Black Sabbath 13 Part 1, Feb 26th

Black Sabbath 13 Part 1

(Unabridged full post from my Music blog)

First up, a little personal history with Sabbath, yea?  I mean, I'm not a magazine "journalist" or anything.  If you're reading this, I suppose you're a friend of mine.  So let's do this.  Sabbath is on my short list of all time favorite bands, and for sure the 70's era Sabbath is my favorite metal band of all time.  As of today, when you hear me play "metal" on my guitars, you probably hear more of Toni Iommi in my playing than anyone else.  Slow, pounding riffs interspersed with a tempo change, and maybe a solo.  I would have to say that in my own playing, "Into the Void" is tied with Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" for biggest inspiration. My favor of the Gibson SG has just as much to do with my favor of Iommi as my favor of Angus.

My first listen through, I could not help but hear earlier songs in the songs as I listened to them.  End of the Beginning has a strong semblance to the original song "Black Sabbath", Zeithgeist takes very clear inspiration from "Planet Caravan".  Is this bad?  Well the first parts of the album are not going to be any game changing songs for me, but you know what?  It sounds like Black Sabbath.  Probably my favorite part of the first 4 songs is "Give me the wine, you keep the bread".  At first it sounds like something a drunk would say, but remember that wine is also blood in the Christian communion.  That's classic Sabbath lyrical content right there.

I got to track 7 and stopped listening that first day.  I have to say that I stopped because I was getting a little worried.  The first 7 tracks were well made, well played tracks, but it felt a little like a band trying to sound like Black Sabbath instead of Black Sabbath making music.

Tune in tomorrow to find out if Sabbath finishes the album with a wimper(or click the unabridged version and spoil it).

Feb 26th, 2014

Well, I'm happy to say I have kept up my "habit" of practicing guitar even though I have finished that Rocksmith Challenge.  Wanna read about that?  Go to my Music blog, I have a post every day with it.  My playing was no doubt encouraged by listening to the new Sabbath Album and then just having to play.  Since I can now mimic some of the sounds Iommi does, it really feels good.  I feel like I am accomplishing something I should have done long ago, and not just wishing I could do it.

I am a tobacco pipe smoker.  I partake a few times a year... probably "binge" smoker I guess you could say.  I'll smoke for about a week, then not have a smoke for 4-5 months.  Anyway, I recently got some cherry based tobacco that isn't burley cut.  Burley cut gives me awful tongue bite, it burns too hot.  Anyway, I finally got some cherry along with a more "english" mix.  I have this problem that at a point you get to re-burning tobacco in the bowl, it causes me to have an upset stomach about 30 minutes AFTER the smoke is done.  So its hard for me to judge while smoking.  Yesterday I put some cherry tobacco in the bottom of the bowl, and the regular english mixture on top.  Now when I'm almost "done" I get a sweet cherry finish, and when the cherry flavor leaves, I know I'm done.

It saves me because the only cure to upset tobacco stomach is either a mound of greasy fried potatoes or copious amounts of chocolate cake.  Neither of which is particularly good for me in the middle of the day.

Watching: The Wolverine(later today)
Playing: Grandia
Reading: Elantris
Listening to: Black Sabbath 13(spoilers: yes still)