The Official Hard Rock / Classic Metal Music Discussion and Memorabilia Thread!

[BlobVanDam]

I still find the thought of christmas in summertime strange. We don't regularly have snow (although my girls really hope for it each year) but it's winter and mildly cold.

It feels strange to me too, because even here the image of Christmas constantly seen in advertising and shows is that of snow. It's as much a characteristic of Christmas as Santa and reindeer and the tree. Unfortunately, much like Santa and the flying reindeer, snow is just a myth for us Australians. So we have to just do shit our way.

[Lowdz]

Merry Christmas everyone 

We never get snow where I live. Ever. Just rain, and then more rain. When the next ice age comes it will still just rain here 
Just finished putting all the kids' stuff together and waiting for dinner.

Just had a go with the Sanpera foot controlling my other half got me. Wah wah and whammy pedal overload. I could join Metallica 

[Kwyjibo]

Some days ago it was even snowing in the sahara:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/20/stunning-photos-capture-rare-snow-sahara-desert/

[jjrock88]

I don't think the Aussie boys could even begin to wrap their heads around a winter day in Winnipeg, or in Canada.

It's been getting to -30 C or -22 F. But it's actually even colder than that with the windchill.

But then our summers can get +35 C or +95 F, and just crazy hot.

When it comes to weather, we are legit even Steven.

But as much as the Aussie boys might want to, do not go on vacation to Winnipeg in the winter. I actually just saw Jerry Seinfeld last week and the weather was the first thing he mentioned, he couldn't get over the cold.

[TAC]

JJ, even from Boston I'll give you winter props!

[jingle.boy]

Hell, I'll give you props from here.  It's +2C, and going up to +10 tomorrow.  But, we still have a foot or so of snow on the ground

Merry xmas to my peeps I haven't already reached out to over email/FB.  Make it a great one.

[TAC]

Hell, I'll give you props from here.  It's +2C, and going up to +10 tomorrow.  But, we still have a foot or so of snow on the ground

Merry xmas to my peeps I haven't already reached out to over email/FB.  Make it a great one.

Sent you a Christmas shout out on Spotify.



And WTF is 2C? English please!

[Bolsters]

The English use celsius, it's already in english.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't think the Aussie boys could even begin to wrap their heads around a winter day in Winnipeg, or in Canada.

Nope, sure couldn't. Hell, people here start up their fireplaces once the weather gets below 20C. It's embarrassing.

The English use celsius, it's already in english.

EVERYONE uses Celsius. Except 'Murica. They seem to struggle to keep up with the rest of the world when it comes to numbers and measurements.

[bl5150]

Hope you guys all had a great day.

I don't think the Aussie boys could even begin to wrap their heads around a winter day in Winnipeg, or in Canada.

It's been getting to -30 C or -22 F. But it's actually even colder than that with the windchill.

But then our summers can get +35 C or +95 F, and just crazy hot.

When it comes to weather, we are legit even Steven.

But as much as the Aussie boys might want to, do not go on vacation to Winnipeg in the winter. I actually just saw Jerry Seinfeld last week and the weather was the first thing he mentioned, he couldn't get over the cold.

I agree with pretty much all of that Jay - we have no idea what real cold is.   The lowest temp I have ever experienced would be just below zero (C) and I have never seen snow.  Having said that we do have snow fields only a 90 min drive away where it gets down to -15 C

The only thing I would differ on a bit is your definition of crazy hot.  It's 35 here at the moment and I've just been out for a kick of the football with Ben 


I'll relate a couple of fairly recent events that we would call crazy hot............at the opposite end of the spectrum to your extreme cold.


Summer 2014 :  4 consecutive days with max temps of 41-45C .  At no time (day or night) did the temp drop below 25C and one night the overnight low was 32C

Summer 2009:  The day of the world's worst ever bushfire event.   Our thermometer registered 48 C (almost 119 F)  and <2% humidity.  Winds at 100km/h.   Nuff said 

[TAC]

  I've just been out for a kick of the football with Ben 

And by football, I'm sure you mean soccer ball.

[bl5150]

  I've just been out for a kick of the football with Ben 

And by football, I'm sure you mean soccer ball.

And..........no. 

In these parts (although soccer and rugby have built up their popularity quite a lot)  football means Australian Rules Football (AFL). 

[BlobVanDam]

  I've just been out for a kick of the football with Ben 

And by football, I'm sure you mean soccer ball.

And..........no. 

In these parts (although soccer and rugby have built up their popularity quite a lot)  football means Australian Rules Football (AFL). 

Or NRL if you're in NSW. No idea what they follow in other states, nor do I really care. It's all the same sportball shit to me anyway.

[jjrock88]

And when we have the +35 weather there usually is 100% humidity in the air, so that makes it hotter. But what we classify as crazy hot you would classify as just hot.

But with the cold comes hockey and I assume hockey isn't the most popular in Austrailia lol

[bl5150]

And when we have the +35 weather there usually is 100% humidity in the air, so that makes it hotter. But what we classify as crazy hot you would classify as just hot.

But with the cold comes hockey and I assume hockey isn't the most popular in Austrailia lol

We have a holiday house (the bane of my existence) in Queensland where it gets up into the low 30's with super high humidity .......I actually find it a nice change , so maybe I should pay you a visit    .  It is a very different type of heat but I'm not sure it would bother me more than low single digits humidity which literally takes your breath away and there's no need for anti-perspirant

As far as hockey goes , Australia is consistently in the top few teams in the world (male and female) in outdoor hockey , but it's still a fringe sport.  Ice hockey (which is what you're referring to I imagine) is basically non existent.

[wolfking]

And when we have the +35 weather there usually is 100% humidity in the air, so that makes it hotter. But what we classify as crazy hot you would classify as just hot.

But with the cold comes hockey and I assume hockey isn't the most popular in Austrailia lol

We have a holiday house (the bane of my existence) in Queensland where it gets up into the low 30's with super high humidity .......I actually find it a nice change , so maybe I should pay you a visit    .  It is a very different type of heat but I'm not sure it would bother me more than low single digits humidity which literally takes your breath away and there's no need for anti-perspirant

As far as hockey goes , Australia is consistently in the top few teams in the world (male and female) in outdoor hockey , but it's still a fringe sport.  Ice hockey (which is what you're referring to I imagine) is basically non existent.

Next time you are up bro, we are definitely meeting up for a drink or coffee, needs to happen, I will make sure of it this time mate.

[bl5150]

Cool 


This Best of 2016 podcast is going to have be across 2 big shows - I had forgotten so much stuff from this year but now that I'm going through it methodically it's very  .  But if I am to achieve what I want (expose you guys to most of the best releases, cover everyone's tastes to some extent and let you guys decide what's the best of the best for you) it's going to be way too big for one show. 

Will try and have both done by mid Feb and the first out there during January.   


Ben asked me to wish you all a "rocking Christmas"     - I will try and find a Christmas photo later if I remember.

[jjrock88]

Did you get Ben any metal/rock cd's? That kid has potential to be the worlds top rocker so you need to continue with the proper training

[BlobVanDam]

I'm not convinced that 2016 warrants 2 shows. So I look forward to hopefully discovering something I'd missed. I found 2016 disappointing compared to previous years, although there are a couple of albums I really liked.

[bl5150]

Did you get Ben any metal/rock cd's? That kid has potential to be the worlds top rocker so you need to continue with the proper training

 

There is one thing he loves more than music and that's his football team .  Most of his presents were footy related but over his school holidays hopefully we'll be listening to plenty of music and doing the podcast. 

He has a pretty limited attention span so won't sit down and listen/watch music for hours like we might , but as he gets older hopefully he will develop that ability and perhaps take up the guitar etc.....like his old man did as a kid.   That's the only way I might get back into it myself - teaching him and re-learning along the way.

I don't deal much in CD's any more either - they're all ripped to disk and played via digital means.  New music is generally digital now unless it's from one of my all time favourite bands.   I have an amazing stereo system but 99% of my music is played in my study through the little Swan system I have , which does still have very nice sound.

[bl5150]

I'm not convinced that 2016 warrants 2 shows.

That could mean that Kade needs 3 shows.


I would guess that I have liked maybe 10 -15 % of what I have listened to this year , so yeah...................but I would've checked out over 1000 albums .

[BlobVanDam]

That percentage sounds about right for me, although I've only checked out maybe 1/100 of what you have. Haven't felt all that inspired by this year's offerings.
I can't wait to hear your choices, hopefully including the few I've enjoyed.

[jjrock88]

1000 albums this year............wowzers

[bl5150]

1000 albums this year............wowzers

3 per day and it doesn't sound so nuts

[Bolsters]

I'd be surprised if I broke 100 albums this year. I found some great stuff but the quantity seemed lacking, though admittedly I need to return to a great deal of those albums and will probably change my mind on some of them.

[Kwyjibo]

I'm happy if I can listen to about 20 new records thoroughly (meaning about 10 spins per record) and maybe 20 to 30 more records with one or two listens per year.

[bl5150]

I'm happy if I can listen to about 20 new records thoroughly (meaning about 10 spins per record) and maybe 20 to 30 more records with one or two listens per year.

There's the difference - in trying to keep across everything that moves I don't think I would've listened to any album for 10 spins this year.  And when I say "checked out" I mean sampled 1-3 songs and made a decision to follow up properly or not.  I certainly didn't listen to 1000 albums from 2016 from start to finish.

If we're talking albums from 2016 that I listened to all the way through (generally means a rating 75%+) then we're talking more like 200-250 or < 1 per day.

Aside from an exception here or there nothing will be considered for the podcast unless it got low 80's or better.

[wolfking]

I'm not convinced that 2016 warrants 2 shows.

That could mean that Kade needs 3 shows.


I would guess that I have liked maybe 10 -15 % of what I have listened to this year , so yeah...................but I would've checked out over 1000 albums .

I was actually going to agree with Blob!    But seeing you have checked over 1000 albums, fair enough.  Doubt I would have cracked 50 I reckon.

Brent, who's Ben's team?

[wolfking]

Having a listen to this new Enbound for the first time.  It's pretty damn good actually.

[bl5150]

Having a listen to this new Enbound for the first time.  It's pretty damn good actually.

You do need 3 shows       Certainly solid but that was about it for me.

Brent, who's Ben's team?

Collingwood Magpies in the AFL.   And for those in the US that's like the Yankees - if you don't love them , you hate them.

[wolfking]

Looking forward to them then Brent.  *rubs hands together.*

Ah, I thought it may have been AFL, Eddie McGuire would be very proud of Ben.  I'm an NRL man myself.

[TAC]

Having a listen to this new Enbound for the first time.  It's pretty damn good actually.

I haven't had time to really check it out yet. I will do so later today or tomorrow. I was big on their first album.

[bl5150]

Having a listen to this new Enbound for the first time.  It's pretty damn good actually.

I haven't had time to really check it out yet. I will do so later today or tomorrow. I was big on their first album.

Looking at my song ratings it looks like this:


Latest Album - solid throughout , no standouts

Debut:  Solid throughout , 3 standouts.


.........and gawd some of the production on these 2016 releases is woeful.

[Samsara]

One of the cooler things I got for Christmas was a VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA, the coffee table retrospective book chronicling the story of well, Pantera.  I haven't read it yet, but I love books like this. I'm a big reader, and while this one doesn't have nearly the kind of text the Metallica version (there is one called Back to the Front that I have), it's going to be a cool trip down Pantera fandom when I get around to reading it. I also have another one apparently coming (Santa was mad that it wasn't available for Christmas) that depicts the history of the L'Amour rock/metal club in New York City (I'm from Long Island). Looking forward to checking that out.

[Lowdz]

  I've just been out for a kick of the football with Ben 

And by football, I'm sure you mean soccer ball.

And..........no. 

In these parts (although soccer and rugby have built up their popularity quite a lot)  football means Australian Rules Football (AFL).

You're both wrong. Football should only ever mean the beautiful game and should never be used to describe games were using your foot is an incidental part of the game