The events of the last few days have been quite surreal, particularly on the night that my mother was in the hospital, depending on life support to keep her going.  My sister and I were there already and the doctor said that it would be best if we took mom off of support as it is probably causing her more pain than doing any good.  We insisted that she be kept going at least until my brother gets to the hospital.  He arrived, he kissed mom on the cheek, and my mom’s life, as we knew it, was over.  It was like a scene out of a movie: the parent refuses to die until all of their children are assembled before them.  Waaay too surreal.  Well, if you know even just a little bit about me, you know that I don’t do “touchy-feely” and, yes – that was touchy-feely.  I had my reasons, which will come to light.  For now, amidst our tragedy . . . comic relief.

I know that in some way or another, we will all find ourselves either depending on life support or already past that point, awaiting that ride across the River Styx.  Before my time gets here, I plant to grab fifteen minutes of fame, along with about an hour more thrown in for good measure.  Now, before my fellow Christians crucify me, it goes without saying that all things that I hope for are proceeded with the phrase “God willing”, for I can only accomplish the things that God allows for me.  On the other hand, I’ve never been politically correct either – I just try to tell it like it is – without the wordplay. 

So, if – or more appropriately – when I have obtained that fame (with the extra hour), I should be filthy rich.  I hope that you’re paying attention because there will be a test later in life. All of this obligates each of you and gives you yet one more responsibility.  “How so?”, I hear you asking.  Well, believe it or not, I love you tweeple, you people, you Field Negroes (as opposed to the House Negroes), and as such, you will probably be in my will.  In fact, you WILL be in my will.  That’s where your obligation comes in.  There is a headline that you should be looking for at some point in the future.  If a particular situation should come to pass, it will probably read something like this:

“Famed writer and director blackstarr lies on life support as friends and family argue back and forth about pulling the plug or keeping him going!”

Drop whatever you’re doing and hop a “red-eye” to Philly if you have to!  Don’t you let them pull any plugs !!!  Don’t listen to what some foolish doctor has to say!!!  KEEP ME GOING FOR AS LONG AS THERE IS MONEY IN MY ACCOUNT!!!! I hear you thinking already:  Dude, that is expensive as H*ll.  Remember that by that time, I will be filthy rich.  Leave me in whatever room they put me in and have the specialist flown in everyday to check on me.  You see, the more they move me, the more the chance of a cord coming loose or some dingbat nurse plugging in things the wrong way.  And why should you care?  I told you – you’re in the will.  As long as my wishes are carried out, you all will be taken care of.

Here’s the second headline for which you should be on the lookout:

“Funeral services for blackstarr will be held . . .”

Again – stop whatever you’re doing and get back to Philly, making sure that there is no funeral, no memorial, no repast, nor anything remotely resembling any of the above.  The beautiful and dazzling woman could not have put it better: “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina!”.  I reiterate her words over and over.  Don’t cry for me.  I am but a starving artist at the moment, yet even at this point in my life, I can say that I have lived a wonderful life.  At that point in my life, you KNOW that I will have had a great time.  So please . . . shed no tears for me.

I like fire.  I like the flames that it produces.  I like the colors that it creates.  I was born on February 1st and, as a result, nearly every party that I’ve thrown in my adult life has ended up in near disaster.  I remember one year it snowed so badly that three people showed up: my girlfriend, the bartender, and me!  So, more than anything else, I like the warmth that emanates from that fire.  When I die, cremate me!  Let my a$$ burn until there is nothing left but ashes!  When it’s all over, take a trip to the west coast and scatter my ashes in the Pacific Ocean so that I can watch the sun set everyday.  No tears for the kid!

It’s important that you carry out my wishes and for good reason.  Remember first that, by that time, you’ve got big bucks coming your way.  More importantly, I don’t care if I have 500 million dollars in the bank – If there is a memorial, a burial, a funeral, any of those things that I mentioned before or anything close, all of my money will go to charity.  Just so that we are clear, let me say that one more time:  all of my money will go to charity!  I HATE that “touchy-feely” stuff! I can’t control it in anyone else’s life, but I should certainly be able to control it in my own.  Did you know that some lady left her fortune to all of her cats?  Did you know that a man in England left his money to the care of a tree in the wilderness?  You can do that, you know.

Later in life, there will be a test. By then, this blog may have long been deleted, or  may be inaccessible, or any number of untimely circustances may prevent you from re-reading this.  So, if you don’t know how, learn: copy, paste, save to file.  That way, you will have notes to look back on when the test comes, and it will be “open-book”.  Don’t be caught with the dumb-look on your face wondering “What do I do now?”   Copy, paste, save to file.

Just make sure that you shed no tears for me.  To that end, make certain that there are no services held – key word: cremation.  But if that plug is keeping me alive, do everything in your power to keep it plugged in.  Ya never know!  Peace.

freerealm@gmail.com

© 2009 freedom

“I Go To Sleep” by Sia

Don’t forget Gowan’s Performances with and without Styx:
December
22-23 – Toronto, ON, Glenn Gould Theatre – Gowan with John McDermott
31 – Niagrara Falls, ON, Queen Victoria Park, 9pm, televized on Global

Chart Position: 21

• Lead vocals: Tommy Shaw
• Written by Tommy Shaw
• Backing vocals: Dennis DeYoung and John Panozzo
• Produced by Styx
• Recorded in Chicago IL

Styx, a Rock/Hard Rock band that didn’t just grow on me in my early teens… instead, I fell over backwards upon my very first listen to their song Come Sail Away from The Grand Illusion album, (released in 1977). Jumping across the Pieces Of Eight (1978) and Cornerstone (1979) albums from Styx, (which both are unreal great albums for me as well), there is Paradise Theatre, (A&M Records), from 1981. Call it music imbedding at age fifteen, this Styx album just reminds me of so many good things about my life as an early teen. Memories, especially the good ones, are priceless. When music, Rock Music, can rekindle cool and fun times through memories… man, I’m not going to stop listening to such respective albums or songs – ever. Paradise Theatre doesn’t remind me of winning the lottery, getting an expensive car, falling in love, achieving straight A’s on my report card, (yeah right), nor does it send me back to a Hawaiian vacation. Nope. What Paradise Theatre does remind me of, is easier times, hanging out, the Christmas Holiday, snow days off from school and having no clue of who or what I wanted to be in life. Honestly, this Paradise Theatre album really reminds me of those things, the smaller things in life that matter too.

I’m certain I can sit here and compile a master list of Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums, that meet the same memory criteria as this Styx Paradise Theatre album bestows for me. Recently, I finally purchased Paradise Theatre on CD, for the first time in my life! It was priced at $7, brand new. There were several, if not dozens of moments where I had this CD in my hands to buy… only putting it back down, because I get so damned conscientious about spending too much money on non essential items for myself. (I have to learn to relax, $7 is chump change compared to what is spent on Wall Street bailouts).

I cannot pinpoint the reason as to why Paradise Theatre reminds me of the previously mentioned. All I know is, come Christmas, these songs from this album just “pop” into my head. Watch out if it snows, it seems like I can actually envision the album cover in my mind as well, all the while I watch a snowfall. I do remember listening to the songs from Paradise Theatre during the Winter of 1981, it seems like yesterday. Funny, how I purchased this CD during the Winter of 2009, all of the variables were in place… some snow was on the ground, Christmas is approaching and I threw danger to the wind by spending an extra $7 on myself. (I guess you can call me a real thrill seeker, on the spending part of it all).

Every song on Paradise Theatre is a winner, that includes the songs that never made it to FM radio too. Quality, substance and an acute attention to lyrics are what makes these songs on Paradise Theatre so unbelievable for me. This album Rocks. There, I got that out of my system, that phrase needed to be stated and has become rather nerdy and extremely cliche too. Back in 1981, I never would understand what the term Classic Rock meant. In 1981, the only music that was really classic was Classical Music. Styx, through their albums of the 1970’s and 1980’s have given true meaning and understanding to the term/genre… Classic Rock.

I have always been a huge fan of Tommy Shaw, following his solo career along with his stints in Damn Yankees and Shaw/Blades. Dennis DeYoung on vocals gives this Styx band and album their trademark Rock essence, a sound that is so much stand alone. Dennis DeYoung’s voice is a trademark musical instrument of Styx. Of course, the aforementioned are all my opinions and interpretations, which I am steadfast about.

Dennis DeYoung sings it so right, on the song The Best Of Times, with these lines:

Our memories of yesterday

Will last a lifetime

We’ll take the best, forget the rest

And someday we’ll find

These are the best of times

Track Listing For Paradise Theatre:

Side One:

A.D. 1928

Rockin’ The Paradise

Too Much Time On My Hands

Nothing Ever Goes As Planned

The Best Of Times

Side Two:

Lonely People

She Cares

Snowblind

Half-Penny; Two Penny

A.D. 1958

State Street Sadie

Styx, as they appeared on Paradise Theatre:

Dennis DeYoung - keyboards & vocals

Tommy Shaw - guitars & vocals

Chuck Panozzo - bass guitar

John Panozzo - drums & percussion

James Young - guitars & vocals

]]> http://aliontheair.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/heath-ledgers-last-trip-through-the-looking-glass-in-the-imaginarium-of-dr-parnassus/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:47:01 +0000 aliontheair http://aliontheair.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/heath-ledgers-last-trip-through-the-looking-glass-in-the-imaginarium-of-dr-parnassus/

As another great installment of the CINEMA TUESDAYS, Flux and Nike Sportswear at the Montalban Theater held an exclusive VIP benefit screening of filmmaker Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The event served as a benefit for the Australians in Film Heath Ledger Scholarship in honor of the late actor.

As people gathered in frigid LA temperatures and huddled around complimentary boxes of Aussie fave Tim Tam cookies and warm espressos, the Australians In Film committee announced that it was donating the evening’s proceeds to the scholarship. A panel of judges will be determining who will be awarded the scholarship, including one of the film’s stars and Ledger’s friend, Jude Law. The movie hadn’t even begun and handkerchiefs were dabbing at swollen eyes.

Jude Law as Tony #2

I was excited to see a film by one of our most daring and dazzling filmmakers and from a man who has had every possible production nightmare beset him. Lets not forget, his opus film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was plagued by so many problems – including a natural disaster- that the movie was shut down.  It eventually became the topic for the documentary Lost In LaMancha – a truly chilling film that keeps even the most adept filmmaker awake many sleepless nights. So for Gilliam to pull this film off in the face of such a tragedy is already a true tribute to Ledger and to grit, determination and the creative spirit.

The movie follows an immortal man, Dr. Parnassus, who travels in an old dilapidated circus wagon, trying to entertain the people of contemporary London with his vaudevillian stories. His hidden agenda is to also save a few souls along the way, in order to repay a bet he lost with the devil. Dr. Parnassus is saddled with his immortality – a storyteller and showman who has become obsolete, as no one wants to hear his stories anymore. His antiquated Punch And Judy styled stage cannot compete with London’s bright lights and dazzling technology. Dr. Gilliam err, I mean Parnassus, knows this and feels lost in a world where he will never grow old but will never be new.

Veteran stage actor, Christopher Plummer is great as the fallen monk, Parnassus, bending to all the mortal pressures of drink and wagers. Plummer is joined by his traveling gypsy companions: model Lily Cole, adequate as his fiery red head daughter and stunning in the gypsy meets fleet street costumes. Verne Troyer is cast as the Doctor’s voice of reason – never thought I’d type that sentence. Andrew Garfield almost steals scenes from the veteran matinee idols he is pitted agaisnt as the barker, Anton. Tom Waits chews up the scenery as the devil in Joel-Grey-Cabaret clothing, Mr. Nick. And there is quite a lot of scenery to chew in a Gilliam film.

Tom Waits as Mr. Nick

But the elephant in the room is the role of Tony. Heath Ledger’s last role in The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus is infamously incomplete. That he had three of the world’s leading actors fill in to bring his role to fruition is a testament to what a great actor he was and what a great hole he has left behind.

In fact, though the film is chock full of fantasty, whimsy, scenery and ideas (oh you could trip over the grand ideas), the film seems lonely when Ledger isn’t on screen. Ledger’s first appearance in the film as Tony Liar, is hanging from his neck from a London bridge, an auspicious start to a movie that was almost never finished. It is a shocking fist glimpse of the actor and one that takes your breath away.

Heath Ledger as Tony

Ledger’s Tony Liar character, based partially on Tony Blair and all his duplicity, is a millionaire who raises money for a children’s charity and is ultimately exposed as a fraud. Interesting that Ledger chose this role, as he was always felt fraudulent in the Hollywood spotlight. Eschewing the superstar role, Heath preferred to disappear in a role and simply be an actor. Even if he was greater at it than he ever gave himself credit for.

The Imaginarium in question is a sideshow mirror, which when paying customers pass (or are pushed through it) are transported into a fantasy world which reveals their deepest desires. For a small child it is a giant set of a Candy Land video game. For a rich matron, it is a gondoliered trip down a Nile filled with giant Blahniks and Faberge eggs. Of course there is a battle for the person’s soul at the end of this journey. Dr. Parnassus and Mr. Nick both wrestle for the person to choose the right path. Tony often accompanies these souls and attempts to guide them correctly, sort of as a sexy river Styx escort. As it is each individual’s fantasy and imagination, Tony appears different to each of them. This is how Gilliam was able to solve his leading man crisis.

After Ledger’s death, three box office heart-throbs stepped up and stepped in for Ledger, filming the fantasy sequences in Gilliam’s re-imagined imaginarium scenes. For one woman, her Tony lothario was a lusty Johnny Depp. For another, it was Jude Law climbing the ladder of success, and for Lily Cole’s Valentina, her rascally Tony was Colin Farrell in rare bad boy form.

It is a testament to both Gilliam’s film making and Heath’s reputation to bring all of these people together to create one immense Tony Liar. Unfortunately neither Depp, Law, nor Farrell, while all three of them fun to watch and immensely charming, have the depth that Ledger had.

This Gilliam film is a grand and bright acid trip in the truest sense – there are strands of Munchausen, Time Bandits, and my favorite Terry film, The Fisher King, but there are also nods to classics like Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, King Lear, and of course the great Faustian bargain. Each player in this pantomime has one. Money or love? Life or death? Good or evil? The very same things that plague us daily as we go through our lives, Gilliam plays out for us on this traveling stage that his characters cart around modern London.

It begs the question:

How many of us cart around these questions with us everyday, and how many wrestle with it until it kills us?

It’s hard not to become overly philosophical while watching Heath’s character wrestle for his life when the world knows that he lost that battle a year ago. I was strangely hit hard by the death of Heath Ledger – someone I didn’t know at all.

I don’t normally emote on the passing of a celebrity -  someone I’ve never met, but as the credits rolled on this film, I found myself moved to tears. Maybe, as a filmmaker, I was just so relieved that the film got finished. Perhaps as a performer they were tears of frustration and loss of/for Ledger.

I suppose I felt a connection to someone who was such a strong life force, who attacked his work with conviction and passion. I also can identify with wrestling with insomnia and the seeping black moods that accompany the creative process. The fact that Heath achieved great success in his career is something to admire. But the fact that he pushed himself beyond that and strove to be a better actor, a better artist than what was really required of him – that is where my heart goes out to him. It guts me that this process was part of what led to his demise.

That this film is about a man who has sold his soul for eternal life is eerily prescient. Heath Ledger’s star will live on forever. I, for one, would rather have him among us, living in obscurity.

If you’d like to donate to the Heath Ledger foundation, please visit: http://www.australiansinfilm.org

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus opens in major cities on December 25th.

1873 – Composer Marie-Alphonse-Nicolas-Joseph Jongen was born.
1963 – Dinah Washington died of a drug overdose at the age of 39. She had 34 top 10 hits on the Billboard R&B charts.
1966 – The Elvis Presley film “Spinout” premiered.
1967 – Dick Clark announced that he was making a film, “The Love Children,” about hippies.
1968 – Tommy James and the Shondells released “Crimson & Clover.”
1972 – The Ringo Starr film about U.K. rocker Marc Bolan, “Born to Boogie,” debuted in London. The film stars Elton John.
1974 – Styx’ “Lady” was released.
1980 – Yoko Ono called for a 10-minute silent vigil around the world for John Lennon, her husband, who was shot to death six days earlier. Over 100,000 people went to Central Park in New York to honor the request.
1986 – Elton John recorded a live version of “Candle in the Wind” that would later be released as a single.
1991 – Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s pop albums chart.
1995 – “Frank Sinatra: 80 Years My Way” aired on ABC-TV.
1999 – Paul McCartney played a show at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. It was the first time that McCartney had played at the club since 1963.

This week I double on synth the killer guitar solo of Styx’ Renegade, played by Tommy Shaw. I also doubled the synth and the non-solo guitar during the fade…

Ogni mese la redazione di Metal Hammer UK si spreme le meningi per proporre ai lettori della rivista una particolare quanto improbabile “top 10”, palesemente a fine ironico, legata in qualche modo al mondo dell’heavy metal. Sul numero di dicembre, per fare un esempio, è stata proposta la top 10 degli effetti per chitarra ancora da inventare, dominata dall’“Anti-Paramore”, un pedale che fulmina sul momento chiunque pensi soltanto di suonare un brano della famigerata emo-band americana. Oggi invece vi propongo la classifica pubblicata sul numero di ottobre (Top 10 Metal Gig Punter Stereotypes), che passa in rassegna dieci inquietanti stereotipi di personaggi in cui è probabile imbattersi andando a un concerto metal. Riconoscete qualcuno – o peggio ancora voi stessi – in uno dei seguenti? Spero proprio di no!

10 > L’old-schooler. Brizzolato, pancia da alcolista, barba opzionale, t-shirt sbiadita degli Styx (tour mondiale del 1978), sguardo vagamente confuso. Probabilmente ha prestato un album dei Tygers Of Pan Tang a Mosè.

9 > Il gotico. Giacca di pelle nera fino ai piedi, capelli neri, eyeliner, cicatrici poco verosimili sulle braccia, bianco come un lenzuolo, ossessione morbosa per Il Signore degli Anelli. Autentico minchione.

8 > L’idiota glam. Make-up, lacca in abbondanza (che peraltro non nasconde l’imminente calvizie), jeans attillati che gli stanno malissimo, tatuaggi orribili, ridicolamente imbronciato. Decisamente più vecchio di quanto vorrebbe far credere.

7 > Il moccioso deathcore. Frangetta da Hitler, orribile t-shirt multicolore di Ed Hardy, jeans da donna (senza culo), assoluta ignoranza del death metal pre-2006, bisognoso di un pasto decente.

6 > Il necro-poser. T-shirt bianca e nera di una band dal logo illeggibile (e probabilmente inventata), viso sprezzante, vago puzzo di urina, album dei Korn nascosti nell’armadio.

5 > Il fanatico dei Pantera. Due metri di statura, 120 chili, tatuaggi di foglie di marijuana e Dimebag Darrell, indossa t-shirt dei Pantera, pantaloncini dei Pantera, mutande dei Black Label Society, ha una barba lunghissima e probabilmente la cirrosi epatica.

4 > Il papà-di-qualcuno. Occhiali da vista, capelli grigi e scarpe comode, maglietta del tour di Chris Rea (apprezziamo lo sforzo), accompagnato da dodicenne sovreccitato e con gli occhi velati di terrore.

3 > L’eccentrico in abito da sera. Orecchino e capelli appuntiti che tradiscono fedeltà al lato oscuro, valigetta e abbigliamento curato che denotano l’intenzione di guadagnarsi una vita decente. Potenziale serial killer. Alla larga!

2 > La moglie dell’old-schooler. Capelli tinti, niente pancia da alcolista e t-shirt dei Def Leppard, alta a malapena un metro e venti, per il resto del tutto identica al marito, con i jeans attillati che impediscono l’afflusso di sangue al cervello.

1 > Il critico musicale. Sciatto, trasandato, sporco, apparentemente senza amici, bazzica per tutta la sera intorno al bancone del bar, è l’unica persona in tutto il locale con uno zaino, un laptop o un registratore portatile. Non vi fidate.

IL VIDEO: Slayer, Dittohead (da “Divine Intervention”, 1994)

Not sure why I’m putting this up as the Friday Wrap Jam this morning. The song is pretty good, but the video is as grainy as your older brother’s VHS porn tapes. And just as exciting, too! Following a very serious discussion regarding the possibility of jet-skiing the Bloodvein last week, I’ve come to a half-decision: I would like a boat. A sail boat. Not sure how I would go about purchasing or where I would put the boat if I got one, but I would like to be a boat-owner. Hopefully Santa reads this. And yes, you’re bang-on in thinking that if I do land one it probably won’t turn out well. But I’m willing to take the plunge. Literally. Is there such a thing as the Manitoba Coast Guard? Hmmm…I should probably get some time in the pool now.

Theological thought written on a Sunday:

Ok, here’s the question. Do you think God works through people? Personally, I do. Many, many people have help me become the person I’m supposed to be. That being said, does God work through the Pope? I know that Sarah Silverman did this whole schpiel on the Pope and the Vatican regarding world hunger, BUT  if God works through people, then why does he work through the richest man in the world? Also why do people go to church and ask God for things on God’s day off?

If I break the law, I go to jail and/or pay a fine.  These are consequences of my actions. If man punished according to the 10 commandments in the same vein, everyone would be penalized. Perhaps the state police are just trying to keep up. Anyone know a cop WITHOUT a God complex?

So, I think man creates his own hell. Man creates hell for others. Many men try to buy their way out of hell through donations–gotta love them ‘born-agains’ who have a set percentage of their income going directly to the church (or God, depending on how you look at it).

Does God REALLY need your money? Don’t you need it more than He does?

If God works through people for good and Satan (if you believe in that concept) works through people for bad purposes, then isn’t the world you live in  just your own perception of heaven or hell?  If you are on any kind of spiritual jouney at all, part of you must die to be replaced by something good or something bad, depending on which way you are headed.

It’s like this: as seen on South Park, Cartman dies and has to cross the river Styx.  The music from the band Styx is playing, thus upsetting Cartman. He knew he was not on the way to nirvana. Perhaps it’s a short ride, and you can live through one Styx song, like ‘Lady’, you know, something we could stand. If there are lots and lots of Styx songs being played, this only delays your happiness but makes the journey miserable, and you end up in hell.

That being said, if you are crossing the river Styx and the band Journey is playing, I think that’s a good thing. I think it is a sign that you are on the way to heaven. I can rock out to a Journey album and sing along to the entire thing.

Ergo, here is my theory. That life is a journey. It’s not always about the journey, but if you are not enjoying and learning from your journey you’re actually on a journey to hell, manmade or not. If you’re constantly thinking about the destination, you’re bound to end up in some kind of hell.

If you want to listen to Styx, that’s your problem. You have the power to change CD’s anytime you choose.

p.s. The bands Styx and Journey can be swapped out for any other bands you choose, like maybe REO Speedwagon, Cameo, or Christopher Cross. You decide. I just thought Styx & Journey were appropriate for this rant. No offense to any Styx fans.

Popdose Report:

Click here to go to Popdose to check Sheriff “When I’m With You”…plus some solo stuff from Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw “Lonely School”, “(Remos Theme) What If”, and “Ever Since The World Began”…and the Sherbs “I Have The Skill”

!Complete FAQ can be watched and downloadet here!

This is just a preview of the FAQ. The complete FAQ features descriptions for all trophies of God of War and God of War II. It will be available as Download in PDF format when its done.

I reached 100% of all God of War Trophies with 2 run-throughs inside a single week. The first run was on Hard Mode! It was though but I never accept the offer to switch to Easy Mode. Hurray! The second run was on easy to grab the last missing trophies. Now I want to give you some tips how to get em all. You should note that there is no “Complete the Game on God Mode” trophy in the list, wich means that you dont need to complete the game in this Difficulty Mode unless you want to unlock all the Treasures in the game itself (costume select, the truth about Kratos family and the second secret message).  If you are up to beat the game on God Mode and to unlock all the treasures, be advised that you can get the first secret message by destroying the two statues in the last room of the game (200 hits each) I was very satisfied about this circumstance not to be forced to play through God Mode.

Anyway, lets begin with the trophy list. Here we go:

BRONCE TROPHIES

• Rockin’ the Boat – Complete the Sex Mini-Game
  • After fighting the Hydra and reaching Athens you start in your cap with two beautiful naked woman lie on your bed. By Pushing the R2-Button you just talk with them. You need to jump on the bed and to push the Circe-Button to interact with them. It’s not only a good practice for the many Quick-Time-Events, it also rewards you with red globes and a trophy.
• Don’t Leave Her Hanging – Rescue the Oracle with 10 seconds to spare
  • This is a easy one. Just finish the race to rescue the Oracles with 10 seconds left on the timer.
• Splash – Kiss the Nyad
  • There are 4 Nyads that can be found during the Test of Poseidon under water. By pushing the R2-Button you just read Kratos thoughts. You need to push the Circle-Button near the Nyad to kiss her and to get the trophy.
• Zero Health = Bronze Trophy
  • This is an easy one. Just open a Chest when your heath meter is already full.
• Hitman – Get a 100 Hits Combo
  • There are to places to achieve this trophy. The first one is near the locked door that you need to open by a puzzle short before you can acquire Zeus Fury or during the Test of Atlas while a block is coming near you and you have to kill all enemies before it smashes you.Make sure to have Poseidon’s Rage at last on Level 2 and play on Normal or Hard Mode.
    It’s near impossible to get this trophy on Easy Mode because the enemies have less health and die very quick what makes it hard for you to collect enough hits.
    All you have to do is to wait until you are surrounded by a lot of enemies. Now is the time to cast Poseidon’s Rage and to smash the Circle-Button. Tada! Now you have over 100 hits and get the trophy.
• Getting My Ass Kicked – Die enough times to get offered Easy Mode
  • You need to play the game at last on Normal Mode and to die during the same battle exactly 5 times to get offered to change the difficulty to Easy Mode. Dont win a battle and activate the next checkpoint or the counter will be set back to zero.

SILVER TROPHIES

• Kratos’ Marble Collection – Collect all the Gorgon Eyes
  • There are 18 Gorgon Eyes wich increase your healt-meter. You can find more than 18 Gorgon Eyes spread all over the Chests that can be found in the game. You get the trophy by collecting all 18 Gorgon Eyes.
• Stick it in Your Cap! – Collect all the Phoenix Feathers
  • There are 18 Phoenix Feathers wich increase your mana-meter. You can find more than 18 Phoenix Feathers  spread all over the Chests that can be found in the game. You get the trophy by collecting all 18 Phenix Feathers.
• Hitman 2 – Get a 200 Hits Combo
  • Check the Trophy “Hitman 1″ above to know the two best places to reach the trophy. Cast Poseidon’s Rage once more and bash the Circle-Button again to get over 200 hits. The trophy is yours now!
• Legend of the Twins – Watch the ‘Birth of the Beast’ Treasure
  • After you have completed the game once you unlock a short movie in the Treasure list. Just play this video and you get the trophy.
• Seeing Red – Max out all Weapons and Magic
  • It’s near impossible to max out all weapons and magic on Normal Mode or higher, because you get less red globes by defeating enemies. Play the game on Easy Mode and try to follow this simple rules:
    - Kill your opponents very brutal to get more red globes as you would get by just killing them the normal way
    - Open the by two Muse-Keys locked secret room in Rings of Pandora to get a large boost of experience
    - Try to find every chest wich include red orbs during the game
    - You get the most globes in chests on your escape from the underworld
    - During the first battle against Ares try to fail the mini-game after the first sequence when Kratos jumps on Ares shoulders to get lots of experience levels, up to 5 times

GOLD TROPHIES

• You Got the Touch! – Climb the Spiked Column in Hades without taking damage
  • You only have to climb the first Spiked Column in Hades without taking damage to achieve this trophy. It’s not very hard to solve this task. Just focus on the blades of the column and dont hesitate. I can’t tell you if you need to load your game after you got hit by one of the blades to reset the requirement not to get hit. I always quit the game and load the savegame before the next attempt to survive this column untouched.
• I’ll Take the Physical Challenge – Complete the Challenge of the God
  • You can select the Challenge of the Gods in the treasure menu after completing the game for the first time. Just beat the 10 stages of this challenge to archive the trophy.
• Speed of Jason McDonald – Beat the game in under 5 hours on any Difficulty
  • I completed this task together with the trophy “Seeing Red”. It’s possible to be under 5 hours and to max out all weapons when you play on Easy Mode.To accomplish this task follow this simple rules:
    - Play on Easy Mode
    - Dont kill every enemy on your way to spare some time and just kill all enemies if you are forced to through a magical barrier
• Key to Success – Collect all of the Muse Keys
  • There are only 2 Muse-Keys in the world, but enough chests to find one. I found one in a chest behind Atlas and the second one during the climb on a wall.

This is it folks! Now grab your Platinum Trophy! Oh wait.. there are still more trophies to discover during the game. Just progress through the game and complete it once to get the last missing trophies by just playing the game

And here are the missing trophies:

BRONCE TROPHIES

• 1.21 Gigawatts – Acquire Poseidon’s Rage
• Rocking Out – Acquire Medusa’s Gaze
• Bolt Action – Acquire Zeus’ Fury
• Sword Man – Acquire Blade of Artemis
• Soul Search – Acquire Army of Hades
• Matador – Win the first Minotaur fight
• Scape Goat – Win the first Satyr fight
• Roll Over & and Die – Win the first Cerberus fight
• Don’t They Ever Shut Up! – Defeat the Desert Sirens
• Beat a Dead Horse – Complete the Centaur sacrifice to Hades
• Kickboxer – Complete the Spike Room Box Puzzle
• Get the Ball Rolling – Complete the Challenge of Atlas
• Totally Baked – Complete the Human sacrifice
• Get Me a Beer Kid – Free yourself from the depths of Hades

SILVER TROPHIES

• It’s the HUGE One – Retrieve the Captain’s Key
• Take the Bull by the Horns – Defeat Pandora’s Guardian
• Head Hunter – Obtain the head of the Architect’s wife
• The Power to Kill a God – Retrieve Pandora’s Box
• God Killer – Kill Ares

GOLD TROPHIES

• Prepare to be a God – Beat the Game on any Difficulty

Rock God Cred Report:

Click here to check a 70’s nugget from Styx “Born For Adventure”

Buy  “Equinox”…good stuff!

I bought some more vinyl last weekend at the local charity shop and here is what I got.

Styx – Crystal Ball (1976)
Never heard this album by Styx before or anything else by them for that matter, except their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here which I got on vinyl when I was younger. I remember really liking that album but it being kind of corny at the same time. But it did have some pretty catchy tunes and I dare you to listen to the tracks “Heavy Metal Poisoning” or “Mr Roboto” without secretly smiling and singing along to Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto?

Philip Lynott – Solo in Soho (1980)
Mr Thin Lizzy’s first solo album. I have never heard it before but have read good things about it. A lot of great guest musicians, current and former Lizzy members played on the album including Huey Lewis. Yes, it is the same man as in Huey Lewis and the News! According to the interweb he played some harmonica with Thin Lizzy.

It’s Hip to Be Square!

Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak (1976)

I have never listened much to Thin Lizzy, I bought an album a few years ago after reading a very interesting article in Sweden Rock Magazine. The album was called “Bad Reputation” and was really good. It was not your typical Thin Lizzy twin-guitar rock album but showed them in a different light with some more acoustic and folkmusic inspired songs. The album Jailbreak has to be one of the more classic Lizzy albums with both “The Boys are back in town” and the title track “Jailbreak”. Two tracks killed to death by thousands of pub rock bands. This vinyl edition was quite nice with a cartoon like cover and a cut-out in the TV.

Deep Purple – Fireball (1971)
An album with the classic Mk II lineup of Deep Purple. I am sure I have heard a couple of the tracks on this album but from just looking at the titles on the back I can not recall anything… but I do like the title “Demon’s Eye”… That sound evil enough too be cool…

“Radio, radio,” as Brooke White would say. And she does say it. She sings it. I hear her words at least once a day.

But once, maybe twice, is all I hear of this song by Brooke White. It’s not like “Three,” Britney Spears’ newest musical controversy that emanates loud and clear and often plenty more than three times a day on my car’s FM radio.

Yes, the radio. I listen to it all the time now.

Steve Allen once called the contraption “the theater of the mind,” not specifying if radio’s play were a light-hearted comedy or an epic tragedy.

Bob Dylan once said the radio “makes hideous sounds.” He was on to something.

So you might ask, as I’ve recently heard the artist Ne-Yo ask in his song, “So Sick,” why can’t I turn off the radio?

Well, I usually have a tape adapter in my Chevy Malibu that allows me to plug in a discman or an IPod, saving me from radio’s repetition and monotony in a car that doesn’t have a CD player. A month ago, on the way home from a high school football game, the cassette deck spit the adapter out. The tape deck was fried. I haven’t been able to listen to my IPod or a CD since. 

It was the day the music died, at least, the good music. Indeed, I haven’t heard Don McLean since.

For some people, a radio-only world wouldn’t bring about a daily, Daughtry-induced headache. In fact, in small doses, I enjoy the radio. But now I live in the Dallas area.

You see, the urban planners here realized that sprawl was the most efficient way to build a metropolitan area. Dallas statutes mandate that the city limits of one suburb can’t come within 10 miles of another, with a bylaw stating that a congested four-lane highway is the only way to connect each town.

Because of this, and a job that requires me to travel to these suburbs on a near-daily basis, sometimes I drive up to three hours a day, a long time to get acquainted with FM radio.

In the mornings, there’s the Billy Madison show. He tells enlightening stories on the air about human waste. On his Web site, he classily chose to honor Veteran’s Day by featuring a section of “Hott Girls Wearing the Flag.”

When afternoon rolls around, Ryan Seacrest begins babbling, only stopping when he shares short, groundbreaking interviews in which Megan Fox can explain her maturation as an actress through her critically-acclaimed role in “Jennifer’s Body.”

In the evenings on the soft rock station, two women swap stories about how they believe daylight savings time is causing more traffic. They tell people, two days after the episode aired, that Katherine Heigl’s character was fired off Grey’s Anatomy.

Somewhere, Guglielmo Marconi is turning the radio dial in his grave.

Marconi* invented the radio, or at least the version of radio we know. He saw it as a way to spread information, not as a wasteland of repeated songs, gabbing DJs and Creed.

*When I hear this name, I automatically think of KU professor Chuck Marsh. Besides Marshall McLuhan, Marconi had to have been Marsh’s favorite guy to discuss.

Fortunately, I may never have to hear ”With Arms Wide Open” again. A reprieve from radio sits in the driveway of my parents’ house, my brother’s Hyundai.

My brother is leaving the country soon. He won’t need his car for some time.

The Hyundai has a CD player. As far as I know, the cassette deck works.

I will soon get to experience radio-free bliss, an ending befitting a theatrical comedy for sure.

And given that ending, if it seems like I’ve been blathering on about nothing like a radio DJ, if it seems as though I’ve been crying a river (heard that song on the radio on Friday), then consider this.

The car lies at the end of an eight-hour cosmic journey, an Odyssey I must undertake in my Malibu, in which the radio may force me to battle with evil muses, or Muse anyways, and partake in a trip down the River Styx. 

Oh well, at least I like Styx.

Today I had a project folder to turn in, but I didn’t make it to class. Let’s clarify that I didn’t make it to class because I was working on the folder at the last minute. I thought it was ready, but in the morning as I was leaving I realized that I’d forgotten one key component and I had to stay home and do it.

I knew my professor taught another class right after mine so I planned to just go at the end of class. David announced he had to go help with a set up at the church (there is always something for him to set up or take down) and it became evident that I would have to take Styx with me to school to turn in the project.

David and I call this particular teacher the baby hater because even though the school has a well publicized “children welcome in classrooms and testing center and library and everywhere” policy, he tells everyone he does not like children in his classroom.  Guess what. The baby hater loooooves babies. He was so taken by her, I didn’t think he heard a word I said. He took my folder, he smiled stupidly at the baby and then she handed him the stuffed pig she was carrying. Man, she played her part well. She laughed, she said bye bye, and the she said please when she wanted the pig back.

As I was leaving he called out “I hope you all feel better soon”… even though I never said we’d been sick, and we’re not. He really did not hear a word I was saying…

The question is, do I use this newfound power to fight crime or for evil?

There is a brilliant art to dancing in your underwear.  It is important no matter which gender you may occupy, to wear something supportive.  Nothing will make this joyous activity travel to the other extreme like the damage ones genitals can suffer from insufficient protection.  So buckle up…it’s the law.

The next tip to remember is not to get dressed.  Clothing will give you the impression that you should act according to its mandate.  A dress suit and air drums do not mix, they are the oil and water of underwear dancing. There is an animalistic freedom in the lack of covering that will give your limbs the go ahead to perform actions they may not think themselves possible.  Underwear Dancing has the power to transform a Frankenstein into Mary Lou Retton.

Music.  While it is inherently the most integral part of the event, there are only certain artists, which are currently cleared by the board for use in the sport.  They are as follows:

Journey                        Bon Jovi

Def Leppard                        Poison

KISS                                    Joan Jett

Guns and Roses            The Scorpions

Rush                                    AC/DC

Heart                                    Twisted Sister

Queen                                    Alice Cooper

Foreigner                        REO Speedwagon

…and Styx (You know damn right well if Mr. Roboto comes on and you’re in your tighty whities, you’re singing.  So shut it.)

While there are many other artists who will certainly make you want to “rock out”; unless the band’s career was marred by chemical excess, hair with the volume equivalent to my chest cavity, massive sexual exploits, and not a single unprocessed sound on their album; they are posers.

The final thing to remember when engaging in the craft is to be aware of your surroundings.  Take into account that when your reenacting Slash’s guitar solo at the end of ‘November Rain’, you will most lieky care more about hitting that high E than the location of your scissors, paper cutter, or sharp pointy things box.  Realize that no one wants to go to the ER looking like Tom Cruise in Risky Business.  Stick near beds or couches, they make for great places to crowd surf, while offering little risk of puncture wounds.

So get out there and enjoy.  Support, Starkness, Soundtrack, and Safety…these are the four ‘S’s…say them the next time you feel a session coming on, it may make the difference between magic and misery.

Nanny State Spiral Cardigan

New to Styx, Nanny State is following the great success of the Nanny State Footwear. In the collection there is some fantastic chunky knitwear which is a must have for this winter. Simple designs, with results that are far from simple looking, Nanny State uses quality materials to create jumpers and other knitwear that not only look brilliant, they last too!

Featuring the Nanny State branded zip up front with branded buttons overlay, fold over collar, Nanny State logo on the sleeve, one chest pocket on the front with branded button and branded zip detailing.

100% cotton.

£74.99

To view this product you can click on the image above, alternatively you can use the links provided below.

http://www.styxonline.co.uk/index.asp?spc=KNIT7CHARC&sch=n&pg=1&level1=&level2=&level3=&searchtext=Nanny+State

http://www.styxonline.co.uk/index.asp?sch=Y&searchtext=Nanny+State

http://www.styxonline.co.uk/

My tiny little baby is out of her crib. It’s so sad, and most inconvenient, really. But she is Harry Houdini reincarnate, so it’s really surprising she made it this far. She was weaseling out of the stroller straps at eight months, laughing in the faces of the Safety 1st baby proofing stuff by 11 months and opening all manner of containers and trunks, even those with latches, at 14 months. She can now successfully climb out of her crib and fall to her death. By some heavenly intervention she still can’t mess with the straps on the car seat, although it’s not for lack of trying.

We decided that it was time to take off the side of the crib so she can… well, not fall to her death every day. This also necessitated a change of bedrooms, which is unfortunate for me. Her new room is the only room in the house that’s finished, and therefore safest for her, and the room that was my room when I woke up this morning. So sad. I just lost my new bedroom to a baby.

The change is temporary, as soon as the next bedroom is ready she will be moving in there, this time permanently. She’s had a hard time staying in bed, which we anticipated, so tonight she didn’t go to sleep until about 11pm. She should be a zombie tomorrow.

We decided to put a gate in the doorway, because I am not willing to have her sleeping in a room by herself with the door closed but I also don’t think it’s a good idea for her to take a midnight stroll through the house. We’ll see how the first night goes.

Also, the crib people (per the instructions) say that babies are unable to get out of it until they are 35 inches tall and she is 33 inches. I want some justice here.

Here are some of the tunes I’ve recently added to my collection. Let the embarrassment begin.

• Tori Amos, “Somewhere over the Rainbow” — I posted a link to a video of her version of this song. It’s truly beautiful.
• Marc Anthony, “I Need to Know” — I don’t remember which car company used this song in a recent commercial; I just remember that I like the tune.  I can live without the lyrics, but I like the music.
• Spencer Davis Group, “Gimme Some Lovin’” — No, I’m not using this as a pick-up line. It’s just cool retro music.
• Ben Folds, “Kalamazoo” — I’ve gotta give some love to a song about the area where I live.
• Heart, “Alone” — You love the ’80s. You know you do.
• Jimi Hendrix, “The Star-Spangled Banner” — It’s a classic.
• Lady GaGa, “Poker Face” — This was the first song I heard after I finished the Detroit marathon.
• Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know” / “Your House” — I downloaded this more for the latter song than for the former; it’s a really cool, really sad song.
• Katy Perry, “Waking up in Vegas” — It’s catchy; therefore, I like it.
• Merrilee Rush and the Turnabouts, “Angel of the Morning” — It’s one of my favorite hits by a one-hit wonder.
• Styx, “Renegade” — It’s a classic.
• Super Mario Bros. theme — You know you love it.
• t.A.T.u., “All the Things She Said” — What’s better than catchy music? Catchy Russian music.

Tegnap szokásomhoz híven megnéztem a SouthParkStudios-on a legőrültebb amerikai animációs sorozat legújabb részét. Maga az epizód nem volt túl nagy durranás, ám volt benne egy rész, ahol Cartman énekelt… Nem szeretem Lady GaGa-t, sem a Pokerface-t, de ez a szám Cartam előadásában EPIC WIN!

Innen akár le is tölthető. Nekem ez az új csengőhangom.

Idő közben a jewtube leszedte a vidit (nem tudom mi a faszért zavarja a Viacom-ot, ha a hivatalos SP honlapon amúgy is ingyér’ nézhető az egész), de mindegy, töltsétek le a számot, vagy nézzétek meg az epizódot. Addig meg itt egy másik régi klasszikus Cartman dal.

SupremeBeing Baltic Quilted Jacket.

Features Contrast trims and a zip-through front. Drawstring hood and all over quilted design.

£94.99

** This item alone will qualify you for free UK delivery. All orders over £50 are entitled to free delivery **

To view this product you can click on the image above, or you can use the links provided below.

http://www.styxonline.co.uk/index.asp?spc=BALTICGREYGREEN&sch=n&pg=1&level1=&level2=&level3=&searchtext=Supremebeing

http://www.styxonline.co.uk/