The Legend of Pearl Jam
There’s no question that the 1990s gave us one of the most popular rock and roll bands in history. It was in this decade that we first heard of the music of the would be legend, Pearl Jam. Thanks to the band member’s outstanding talent and artistry, their popularity and music merch sales haven’t dimmed. This is despite the fact that they have made controversial stands in relation to social and political issues.
One other explanation behind the band’s enduring quality is its strong following and fan base. Millions continue to listen to Eddie Vedder on lead vocals and guitar, Matt Cameron on drums, Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Jeff Ament on bass guitar and Mike McCreedy on lead guitar.
Enduring Popular Band Discography
With impressive album sales of 60 million worldwide, Pearl Jam definitely has staying power over its contemporaries from the 1990s. This comes as no surprise as its songs are as relevant today as it was 20 years ago, the themes touching on subjects ranging from the personal to the social and political.
The band’s inexhaustible energy is apparent in the volume of work that they’ve churned out. To date, they have a total of nine albums, two compilations and six live albums. Aside from their own work, they have collaborated with other big name artists such as Mother Love Bone, Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog.
The 9 studio albums with their release year are as follows: Ten (1991), Vs. (1993), Vitalogy (1994), No Code (1996), Yield (1998), Binaural (2000), Riot Act (2002), Pearl Jam (2006) and Backspacer (2009).
Diverse Musical Influences
There is no doubt that the band has its own unique and noticeable mark. Most hardcore fans would know though that it is difficult to pin Pearl Jam entirely on one category. Although the group is generally considered a classical or punk rock band, they have successfully fused a number of musical elements from different genres.
The variety of influences can clearly be noticed across the band’s albums. Ten is strongly alternative rock while No Code is considered more Garage Rock. Vitalogy evinces a noticeable punk rhythm. Yield belongs more to the category of rock and roll while Binaural is more within the realm of art rock. Riot Act is perhaps the most unusual with elements of folk rock. The band’s self titled album is more definitive because of its return to the alternative influence. Backspacer is perhaps the most in tune with popular culture and music.
Because of the band’s variety of music quality, the band’s influence also encompasses bands from different genres. Bands that reflect Pearl Jam’s work include alternative band Silverchair, rock band The Strokes and post grunge band Puddle of Mud. More bands influenced by the group are perhaps currently in the works.
The great thing about the group is that its members are more than just rock musicians. They are also highly involved members of society. Eddie Vedder in particular has openly used his popularity as leverage when speaking out about such concerns as wildlife protection, Chrohn’s disease and voter registration.
Pearl Jam continues to demolish the image that rock stars are wasted individuals in search of fame and fortune, often with no regard to their surroundings. And with music worthy to jam to through the generations, we may have just found for ourselves the band to worship at the altar of music or at the very least on band posters.
Iron Maiden- The Legends of Heavy Metal
It isn’t an understatement to say that Iron Maiden is now on a pedestal of its own. After more than three decades as a band, the group still manages to sell albums and music merch and inspire numerous novice bands and performers.
As of today, the group has sold 75 million records worldwide. For this accomplishment and for their work, they have been included in the Hollywood RockWalk. To further illustrate the wide and enduring influence of this band, one only has to look at the various films, video games and songs in which the group is mentioned. The continuing popularity of Iron Maiden simply can’t be stopped.
Band History
Despite their near legend status, the group has had some experience in changing lineups. It was Steve Harris who founded the first group in December of 1975. The band’s name is taken from the torture tool called iron maiden used in the film The Man in the Iron Mask. Other than Harris who is the band’s bassist, backup vocals and studio keyboardist, guitarist David Murray shares the distinction of being the member who has been with the group the longest.
Other current members include Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals, Adrian Smith on guitar and backing vocals; Janick Gers on guitar; and Nicko McBrain on drums and percussion while Michael Kenney performs with the group during live performances as the keyboardist. The former members were either fired from or left the group due to personal and professional differences. These former members were Doug Sampson and Clive Burr on drums and percussions; Paul Di’Anno, Paul Day and Dennis Wilcock on lead vocals; and Dennis Stratton on guitars and backing vocals.
Albums Out
Iron Maiden has had an outstanding thirty releases spanning more than three decades of their music career. Of this number, fourteen are studio albums, four are EPs, five are compilations and seven are live Iron Maiden albums. Their work has led to the band’s inclusion in numerous charts and lists including the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement, the VH1 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and the MTV Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time.
Just to describe a few of the 14 studio albums released in the three-decade long career of Iron Maiden:
• Iron Maiden (1980)- This is the eponymous debut album of the band, which contains classics like The Phantom of the Opera, Sanctuary and, of course, Iron Maiden
• The Number of the Beast (1982)- Widely considered as one of the most influential albums in the heavy metal genre, it is also the band’s highest-selling album with worldwide sales of over 14 million, not to mention that this is also the debut of Bruce Dickinson as lead vocalist
• Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)- Probably the most lyrical of the group’s body of work, it centers on topics like mysticism, prophecy, reincarnation and the afterlife
• The Final Frontier (2010)- This is the band’s latest and fifteenth album slated for release in late summer and is gearing up to be yet another reason to worship at the altar of the Iron Maiden
There is simply no way to sink Iron Maiden. With their outstanding work and huge following, it’s likely they will get enshrined in music immortality or at least in thousands of band posters.
Fall For Bring Me the Horizon’s Metalcore
Compared to other bands, Bring Me the Horizon hasn’t been around for very long. Nonetheless, it is obvious that like any other band, this one from Sheffield, Yorkshire aspires to launch an international music merch invasion. The may be on the right track to it.
The band’s name isn’t a complete unknown. Movie fans would recognize it as a line from Captain Jack Sparrow, “Now bring me that horizon,” from the popular movie Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. For a metalcore group, the name seems a bit whimsical but fans don’t even seem to care.
Band Story and Albums Out
The history of Bring Me the Horizon spans three periods at present. First, the early years from 2004 to 2007 starting with the formation of the band. The members came from the defunct bands in the local area with Oliver Sykes on lead vocals, Lee Malia on lead guitar, Matt Kean on bass guitar, Matt Nicholls on drums and percussion, and Curtis Ward on rhythm guitar. Jona Weinhofen later replaced Ward and then taking on the roles of keyboardist, programmer and vocalist.
During this period, their debut album Count Your Blessings was released in October 2006 and August 2007 in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively. Bring Me the Horizon also toured with I Killed the Prom Queen, Lostprophets, The Haunted, The Blackout, and Killswitch Engage in addition to playing at the 2007 Download Festival.
The years 2008 to 2009 marked a second phase for the group and was highlighted by the leave taking of Curtis Ward. Jona Weinhofen was tapped to occupy the vacant spot but initially on a temporary capacity. In 2009 however, Weinhofen became a permanent member of the band and even took on a number of additional responsibilities.
Around this period, the group came up with the second Bring Me the Horizon album. The release of Suicide Season met with better reception than the first release. This was mainly because the second album took on a more metalcore approach than the first one. It went on to take the 28th slot in the Australian ARIA Albums chart.
Close to the end of 2009, Suicide Season: Cut Up!, a remixed version of the original was released. Unlike the original, this one came infused with a variety of musical elements including electro and hip hop. This is most likely because of the contribution of many individuals including Sonny Moore and Shawn Crahan.
The group’s third period spans 2009 to the present and, hopefully, the release of the third Being Me the Horizon album. It is slated for release in the summer of 2010, an event that many fans are eagerly awaiting for.
Band Awards
The group has been recognized on several occasions for their music. The most notable recognitions for Bring Me the Horzion include the 2006 Kerrang! Award for Best British Newcomer, Rock Sound Best British Band and Best Album. Barely two years later though, music listeners seemed to have turned against the group voting it the Worst Band of 2008 in the Kerrang! Reader’s poll. Suicide Season was subsequently named the Worst Album.
Despite mixed reception however, the group has showed no signs of throwing the towel. There may be a couple more years of getting featured on band posters for this young group.
All Time Low Rises Higher Everyday
In the music industry, the All Time Low discography from the American pop punk band of the same name is considered relatively young in more ways than one. The band was only formed in 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland. Also, its members are relatively young musicians in their early 20s, with front man Alexander Gaskarth just 23 years old as of this writing.
Age however doesn’t seem to be an indication of how successful a group can become. Despite being young, the group is on the road to greater achievements. Current members include Rian Dawson on drums, Jack Bakarat on rhythm guitar and backup vocals, Zachary Merrick on bass guitar and Alexander Gaskarth on lead guitar and lead vocals.
Band Past
All Time Low started as a high school band, eighth grade level, to be exact, doing covers of the songs made popular by the pop punk bands Blink 182 and Green Day as well as its greatest influence, New Found Glory. In fact, the name of the band is directly taken from the lyrics of the song “Head On Collision” by the said band.
It didn’t take long for the group to eventually get out of their cover band status. The All Time Low music merch already boasts of a growing collection of work. They now have three albums, eight singles and two extended plays. A DVD is set for release this year.
Albums Out
After becoming a group, the band was able to grab a deal with Emerald Moon Records. This led to the production of their EP, “The Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End.” This was followed by the first All Time Low album “The Party Scene.” This was the highlight of the band’s career in 2005.
The band eventually moved on to Hopeless Records. The move to a new label ushered a new beginning for band members who weren’t even out of high school yet. The career move was a testament to the band’s talent and the fact that it pays to start early in the music industry. The first order of business for the group was the second recording of songs from their first album. They also added new songs to their EP. This put their work in the Top Heatseekers and Independent Albums charts. Clearly, All Time Low was already on the right road up.
In 2007, the band released “So Wrong, It’s Right”. This was the album that paved the way for mainstream exposure, with the accolade of 2008 Band of the Year awarded by the Alternative Press Magazine to prove it.
To highlight career improvements for the band, 2009, saw their collaboration with Mark Hoppus of Blink 182. This was for the third All Time Low album, “Nothing Personal.” This is the band’s most recent work and is available in both online and offline music stores. The group is said to be working on the release of their fourth album under the label Interscope Records.
The band’s name is very deceptive in that it is at the cusp of an all-time high. We are eagerly anticipating more pop punk material from All Time Low as it continues to mature both in terms of its music and its members.
Post-Hardcore Craze with Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is a post-hardcore and metalcore band that originated in Las Vegas, Nevada. So far, their main music merch consist of two albums, six singles, three EPs, and eight music videos.
Band History
Initially consisting of members, Ronnie Radke, Max Green, Robert Ortiz, Bryan “Monte” Money, and Omar Espinosa, the band got together in 2004 in Pahrump, Nevada. The following 2 years, saw the release of their first EP called “There’s No Sympathy for the Dead”. Two of the songs included in the EP made it to the first debut studio Escape the Fate album titled “Dying Is Your Latest Fashion.” Prior to the release, Carson Allen left the role as a keyboardist to join the band On the Last Day.
The tour Black on Black saw some participation from this band. Unfortunately, it was during this event that Omar Espinosa who handled rhythm guitar left because of personal reasons. After this, vocalist Ronnie Radke was taken out of the group after members forced him out due to legal problems that had resulted in Radke being sentenced to prison. Former Bless the Fall band member Craig Mabbitt jumped in to cover for Radke. What was meant as a temporary solution however eventually became a permanent one as Mabbitt is still onboard for the position. The current lineup also includes Robert Ortiz on drums, Bryan Money on bass guitar and Max Green on lead guitar.
Studio Albums Released
It was on September 26, 2006 that the Escape the Fate album “Dying is Your Latest Fashion” came out. Ronnie Radke is given credit for being the writer and composer behind all the tracks. Of the eleven songs, two were lifted from their EP “There’s No Sympathy for the Dead” while nine are originals. “Look Your Best” is a Japanese bonus track that was also released.
A second album, “This War is Ours” followed the first release after two years. This time it was Craig Mabbitt who took center stage with his perfect vocal rendition of the band’s songs. This second piece of work is shorter than the first one. The deluxe special edition however contains more music for fans to enjoy. It carries remixed and acoustic versions of “Harder Than You Know” and two new tracks that were not previously introduced. There’s more to this second release. It also contains a DVD that details some behind the scenes events, a tour documentary and a couple of music videos. This is the most recent release from the band after having come out with it on April of 2010.
Escape the Fate revealed their plans to start a new third album during Warped Tour 2009. Recording began winter 2009 with the release originally slated for spring 2010. A few demo songs are already finished along with featured song which is co-written by Mick Mars of Motley Crue fame. It was recently announced that the target release date moved to mid to late summer 2010. Catch it then at your local band store. They are currently active in online social networking sites including MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.
Distinctive Evolution with Pearl Jam
There’s no question that the 1990s gave us one of the most popular rock and roll bands in history. It was in this decade that we first heard of the music of the would be legend, Pearl Jam. Thanks to the band member’s outstanding talent and artistry, their popularity and music merch sales haven’t dimmed. This is despite the fact that they have made controversial stands in relation to social and political issues.
Fortunately, the band has attained legendary status amongst its fans and music lovers. Today, the current band members, Eddie Vedder on lead vocals and guitar, Jeff Ament on bass guitar, Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Mike McCready on lead guitar and Matt Cameron on drums, continue to make music that millions still jam to.
All Time Favorite Discography
With impressive album sales of 60 million worldwide, Pearl Jam definitely has staying power over its contemporaries from the 1990s. This comes as no surprise as its songs are as relevant today as it was 20 years ago, the themes touching on subjects ranging from the personal to the social and political.
At present, Pearl Jam has 9 studio albums, 2 compilation albums and 6 live albums with 28 singles and several official bootlegs to its name. It must be noted that the number does not include numerous collaborations with other bands like Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone, and Temple of the Dog, to name a few.
The nine studio albums span two decades, Ten in 1991, Vs in 1993, Vitalogy in 1994, No Code in 1996, Yield in 1998, Binaural in 2000 Riot Act in 2002, Pearl Jam in 2006 and Backspacer in 2009.
Musical Style, Influences and Legacy
Fans of Pearl Jam can always expect something new from the band and yet still evocative of the spirit that makes the band what it is. With each new release, the band broadens to experiment with and influences other musical styles but without losing its essence as a band with decidedly classic rock and punk rock influences of its own.
The variety of influences can clearly be noticed across the band’s albums. Ten is strongly alternative rock while No Code is considered more Garage Rock. Vitalogy evinces a noticeable punk rhythm. Yield belongs more to the category of rock and roll while Binaural is more within the realm of art rock. Riot Act is perhaps the most unusual with elements of folk rock. The band’s self titled album is more definitive because of its return to the alternative influence. Backspacer is perhaps the most in tune with popular culture and music.
Because of the band’s variety of music quality, the band’s influence also encompasses bands from different genres. Bands that reflect Pearl Jam’s work include alternative band Silverchair, rock band The Strokes and post grunge band Puddle of Mud. More bands influenced by the group are perhaps currently in the works.
The great thing about the group is that its members are more than just rock musicians. They are also highly involved members of society. Eddie Vedder in particular has openly used his popularity as leverage when speaking out about such concerns as wildlife protection, Chrohn’s disease and voter registration.
It’s clear that the band members’ additional point of appeal is their social involvement. They definitely have more in mind than fame and money. This truly makes them the best candidates for immortalizing at least on band posters.
Discover Death Rock with Misfits
Rock bands are notoriously infamous for changing line-ups like how a girl changes clothes. Such is the case with the Misfits and their ever-changing line-up of musicians on their Misfits discography.
Band Story
It was in 1977 in New Jersey that the Misfits came to be. Songwriter and singer Glenn Danzig was joined by members Jimmy Battle on guitar, Manny Martinez on drums and Diane DiPiazza on bass guitar. Six years after its formation, the group saw tumultuous changes in its lineup. Glenn Danzig stayed on within this span of time and was joined by Jerry Only as the only two near permanent members. Eight people took on drummer roles. A total of seventeen individuals joined the group at different times.
In 1983, group members decided to split. The band however, was brought back to life in 1995. This came only after a long legal tiff over whose right it was to use the name of the band. The legal battle wasn’t much of a surprise since the band did already make a name for itself in the rock and metal genres before it broke apart. Thus, it is to be expected that any group that inherits the Misfits name will have an edge over others.
To date, the group lineup is a mix of old and new. Jerry Only also known as Gerald Caifa is still on board as lead vocals and guitarist. He is joined by Des Cadena on backup vocals and guitar and Roberto Valverde also known as Robo on drums. Given their rocky past, many fans hope the group eventually settles on a more stable lineup.
Studio Albums Released
Many bands are considered posers and copycats. The Misfits however is accurately tagged as the pioneers of the death or horror punk genre. It should be obvious to anyone what this genre is all about. Although it has elements of punk rock, what is most noticeable about is its dark and scary imagery.
In its more than three decades in the music industry, the band has released 6 studio Misfits albums, 2 live albums, four extended plays (EPs), one box set, five music videos, one DVD, 12 singles and, sadly enough, one cancelled Misfits album. In many ways, the band is one of the most productive and most influential rock bands in the industry.
The group’s work makes an interesting list of albums:
• Walk Among Us- This was actually the third Misfits album to be recorded (Static Age and 12 Hits from Hell were the firsts) but was the first one released in March 1982
• Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood- This was the last album Glenn Danzig recorded with the band and was released in December 1983
• American Psycho- Released in 1997, it was named after the famous novel by Bret Easton Ellis
• Static Age- This was first recorded in 1978 but was only released in its entirety in 1997
• Famous Monster- Long before Lady Gaga’s album, there was the 1999 album by the Misfits
• Project 1950- As befits the name, it is a cover of old songs from the 50s to the 60s
Today, the new Misfits is starting to regain its popularity among music fans and music merch buyers, which should only serve to reaffirm its status as one of the leading bands in history.
Blink 182- A Band that Defines Pop Punk
Who doesn’t know Blink 182? The band has been on top of its pop punk scene for years and can boast of an international fan base. Some music experts and music merch sellers believe that there is just Blink 182 and most of the others are mere posers. This has become all the more true considering that the band’s name is first on everyone’s mind when pop punk is mentioned.
In reality, Blink 182 is considered a pioneer of sorts in their genre. Many other groups regard this band as their major source of inspiration and influence. To prove their popularity, the group has a number of awards to boast of.
Impressive Discography
Blink 182 has been an extremely active band. They currently have twenty-one singles and three extended plays. They also have four video albums, five studio albums and one compilation. Their music first saw the light of day in 1994 with Cheshire Cat when the band first came together as a group. This initial release did not meet with success but it gave the band its first shot at establishing a long career. In 1997, Dude Ranch came out with better success.
It was Enema of the State that gave the band its first major break, debuting in Billboard’s top ten. “All the Small Things” which was part of the album became a sensation and took the number one spot in the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Blink 182 was eventually able to release a US number one album, Take Off Your Pants. To date, only this album has occupied top spot. The eponymous Blink 182 album was only number three in the Billboard 200. Although it never went over the third rank, it is still considered the band’s most definitive release.
A sixth album is in the works for 2010 adding to the Blink 182 discography. It can be modestly said that the music scene awaits the latest collaboration between the band members of this popular band, which has sold over 25 million albums globally.
Constancy in Composition
Except for Scott Raynor, who was the drummer and percussionist of the band from 1992 to 1998 and was subsequently replaced by Travis Barker, the other two band members remained the same since 1992. These were Mark Hoppus on lead vocals and bass as well as Tom DeLonge on lead vocals and guitar; both were songwriters for Blink 182.
Undoubtedly, the good music that Blink 182 provides is the major reason for its popularity. The staying power of the group however is often also pinned on the fact that the members share strong personal and professional bonds. This has led to a number of important merits:
• Teen Choice Awards – Choice Rock Group (2000), Best Rock Group (2001) and Choice Love Song (2004) for “I Miss You”
• MTV Video Music Awards – Best Group Video (2000) for “All the Small Things” in addition to other nominations for Video of the Year and best Pop Video
• MTV Europe- Best New Act (2000) and Best Rock Act (2001)
Although the music of Blink 182 has been variously described as pop punk, punk rock, punk revival and skate punk, one thing is not in question. Its music is as relevant today as it was more than a decade ago in terms of teen angst. This group will definitely have their band posters on fan walls for years to come.