What are we all listening to at the moment.

[_tom_]

Just listening to a French band called Granville, I really like em actually. Found them as I was looking for some French music for a promo video at work and I'm hooked on the album now. I think it's the French language/accent. 

[Plenum n Heather]

Just downloaded the new Yes album and am about to give it a spin; I preordered it, but was too busy this week to even download the thing!

[JimmyMoorby]

That actually is no exaggeration, he really is such a weird mad man. Here is his wiki discography.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckethead_discography Just reading the first paragraph makes you shake your head. Total solo album play time of 59 1/2 hours....the heck.

To be fair, it really is not all good. I find he can easily drift into mindless metal riffage that goes nowhere, but he also often does very cool and unusal things. Very skilled and versatile player.

Reminds me that I should listen to the Thanatopsis stuff of his again...

Not every album is great but then again many are!

Buckethead is so prolific he even got Axl to finally release chinese democracy! I also thought there were some brilliant tracks on the last chinese democracy album.  Take it for what it is (Not guns n roses?) and that album has some of the best straight up rock songs in years.

I would go as far as to say he is the strangest character ever in the music scene and I admire how he sticks to his crazy principles.

Buckethead continually refused to join Guns N Roses and only did because Axl bought him a life size exact replica of leather face...well exact except for human flesh I guess.  There are many stories in between which are hilarious but the one of why he left is fantastic.
He built a chicken coop in the studio whilst recording the guns n roses album and was already unhappy with how long things were taking.   A dog in the studio took a dump in the coop and every one wanted to clean it up.  Buckethead said if they cleaned it up he would quit.  Some one did clean it up and Buckethead DID quit at that point!  Amazing how some one can out crazy Axl Rose really!

I know he auditioned for Ozzy after Zakk Wylde left too and got offered the gig on the condition he didnt wear all of his costume.....he of course refused.  I realize Ozzy is a has been at this point but arguably he always has been since Sabbath and his guitarists have carried him....I think Buckethead would have been the best choice and the next in line to assume the throne from Randy, Jake, Zakk etc  I see it as a real shame they chose Gus chuffing G instead!  I think Buckethead would have upstaged Ozzy though

[Philly Q]

Buckethead is so prolific he even got Axl to finally release chinese democracy! I also thought there were some brilliant tracks on the last chinese democracy album.  Take it for what it is (Not guns n roses?) and that album has some of the best straight up rock songs in years.

I think it's a great album, I loved it from the first listen. 

That said, I'm not the biggest fan of the earlier GNR albums, although I do like them, and I'm not a big fan of Slash either.  So maybe I was more "open" to Chinese Democracy.  At the time I was just amazed it finally got released!

[JimmyMoorby]

I like Guns N but for me Axl is the talent that being said theyre a proper example of a band Axl, Izzy, Slash, Duff and Adler were the magic combination and it just worked well together and nothing else will do.  Slash  was awesome in G n R but in his other projects etc IMO he kinda sucked and he cant carry a band with his guitar work. Probably really controversial to some people who are fans but I think Slash isnt all that on his own.  Izzy Stradlin might just be one of the most underrated musicians of all time it all went downhill after he left.

[_tom_]

Royal Blood, saw em at Reading and was blown away by how huge they sounded for just two people. Any ideas how he gets the guitar sounds from his bass? I guess an octave pedal/splitter into a guitar amp? It sounded awesome however it works!

[Ian Price]

Good question Tom - that's something I was thinking when I was listneing to them earlier (bought the album yesterday). On first listen it's great! I was thinking of some sort of splitter/octave/EQ etc.

[_tom_]

Think I'll be buying the album as well, loved all the songs they played. I also can't stop listening to QOTSA this week, their set at Reading was incredible, easily one of the best nights of my life. When they opened with ..Millionaire everyone just went nuts haha

[blue]

I saw Queens Of The Stone Age in Belfast last week, they were brilliant there too :)  and I've been listening to them a lot since too.  That being said, today I've changed my driving CD to Silver Ginger Five. 

[JimmyMoorby]

New Opeth album sounds fantastic.  At one point I was really into them but then I got bored of their sound and obviously Mikael Akerfeldt did too.  For some reason heritage didn't sit well with me but pale communion sounds ace.

[Philly Q]

New Opeth album sounds fantastic.  At one point I was really into them but then I got bored of their sound and obviously Mikael Akerfeldt did too.  For some reason heritage didn't sit well with me but pale communion sounds ace.

That's interesting.  I've liked them more as they've become more melodic over the years but I found Heritage quite boring - I was expecting the new one to be more of the same.

[JimmyMoorby]

New Opeth album sounds fantastic.  At one point I was really into them but then I got bored of their sound and obviously Mikael Akerfeldt did too.  For some reason heritage didn't sit well with me but pale communion sounds ace.

That's interesting.  I've liked them more as they've become more melodic over the years but I found Heritage quite boring - I was expecting the new one to be more of the same.

Can't explain why it's any different from heritage...like I say it just 'clicks' definitely worth a purchase IMO.

[Ian Price]

Think I'll be buying the album as well, loved all the songs they played. I also can't stop listening to QOTSA this week, their set at Reading was incredible, easily one of the best nights of my life. When they opened with ..Millionaire everyone just went nuts haha

Just watched that (not been to Reading since the mid/late 90s). It certainly sounded great! Their new (OK, not that new now) transfers to the stage really well.

[CommonCourtesy]

Some metalcore stuff, Memphis May Fire and Heart of a Coward. Trying to figure out how they get such great tone! Probably Axe FX's and Kemper amp modellers....

[Philly Q]

The mention of QOTSA above reminded me to listen to John Garcia's solo album.  It's excellent, much better than I expected.