Gifting Music?

Are you planning on gifting any music this holiday season? And by "gifting" I really mean creating a mix CD of the favorite songs you love for someone you care about.

The more I reflect on Christmas, I can't help but shake my head. I don't know about other parts of the world, but in America, we've all been taken hostage by the marketing machine. It seems only now, "post" massive recession, that people are waking up to the fact that charging a zillion dollars in December doesn't make a holiday better or more memorable.

The things that are memorable, however, are gifts that take quite a lot of personal thought. It dawned on me that if someone created a mix CD just for me - with all my interests in mind - it just might be the best gift ever. Then I thought "You could decorate the case with rhinestones and be very Glam!" I know most guys don't like arts and crafts, but the thought of doing anything with rhinestones gets me very excited.

It's funny when you think of it. You probably know your significant other or best friend or sibling very well. I bet you can pick out bands they would like - bands they've never heard before! You could easily print out a little info about the band, type the web address next to the band's name and song title and completely open a whole new world for that special gift recipient. Best yet, a mix album made from the heart costs very little, but it does take time. Such a gift can't be purchased in five seconds from Amazon - but the imapct is far greater.

So - and I'm not dropping hints or anything - if I received a mix CD of the most obscure Glam around, I'd probably have to dedicate an entire post to talk about it and to review the songs. Just think if we all received obscure Glam mix albums for Christmas. We'd have topics galore through 2011 and beyond!

I'm Making a Donation to MADD Because of This Video

You know MADD, right? The acronym stands for Mother's Against Drunk Driving. Reporters caught Vince Neil in Hollywood this week outside some overpriced restaurant. It's pretty clear Vince is inebriated - which is fine - until he gets behind the wheel of his car. And then his new girlfriend climbs in the passenger seat. It's both devastating and maddening at all once. Doesn't he realize he could hurt himself or others? Doesn't he care? And to be fair, I don't know if he's really drunk. After all, I wasn't with him inside that restaurant. But still. The video causes concern.

Incidentally, December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Watch the video...if you can stomach all the way through.

Reckless Loves Does Christmas!

If you'll recall, I despise Christmas music. In fact, too much Christmas music makes me crazy. As in, I start to sweat and twitch and I get really agitated. But, I can take a tune here and there. Especially if the song is in Glam fashion. Enter Reckless Love and their version of “Jingle Bells.” Check out the glory note!

Reckless Love recorded “Jingle Bells” in 2009. What do you think?

'This Is Gonna Hurt...'

This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx is the new book project by Nikki Sixx. Like the Heroin Diaries, SIXX:AM will record a new album with some songs drawn from Nikki's new book.

Here's the first official look at This Is Gonna Hurt. As you'll soon see, this is a true teaser - not much revealed at all.

Get This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx on April 26 via HarperCollins/William Morrow.

I'd Like These 3 Bands to Reunite (You Know, Like Now)

Which band would you like to see reunite - beyond Guns n' Roses? I throw GnR in there early because I know everyone will say "Original GnR!" but I want some more creativity in this thread today.

There are literally tons of bands that could reunite with original members, and most will never happen for all sorts of reasons. Still, we can dream. I have a few choice reunion wishes, and some of them may surprise you. They include:

Queensryche with Chris DeGarmo
Van Halen (no disrespect to Wolfgang, but I want Michael Anthony!)
Skid Row

Now, the chances all three of my wishes ever happening are about as likely as Axl Rose calling up Slash for a golf date and a late lunch. Basically, it ain't gonna happen folks. Still, can you imagine? Better yet, let's get Queensryche, Van Halen and Skid Row to reunite...and perform one big concert together! How wild would that be? Sebastian Bach, David Lee Roth and Geoff Tate could all sing some weird cover at the end of the show. I think that would be awesome...the thing memories are made of!

Can you tell I'm feeling wacky on this winter Monday?

[As an aside, can I just say I think that someday we will see a Skid Row reunion? I can't believe that Sebastian Bach will never sing with the original lineup again...even if it is just for a special one-off show. I just worry that when/if it does happen, we'll all be under whelmed].

Here's an awesome live version of "18 and Life" from 1991:

'Up From the Ashes'

How is it that I don't own Don Dokken's solo record Up From the Ashes?

Last night I was clicking around YouTube, looking for something new to enjoy while doing my web surfing. I came across Don Dokken's "Stay" and noticed John Norum (you know, from Europe) playing guitar. After my double take I realized I wasn't listening to a Dokken track. Turns out I like "Stay" a lot. Since I don't own Up From the Ashes, I did a little research and learned the album came out in 1990 on Geffen. This surprises me because I was a huge Geffen fanatic. After all, they were the label home of Aerosmith so I thought just about everything that label did was golden. (Remember, folks, I was a dumb kid way back when).

So, all that said, I'm kind of excited I have a "new old" album to discover. At this point, that doesn't happen for me very often. Do you own Up From the Ashes?

"Stay"

Don't Play This for Grandma!

Oh my. Corey Taylor, lead singer of Slipknot, has a new Christmas song (insane, I know). The song will benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust. While "X-M@$" is not Glam -- I honestly don't know "what" it is -- I think you will find it very amusing. Seriously. Give it a watch.

Order "X-M@$" on iTunes.