamut and Anthems for the Damned and the debut Short Bus) to show for their almost 20 year career.

Indeed, last years Anthems for the Damned appeared at a time when Filter had been a serious contender for a 'Whatever Happened To...' column...



I was DEEPLY annoyed that Filter announced and then cancelled a UK tour for this past Spring, apparently due to touring commitments in the States - why announce a tour, then cancel it - bitches! For all that, I will surely go and see them if and when they decide its worth flying over the wide ocean to play some shows. That's not too much to expect from a rock band, is it?

Funeral for a Friend

What: Welsh Emo Rockers
From: Bridgend, Wales
In the Beginning: Formed in 2002, the band recorded EPs, winning Kerrrang!'s Best British Newcomer award in 2003. Full length debut Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation released in October 2003.
Best Album*: Hours, Tales Don't Tell Themselves
Best Song*: "Juneau", "Streetcar", "History", "All The Rage", "Out of Reach", "All Hands on Deck: Raise the Sail"
Recently...: Memory & Humanity released in October 2008, the band have been touring the album since and have a greatest hits record scheduled for release in September 2009.

In the beginning, I HATED Funeral for a Friend. It was so easy. At the time when 'emo' was first becoming the hot scene for arrogant little bitches to start bugging the shit out of me with, Funeral were the banner band for the new generation in Britain.

With their early work having the same quite/loud dynamic and heartbroken, dear diary lyrics as the likes of Finch, it was so very easy, and felt so very right for the thrash lover in me to hate them with a fire burning hotter than the sun.

That said, I quite liked their initial big hit....


Yes, my hypocrisy knows no bounds!

Over the years, my stance of hatred against all things emo has softened (well against the better class of music, more than the scene, which I still hate with a passion) and FFAF's next record payed that leniency off by being an entirely more satisfying beast.

Showing increased metalcore and Iron Maiden influences, as well as some more poignant song writing, almost worthy of fellow Welshmen the Manic Street Preachers, the Hours album was the one that really made me like them.



My girlfriend REALLY hates that song, but I can't help enjoying the roll of that main riff, and the (for once) well realised emo-aesthetic with the voice-over bit and the concept of a song as a break-up letter. It was never that the concept was that bad, just that it is usually done so petulantly.

However, Hours has real strength in depth with songs like "Monsters", "All the Rage", "History" and "Alvarez" having real bite and showing a real development in the songwriting department.

The album which followed was even better as Tales Don't Tell Themselves found Funeral striding into their maturity as a rock band, no longer demonstrably attached to any particular genre.



Tunes like "Into Oblivion" made their way into mainstream media, but my favourite song has to be "All Hands on Deck: Raise the Sail" which manages to push Funeral more in the direction of both Coheed & Cambria and Guns 'N Roses best work. Further songs like "Out of Reach" showed the depth of their newfound confidence.



Most recent album Memory & Humanity was apparently written and recorded in a week, and that kind of shows as the songs are not as satisfying or developed as the previous two records.

Apparently, the album shows more of their old 'screamo' tendencies than the previous two records, but as single "Kicking and Screaming" shows, it seems they are following the tried and tested Idlewild pattern of starting off as cult noise mongers and eventually mellowing out, to the point where I can see FFAF playing semi-acoustic folksy shows in five years time. Not that that is a bad thing, especially considering that many of the bigger emo songs are better in their acoustic versions...



Ray Church came back to say Hey Chris, thanks for replying. I wasn't so much whining (I like most of your choices, and I too am a nu-metal mark), but the Darkness is one of those bands that really pisses me off, and comparing them to AC / DC is a big stretch, and least in my ears.

Good calls this time, although most of the Eels links are down before you posted it. And seriously, check out the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. They only released one album, but Michael Franti is one of the quintessential hiphop writers...

Could have added Everlast to this week, but thanks for introducing us to the Eels.

In fairness I would never compare the Darkness to AC/DC in terms of quality, impact or importance, but you have to appreciate that many of their riffs come from the AC/DC 101 template.

I shall certainly check out the Disposable Heroes... and Everlast was short listed for this week, but lost out to the better known white-boy rapper. Probably next time.

Tyler had this gem to add sorry to derail the Amy bashing but Ben didn't write Fallen. he said in an interview before that Amy wrote 90% of it. her writing style and perspective simply changed, which is to be expected considering most of the songs on the album were written when she was in her teens. she evolved from feeling helpless and trapped and waiting for someone to save her to a woman strong on her own feet. she's noted the difference herself by acknowledging that a lot of the writing on Fallen was metaphorical in nature--a form of masking her feelings. The Open Door's lyrics became more honed, blunter, as she felt more freedom to express herself.

in conclusion, Amy will be back to dominate the globe once again in 2010. look for continued success and yet more multi-platinum certifications. xo...

and Ross S had my back before I'd even read it with In response to Tyler:

Where was this interview that Ben Moody admitted Amy writing 90% of Fallen, would be interested in reading it since I read an interview my self back when fallen was released where Amy and Ben discussed how Ben wrote the heavier side of the music and Amy was left to the classical side, and they took a 50/50 approach to it.

I believe that is the point that Chris was making, that once one half of that duo are removed, in his personal taste, the songs became less driving and interesting.

I have heard a number of songs that Ben Moody has co written with people since he left Evanescence and you can still definitely hear the part he played in Fallen on them.

Isn't it great when the kids fight? Ross has it on the nose with my feelings, but I'll break it down in simple terms.

Fallen was written by Moody and Amy Lee together, and was quite good.
the Open Door was written by Amy Lee, with some contribution from Terry Balsamo and was not.

Do you see the variable? Good. Ben Moody > Terry from Cold. Oh, and Amy Lee (for all her undoubted talent) needs reigned in by a stronger musical presence.

As for the writing on the Open Door being blunter and more adult, I just don't see it - there is plenty of allegory and metaphor on that album, and I'd say Fallen was pretty direct - it's not hard to see what "Bring Me to Life", "Everybody's Fool" and "Going Under" are about - true, they are about feeling suffocated and wanting to 'break out' but that is not in my mind a childish aspect, it is more that some 'adults' submerge themselves in the mundane and settle for less.

In fact, the wantonly arrogant lyrics on the Open Door come across as far more childish to me, like the kid who discovers that they are popular and turns into the bully they used to hate.

Of course, lyrics are always and forever open to an infinite variety of interpretation, but that's how I see it.

Doubtless, Evanescence's next album will do well commercially, and perhaps a whole new generation of baby Goths will fall in love with them - especially if it is watered down, pander-to-the-masses nonsense without real bite, or lyrical insight as seems likely (that approach is doing really well for quite a few formerly interesting bands, like Green Day.)

As to it being any good, being musically or lyrically interesting, we shall see, but I wouldn't hold my breath...

Anyways, let me leave you with this slice of wisdom...



...thanks for reading, and please come back next week for the letter G, and a writer who will have turned 28 in the interim. Damn, I'm getting old...

Slainte,
Chris Crowing

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