Top 10 Favorite Sports Video Games

So, a pretty good portion of my childhood is playing video games.  My joy of video games spans just about every genre.  This may seem kind of odd since people who play RPGs generally don't play sports games.  In all honesty, I probably wouldn't even play sports games if it wasn't for the fact I enjoy sports... a lot.  Especially football.  As long as I don't have to work, my Sundays are devoted to watching football all day long (well, during the season anyways).

Also, you can make a pretty good argument that sports games have RPG elements.  After the year 2000, more and more of the new sports games would have a season or franchise mode which would involve player management and each player would have a number rating on each individual skill, similar to that of an RPG.  The difference is the stat categories being rated would be strength or throwing accuracy, for example, instead of the traditional magic power or attack power attributes in a standard RPG.

Before we start, I would like to make a disclaimer about this list.  You might notice that I wouldn't include a certain game over another game that should obviously be in a top ten list (such as NBA jam).  Well, the reason is simple:  if I haven't played it, it's not on this list.  This is a favorite games list, not a greatest of all time list.  I recognize that Madden '13 has the best graphics and physics and that it is probably the best Madden to date.  However, I have not played the game.  I have only played the demo so I cannot make a fair assessment about the game itself.

Oh, and also, I will use a pretty loose definition of the word "sport."  This list is not limited to football, basketball, baseball, and hockey.  This list may also include extreme sports, (like skateboarding or snowboarding).  However, it will NOT include racing games (since there are so many really good racing games out there).  But, I will probably make a separate top ten of my favorite racing games at some point.

With all of that out of the way, onto the list.


Number 10:  Snowboarding

The game is as simple as the title.  Pick race or trick mode and hit the slopes!  The controls are easy to grasp and it's pretty fun too.  Just simple fun.


Number 9:  MVP Baseball 2004

Ironically, the batting in this game was really hard and the pitching was easy.  So the actual gameplay was pretty mediocre.  The franchise mode was incredibly in-depth though and way more advanced than other sports games at the time.  If a player is unhappy with their contract or their team performance, their own performance would suffer as well.  Some games throughout the season were more important than others because of rivalries and whatnot.  Winning and losing these games affects team chemistry which ultimately affects team performance.  Overall, Franchise mode was way ahead of its time but the basic gameplay mechanics needed serious work.  The soundtrack is also somewhat notable.

Number 8:  Hot Shots Tennis:  Get a Grip

This game has basic controls but a lot of complex maneuvers can be pulled off with the basic controls.  It's very well designed.  The characters are goofy and the story is silly.  In game, you can hit stuff off of the court and cause comical things to happen like a remote control helicopter to crash or someone watching to fall into the water.  It's a straightforward game but a lot of fun.  If you have a PSP, I would definitely encourage you to check it out.

Number 7:  NFL Blitz/Blitz 2000

I know putting these two games in the same slot is kinda cheating but, in my defense, they are almost exactly the same game.  The only differences are that in Blitz 2000, there's an added three and four player mode so you can smack talk two other friends of yours.  NFL Blitz was originally an arcade game and it feels like it too.  The controls are simple and easy to pick up and it's a lot of fun.  Have football, but take all the penalties out and jack eveeryone up on immense amounts of testosterone.  Now that's a football game!  Tackle the receiver before the ball comes and body slam the shit out of him after the whistle!

Number 6:  Madden '06

Madden is quite a franchise that's been around about as long as I have been alive.  When Madden 2006 came out, it was completely different from the other Maddens that had come out that decade.  They revamped the quarterback controls so that you increase your accuracy by looking in the direction of the receiver before throwing.  The hitstick/truckstick feature was also pretty awesome.  The Career mode was also pretty innovative.  You make a player (or import one from your NCAA game) and play an NFL career.  You sign a contract and go.  The only drawback in this mode is that you can play everyone on the team.  Not just your career player which was a real drawback for me thinking I was playing career mode.  This isn't NFL team of your player's career mode!  The Franchise mode was pretty awesome and innovative for its time.  Not only do you manage the players but you also have much more control over financial aspects like ticket prices, merchandise, and upgrades to the stadium.  You could also change cities and redesign your own uniform which I also thought was pretty cool.  Overall, Madden '06 was a pretty great game but they keep getting better and better.  You really can't go wrong with any of the Madden games if you want a good football game.

Number 5:  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

A classic game that started a classic franchise.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was the shit when it came out!  The levels were cool, the selection of pro skateboarders was awesome, this game kicked the ass of any skateboarding games to come out before it.  It's only drawback is that it is a relatively easy game to beat.  However, this is an issue that would definitely be addressed by Activision in the later games of the series.  

Overall, it's just good fun.  You won't regret playing this one

Number 4:  MLB '07:  The Show

Like Madden '06 and MVP Baseball 2004, this game further improved the management elements in the Franchise mode.  This game also had a career mode that was somewhat similar to Madden '06 but one big improvement was made.  In career mode, you only played your character.  This makes way more sense!!!  When playing through the schedule, you were only allowed to play the at-bats when your character was at the plate, running the bases, or when your player had to make a fielding play.  Similarly, if you made a pitcher, you could only play when he was pitching, at the plate, or running the bases.  It was a very fun game mode and, really, wouldn't change a thing.  The hitting and pitching was vastly improved from that of MVP Baseball 2004.  The hitting was a reasonable difficulty where you could actually know where you're aiming your bat and the x button was used as a swing command.  Way better hitting controls!  The pitching difficulty was also upped compared to MVP baseball 2004.  Your pitcher doesn't always through a perfect pitch in this one.  Even if you do everything right, sometimes he doesn't throw it in the exact right place.  Also, even if you put it in the corner of the strike zone, the batter would hit a homerun anyways.  MLB '07:  The Show is pretty awesome and is the reason why we don't see the baseball games like MVP Baseball from EA Sports anymore.  The MLB:  The Show games are pretty great and will probably remain on top for the forseeable future in the world of video game baseball.

Number 3:  NFL Blitz:  The League

For those of you that thought the early Blitz games were outrageous, just try this one on for size!  NFL Blitz:  The League is the only sports game I've ever played that has gotten an 'M' rating from ESRB.  Boy does it earn that 'M' rating too!  When your unleash bar is full, make sure that you do the correct button combo to tear the quarterback's arm off!  Your receiver's arm fractured from that dirty hit he took?  No problem!!!  Just give him some weird concoction in a needle and he's good to go for the next play!  Oh, and don't forget about season mode!  Have your players improve by hitting the gym or, if you think you won't get caught, have them all juice instead!!!  Also, this is the only football game I've ever played that has fighting!  Everyone goes around and tackles one another like crazy and whichever team has more tackles at the end winsthe fight!  The controls and play choice is similar to the older games which gives a familiar feeling to the older games but, everything else is much more obnoxious and dirty than it's predecessors.  Give this one a go!  You won't be disappointed!


Number 2:  Tony Hawk's Underground 2

So far, this game is the best Tony Hawk game that I've ever played.  Everything in this game is done right.  You can get off of your board, walk around, and graffiti the walls.  The levels are awesome and the missions are awesome too!  Many of the missions involve silly shenanigans that would be similar to those you would find on Jackass.  Of course, this is because half of the Jackass cast is in the game.  The game also has a kickass soundtrack which includes, but is certainly not limited to, The Ramones, The Doors, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Eat World, and Rancid.  Insanely fun game!  This game is a must play.  Especially if you love skateboarding.

Number 1:  NHL 2001

Man, no way does EA Sports make a game filled with as much shenanigans as NHL 2001 anymore.  Not by a long shot.  This game is not only fun, but it's hilarious too!  The commentators are constantly making wisecracks about the stuff that happens on the ice and the players mouthing off at the refs is just comical.  After you score a goal, pressing and holding the triangle button will allow you to taunt until the next face off starts.  Of course, the fighting is fucking hilarious.  Especially if someone really gets their ass kicked!  When your guys get sent to the penalty box, they show them doing all sorts of things like banging on the glass like they're in a jail cell or throwing shit around.  The best part is the hitting.  If you get a big hitter to square up against another guy, you can just level the shit out of them!  I mean, you hit them so hard that they do a double back flip, not even kidding!  Even injuries in this game are fucking hilarious.  The injured player rolls around on the ground in such an odd way that he looks like he has no bones in his body.  

I still put in this game every now and then and fuck some shit up!  If you're playing the newest NHL game, you're wasting your time.  Sure, that game may be more realistic but NHL 2001 brings all the stuff that you gotta love about hockey.  The hitting, the fighting, the obnoxious behavior...  it's a blast!  You need to buy this game now!  You can probably get it for like two bucks at a retro gaming store since no one wants to buy the old EA Sports games.   It will be the best two dollars you've ever spent.  I guarantee it.

Abridged: Crushes

In Chronological Order...

1.)  Lauren:  Don't remember
2.)  Alyssa:  Still don't remember
3.)  Sydney:  Jock
4.)  Chelsee:  Huh, odd spelling
5.)  Megan:  Too distant
6.)  Dana:  Very caring
7.)  Amanda:  Squeaky voice
8.)  Lauren:  Dark and material
9.)  Jess:  Soccer player legs
10.)  Molly:  Fastest rejection record
11.)  Megan:  Carefree and independent
12.)  Steph:  Cute little personality
13.)  Kelly:  Skinny!  Not fat!!!
14.)  Ashleigh:  Not over her
15.)  Ashley:  Cool nerd
16.)  Kelly:  World Traveler
17.)  Tana:  Disaster averted
18.)  *Unknown*:  Remember pretty faces!
19.)   AJ:  Disaster not averted
xx.)  Steph:  Not a crush
20.)  Elle:  Indie-rock Singer
21.)  Allison:  Cool talking to.
22.)  Ali:  Hello, goodbye

10 Songs You Probably Didn't Know I Like

Just because I dislike a lot of modern pop and rap doesn't mean that I hate all of it.  In fact, I will throw down this list just to prove that I'm not a pure hater and that I give all music a chance.

If you know me well, a lot of these will probably surprise you.  Though I must say, just because a song is on this list, doesn't mean that I like the song a ton.  It's just a song that I don't hate and get some sort of enjoyment out of.

Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts

Christina Perri is an incredibly talented singer!  Holy shit!
What's interesting about Christina Perri is that she doesn't really unleash the full potential of her voice like Haley Williams or Adele would.  However, the way the songs are written, it's almost like it's unnecessary, even out of place, for her to sing at the top of her lungs.  The passion and emotion are there without it.  It will be interesting to see what else she turns out in the future (if the pop world allows her to stay around).

The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

This could be the only party song in history that I actually enjoy.  Though, as much as I hate to admit it, Will.i.am is a pretty good composer.  He just doesn't put effort into it and frequently turns out pure shit like Imma Bee, My Humps, and...well... a whole host of others that I could spend hours bitching about.  If the Black Eyed Peas put a little bit of effort in and did more songs like this, they could actually have my interest.
But Fergie will always suck.  Always.

Skee Lo - I Wish

My close friends know exactly what this song is.  Yeah, a friend of mine frequently sings the chorus to this song, especially if he's getting his ass kicked in a video game.  In all seriousness though, I think that this song's message is pretty cool.  Basically, it's about how girls dig the dumbest shit and how they don't like guys because of dumb shit.  So, the irony of the song is that he raps about all the things that he wants just to impress girls.  Specifically, in the song, he talks about a girl named Leoshi.  At the end, he then talks about the things he actually wants and the things he actually cares about.  Now that's something I think all of us guys can take away as a good message.

NWA - Straight Outta Compton

Ah, the late eighties (before rap really started to suck ass).  This is about the only rap song that makes me say, "I don't wanna fuck with these guys!"  The more modern gangsta rap is just so ridiculous that it feels like a pure work a fiction.  Like you're being read a fucking fairy tale.  This song would even make Ned Flanders want to go and beat the shit out of a guy and curb stomp the shit out of him!

Michael Jackson - Thriller

Michael Jackson was one of the best performers of all time.  As a musician, however, I always thought he wasn't amazing, but still pretty good.  Thriller is one of the those songs that has always stood out to me as his best.  The groovy bass, the trumpets, the wolves howling, they are all awesome!.  Also, the music video is pretty cool too.  As overproduced as it is, it is pretty cool.  It makes you want to go into a graveyard with a boom box on your shoulder and start dancing the night away!
Don't do that though.  It's very disrespectful...

Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad

Haha.  This song.  I don't even know what this song is about.  I could never understand what he was saying and never cared enough to look up the lyrics or listen more closely.  What I do like about this song is what's going on in it.  You got some cool synth lines and a pretty cool organ line during the verses.  The drumbeat is basic but it keeps you groovin'.  And... *gasp* a guitar solo?  What?  Pretty well done guitar solo too.  I like the instrumentation of this song a lot.  The mix of rap and alternative elements remind me a lot of a band called Chronic Future.  If you haven't heard of Chronic Future, I highly recommend you check them out.

Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise

What I like a lot about this song is that it really brings the realities of gang life to the forefront.  It doesn't talk about the money or the girls or being a tough guy or whatever.  It talks about how it's tough and how you get drawn into the gang life.  Most importantly, how you can't leave the gang life.  I think it's a good change-up from the typical shit that the genre usually offers.  The synthesized choir in the chorus and at the end of the song is also pretty cool.

The Fray - How to Save a Life

Yeah, a lot of us are really sick of hearing this one.  You know what though, I do like the message of this song, a lot.  I think it raises awareness on an issue that is often swept aside for more "important" issues or, what I like to call, "In your face issues."  I won't delve into it too much because it's a pretty heavy topic (and I'll probably write about it on this blog at some point).

Secondhand Serenade - Fall For You

It's funny because this song really isn't that different from the pop acts that really suck.  So why do I like this song?  Well, I guess the fact that they actually play instruments and don't auto tune the shit out of the singing is a start.  I think I like it though because it's also a little deeper than most...barely.  It's not about the typical relationship crap like wanting your ex back, wanting to be with someone really bad, or being really in love with someone.  It's a bit of a bittersweet message about grudgingly giving your ex a second chance and knowing that you're probably making the wrong decision.  What I always found ironic was that this song was the theme for prom my senior year...I think.  I don't really remember.  Probably because I never went to prom.  Regardless, it was the theme some year and it was always ironic because high schoolers always make that mistake of giving their ex a second chance when they know it's gonna end badly.  Especially the stupid kids that were at my high school.  Especially!

Ingrid Michaelson - Be OK

This catchy little pop/folk song can make just about any terrible day a little less terrible.  Even days when you just want to slash your wrists apart, it makes you put your knife down and say, "Hey, it's gotta get better.  I'm gonna be OK."

67 Influential Albums

The All-American Rejects:  The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects:  Move Along
blink-182:  Enema of the State
blink-182:  Take off Your Pants and Jacket
Bowling for Soup:  Drunk Enough to Dance
The Clash:  Combat Rock
The Clash:  London Calling
The Clash:  The Clash
Coldplay:  Parachutes
Coldplay:  A Rush of Blood to the Head
Dashboard Confessional:  A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar
Deep Purple:  Made in Japan
Deep Purple:  Machine Head
Deep Purple:  Live in Europe
The Doors:  The Doors
Final Fantasy VIII Soundtrack
Flogging Molly:  Drunken Lullabies
Goldfinger:  Goldfinger
Green Day:  American Idiot
Green Day:  Dookie
Jeff Beck:  Emotion and Commotion
Jefferson Airplane:  Surrealistic Pillow
The Jimi Hendrix Experience:  Are You Experienced?
Jimmy Eat World:  Bleed American
Jimmy Eat World:  Futures
Jimmy Eat World:  Clarity
Jimmy Eat World:  Static Prevails
The Killers:  Sam's Town
The Killers:  Hot Fuss
Led Zeppelin:  IV
The Moves:  One Two Three Four
Muse:  Absolution
Muse:  Black Holes and Revelations
My Chemical Romance:  Bullets
My Chemical Romance:  Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
My Chemical Romance:  The Black Parade
The New Minstrel Revue:  Far and Away
Nirvana:  Nevermind
North Mississippi All-stars:  Shake Hands with Shorty
Paramore:  Riot
Paramore:  Brand New Eyes
Pencey Prep:  Heartbreak in Stereo
Pink Floyd:  Wish You Were Here
R.E.M.:  Document
Ramones:  Rocket to Russia
Rancid:  ...And Out Come the Wolves
Rancid:  Indestructible
Renaissance:  Turn of the Cards
Rise Against:  Appeal to Reason
The Sex Pistols:  Never Mind the Bollocks
She Wants Revenge:  She Wants Revenge
She Wants Revenge:  This is Forever
Smashing Pumpkins:  Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Styx:  The Grand Illusion
Sum 41:  All Killer No Filler
Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber:  Jesus Christ Superstar
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers:  Full Moon Fever
U2:  The Joshua Tree
Vampire Weekend:  Vampire Weekend
Van Halen:  Van Halen
The Vandals:  Hitler Bad, Vandals Good
Weezer:  Blue
Weezer:  Pinkerton
Weezer:  Green
Weezer:  Red
Yellowcard:  Ocean Avenue
Yellowcard:  Lights and Sounds

Top 10 Most Influential Albums

Why albums?  Well, the idea of writing and recording an album is a dying art.  Growing up in a time when good albums actually meant something, I find it necessary to pay tribute to at least ten of them (opposed to a Top 10 of songs or artists),

Picking my favorite song or album is downright impossible for me.  Therefore, in order to make a top ten list of albums, I need to make it a most influential list.  By 'influential,' I mean the albums that have not only influenced my musical compositions but have also influenced my thoughts on various topics and have ultimately impacted my life (for better or for worse, you can be the judge of that).  Even under these parameters, it was rather difficult to narrow it down to only ten and to rank those ten.

But here it is:  my best attempt at ranking my most influential albums.  I narrowed it down to these ten from an original brainstorm of 67 albums!
(You can see that list here:  http://braceforinsanity.blogspot.com/2013/01/67-influential-albums.html)

Number 10:  The All-American Rejects - Move Along

Wait, what?

Yeah, that’s right.  The All-American Rejects (AAR) just slipped into the number ten spot.  I think a lot of people, even people that know me pretty well, don’t realize how much of a fan that I am of AAR.  I listened to a lot of AAR in middle school and, even now, I still throw them on every now and then.  Being the AAR fan that I am, I was really disappointed when they left their pop-punk roots and turned into this really bland pop group.  I listened to Beekeeper’s Daughter when it came out and it was so boring that I refused to buy the new album Kids in the Street (which is an album I was planning on buying).  I haven’t listened to anything on Kids in the Street or Beekeeper’s Daughter since and I don’t plan on listening to any of it in the future.

This album in particular makes this list because of the passion and the delivery of it is pure perfection.  AAR’s first self-titled album was pretty passionate too but it was more like you were getting hit by a shotgun.  It was too spread out.  Move Along has several very memorable moments that make tears come to your eyes.  The first one that comes to my mind is the beginning of the chorus right after the bridge in Straight Jacket feeling.  That one just gets me every time.   The passion in It Ends Tonight, Dance Inside, I’m Waiting, and Can’t Take It, has really inspired me in realizing that passion is an important tool in music.  There are so many times today when I hear a song and the passion is just missing.  It just doesn’t connect with the listener like it could.  The writing of AAR isn’t very complex, the guitar playing won’t knock your socks off like Satriani, but the music will always make you feel something.  Especially if you’re going through a bad breakup or something, AAR is a very relatable group. 

As far as my composing goes, you can hear the driving guitar and bass like AAR uses but it’s a general characteristic of 90s punk.  Where AAR really influences me are lyrical content and emotion.  I can’t say that I’ve ever wrote a piece that didn’t have anything to do with my emotion.  Even joke music I’ve written has had something to do with my emotions.  It is just more positive than a lot of my other music and will, hopefully, make you laugh. 

Number 9:  Pencey Prep - Heartbreak in Stereo

Pencey who?

Pencey Prep is a band that I have started listening to more recently.  A lot of bands that I have started listening to more recently have been left off of this list because of that.  Why?  Well, simply because a band or album that you started listening to more recently hasn’t had enough time to influence you yet. 

So why is Heartbreak in Stereo on here then?

Well, basically because this album has struck me harder than anything else in the past few years.  My present emotions and the style, mood, and lyrical content of the music clicked together instantly.  I think what really makes this group special for me is that every musician in the group is extremely passionate.  You can hear it in every note that they play. 

For those of you who don’t know who Pencey Prep was (which is just about everyone), Pencey Prep was a melodic emocore/punk band from New Jersey in the early 2000s.  What is most notable about Pencey Prep is that My Chemical Romance’s rhythm guitarist Frank Iero was in the band as the lead singer and co-guitarist. 

I think what this band has really impressed onto me is the way they use lead and rhythm guitar together.  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the music I have written more recently resembles the way they use rhythm and lead guitar.  The lead guitar is almost like a co-melody but not really like a harmony or counter melody.  It’s odd to explain.  I guess it would be closest to being a counter melody than anything but I have noticed that I have started writing lead guitar parts in the same way as Pencey Prep did. 

Heartbreak in Stereo is their only album but it is one hell of an album.  When first listening to the album, my first impression was that the guitars sounded hollow and that it could have been mixed better.  I realized though that it was really part of the style and grew to really like that style of guitar.  I do prefer deeper sounding guitars still though so the shallow guitar mix stays out of most of my songs. 

Number 8:  Weezer – Blue

Weezer basically made shy and nerdy guys like me look cool!

I mean, look at them.  They rock da house with thick rimmed glasses and button up shirts.  Their 1994 blue colored self-titled album was one of the first albums that I bought and I listened to it all through middle school.  In fact, I used to be able to play the whole album straight through.  I would throw the album on, plug in my bass guitar, and proceed to play from My Name is Jonas through the last G flat on Only in Dreams.

God, Only in Dreams is a great song!  Most people know Undone (The Sweater Song), Buddy Holly, and Say it Ain’t So but no one knows the eight minutes of awesome called Only in Dreams.  The lyrical content relates directly to weird outcasts like me who can’t talk to girls for the life of them because they’re too socially awkward and tend to scare girls away when trying to talk to them.  The instrumental section in the second half of the song is just beautiful.  Playing that song just breaks my heart every time because I can just relate to it so well.

Besides influencing my emotional connection with music, Weezer’s first bassist Matt Sharp was also an influence to me.  His style just really hit home with me.  When I play slower to mid-tempo music, I tend to do similar “bass fills,” I call them, to what he does.  It just makes everything sound so much more full and I can’t help but to put that creativity into music that I am playing. 

Number 7:  My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

Holy shit this album is awesome!

As far as My Chemical Romance (MCR) goes, I got into them a little bit late because when Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge came out, I wasn’t into any kind of punk yet.  In fact, I hated punk.  I thought it was shit and I kept listening to my hard rock albums from the seventies. 

When this album came out (2006), I remember I thought that Welcome to the Black Parade was really good.  However, I didn’t buy the album because I didn’t want to be shunned by my peers.  I went to a middle school and high school where emo music was frowned upon and you were called a fag and completely rejected for listening to it instead of the shallow and boring pop that was popular.  However, by 2009 (Sophomore year of high school), I had become a social outcast and reject anyways so by then I pretty much did what I wanted and didn’t care what people thought of me.  So I bought The Black Parade album and was instantly hooked.  The interesting lead-in of The End, the driving lines of Dead!, the dark feeling of This is How We Disappear, the dark and knife-stabbing feeling of The Sharpest Lives, The anthem feeling of Welcome to the Black Parade, the bittersweet feeling of I don’t love you, the asylum called House of Wolves, the shocking news of Cancer, Liza Minnelli’s eerie voice in Mama, tired and worndown in Sleep, telling those other kids to fuck off in Teenagers, the reflective feeling of Disenchanted, and, of course, using your last breath to utter your Famous Last Words. 

Yeah, that was basically a run-on sentence but this album is just great.  You may wonder why this album isn’t higher on my list.  Well, it’s because it hasn’t been in my life long enough to influence me like some of these other albums have.  This one has certainly influenced me though.  The guitar work of Frank Iero and Ray Toro is just phenomenal.  Frank’s punk influence and Ray’s metal influence just blends together for a near perfect combo.  I love the guitar work.  A lot of MCR fans really like Gerard Way.  Honestly, I think Gerard is okay.  He’s a great performer.  But his singing diminishes in a live show.  Anyone who knows me knows that Frank Iero is my favorite MCR member.  Why?  He is only the rhythm guitarist?  Frank Iero has influenced my performing style.  I used to just stand there and play.  Now I do a lot of crazy jumping and running around (when there’s room) and spinning around on the ground (also, when there is room).  Foot stomping, guitar twirling:  almost all the shit that I do while playing is directly influenced from Frank Iero.  Also, the way that I dress for live shows is a combined influence from Frank Iero and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. 

Also, MCR have influenced me when writing music.  Their deeply emotional lyrics really inspire me to write deep lyrics of my own.  The lyrics that I was always too embarrassed or ashamed to write before were now coming out because MCR basically taught me that someone else could be feeling the same way as you and that you can reach to them by putting your deepest feelings and emotional issues into your music.           

Number 6:  Jimmy Eat World – Futures

You know, this one definitely belongs on this list and I wouldn’t change its ranking.  But, it might actually be my least favorite Jimmy Eat World album.  Well, it could actually be a tossup between Futures and Chase this Light.

If Futures is one of my least favorite Jimmy Eat World albums, then why is it on this list then?  Well, because this album opened me up to Jimmy Eat World.  It was the first Jimmy Eat World album I bought.  The thing is, it’s still a pretty awesome album.  My least favorite Jimmy Eat World album still makes my top 40 favorite albums of all time, easily.  Futures opened me up to what would become one of my favorite bands and have some serious staying power with me.  At this point, Futures isn’t quite like anything I have heard before.  I bought Futures around the time it came out (2004) and it’s one of the first albums I ever bought.  Jimmy Eat World’s Futures album had two songs on two different video games that I was playing at the time.  Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 had the song Pain on it and Gran Turismo 4 had Nothingwrong.  The heavy riffs of Nothingwrong and the aggression of Pain had me intrigued and I had no other option but to buy Futures at the store. 

The other songs on Futures weren’t really quite like anything that I was listening to at that point.  My hard rock and developing punk mindset couldn’t comprehend these mellow and intricate tracks called songs on this album.  The second play through of the album, I started to understand.  It was sadness, but no anger???  What?  My twelve year old mind could not compute!  In middle school though, things started to change and more and more I started to think about the past and then I understood a bit better.  This album, single handedly, got me into emotional music.  This album led me to start listening to all of the emotional artists that I listen to today.  Also, it led me to explore some very awesome Jimmy Eat World albums that I would not have not even been aware of if it wasn’t for Futures.  Embarrassingly, I hadn’t even heard the song The Middle until I bought Bleed American.  I guess I was just really trapped in my 70s hard rock world a bit too much…

Number 5:  Rancid - …And Out Come the Wolves

Dial 999 if you really want the truth!!!

This is the most ass-kicking start to a punk album ever!  Maxwell Murder is a great song!  After this fast paced 1:25 introduction, you will probably already be all bruised up and have jizzed your pants from Matt Freeman’s bass solo.

Shit, Matt Freeman is the best punk bassist ever!  I have not heard a punk bassist quite as good as him.  He is truly the best.  Matt has the biggest influence on my bass playing.  After hearing Maxwell Murder for the first time, I couldn’t help but to be inspired to up my game on bass.  Of course, now I play Maxwell Murder myself on bass.  I only have Matt to thank for heading me in the right direction on punk bass playing.  It doesn’t have to be the same one note over and over again like what a lot of punk bassists do.  Yeah, at this point I wasn’t playing the same note over and over.  I had been listening to The Clash after all (foreshadow!).  But he really showed me what a punk bassist can do.  His style can make a fast-paced punk song just kick your ass that much harder.  Of course, Roots Radicals and Journey to the End of the East Bay really also really got me into Rancid and got me to expand and explore more of the 90s punk revival.  Now I listen to a bunch of 90s punk and am still exploring more and more. 

Number 4:  Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

Hey Hey Mama, said the way you move.  Gonna make you sweat.  Gonna make you groove.

Every time I hear that first line, I get ready to start dancing my fucking ass off to one of the best guitar lines ever written.  There is no denying the influence of Led Zeppelin on my musical intuition.  Hell, this shit is embedded in my cells walls man!  Seriously, for as long as I can remember, my dad would fucking blast Led Zeppelin all the fucking time.  All of Zeppelin’s albums are great.  However, this album stands out to me for whatever reason.  I have memories of rocking on my rocking horse to this album as a kid.  I couldn’t keep up with Black Dog though because the song was too fast for the speed that my rocking horse could rock at.  But, I would try to keep up anyways.  But Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Misty Mountain Hop, and When the Levee Breaks are songs that I still know most of the words too from the times I heard them when I was still in diapers.

I know that I can’t really write a lot about this one like the other ones.  It’s hard for me to analyze an influence on me that was there when I was a little kid.  Ask anyone.  I really just don’t want to hear much Zeppelin anymore.  I remember in high school, for whatever reason, there was a short fad for listening to Led Zeppelin freshman year.  Kids would ask me if I listen to Led Zeppelin and I would say, “Well, not much.”  They would then ask me, “Don’t you need to get the Led out?”  Naturally, I would reply, “I’ve gotten the Led out enough my friend.”  

Number 3:  Deep Purple - Made in Japan

Deep Purple is a lot like Led Zeppelin for me.  My dad would play Deep Purple all the time on his old turntable.  Made in Japan is on this list as opposed to one of their studio albums mainly because my dad liked Deep Purple’s live albums better than their studio albums and, well, Made in Japan was his favorite.  I would have to agree.  Deep Purple’s live stuff is much more interesting than their studio albums.  Quite frankly, their studio albums are REALLY boring.  I highly recommend Deep Purple’s live recordings over their studio recordings.

So, it may seem that Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin have had similar influences on me.  They’re two bands that my dad really liked and I heard a lot when I was little.  However, Deep Purple was the one that stuck around with me later on.  I may have been tired of hearing Led Zeppelin but I did not get tired of listening to the sheer talent of Deep Purple.  Ian Gillan is an awesome hard rock singer and Ritchie Blackmore is one of the greatest rock guitarists, ever.  Ian Pace is a great drummer.  I think Ian Pace is someone who has really been forgotten in an era that had John Bonham and Neil Peart.  Jon Lord’s keyboard playing is fucking legendary.  I’m still waiting for a rock organist that is better than him.  Really, Keith Emerson is the only one I’ve ever heard that’s in the same ballpark as Jon Lord (or maybe Rick Wakeman…maybe…).  Roger Glover’s bass playing was often overshadowed in a genre that generally has very mediocre bass players.

Roger Glover is really the person that got me into bass playing.  For about four or five years, I didn’t even use a pick when playing bass (which is unusual for someone who is primarily a punk bassist) because of Roger Glover’s influence on me and the techniques I used.  So, Roger Glover is really the main reason why Deep Purple is number three on this list and Led Zeppelin is number four.    

Number 2:  The Clash - Combat Rock

This is a public service announcement!  But in time!!!

I remember this is one of the first albums I reached out to when I started expanding my musical horizons.  Why?  Well, because it was sitting around my house.  That’s right.  My dad actually has a small selection of CDs that he never listens to because he prefers vinyl.  Ironically, his selection of CDs is mixed in with my CD collection.  I wonder if he remembers that he has CDs?  Hm…

Anyways, so, I wanted something new to listen to so I put Combat Rock into my Dad’s Walkman (haha yeah, he also had a portable CD player that he never used.  How about that?) and, of course, the first song Know Your Rights came on.  This song was not something that I was used to listening to, that is for sure!  It was loud in a more aggressive way than anything that I had listened to pre-2004.  The more I write this, the more I realize how big of a year 2004 was for me in my musical development.  Hm.

I was instantly hooked on the idea of political protest in music and hooked on old school punk.  After checking out the Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Dead Kennedys, etc., I had become a punk rocker.  My musical tastes have strayed away from old school punk since then but, at heart, I will always be a punk rocker.  I still throw on all the classics like the Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Dead Kennedys, etc.  The Clash will always hold a special place in my punk rock heart.  Ironically, Combat Rock is my least favorite, Clash album but, it led the way into the old school punk universe and got me listening to albums like, London Calling, The Clash Self-titled, Give ‘em Enough Rope, Nevermind the Bollocks.   

Paul Simonon’s bass playing was certainly an influence to my bass playing.  This is especially so from the self-titled album and London Calling.  I can’t really put my finger on it but those two albums in particular I really liked the bass playing in.  Sandinista!  also had some intriguing bass as well but I didn’t start listening to that album until halfway through my sophomore year of high school.

Number 1:  Green Day - American Idiot

As hard as this list was to make, there was no doubt about my number one…

American Idiot is the most influential album for me for several reasons.  It was the first album I had ever bought and I listened to it constantly!  American Idiot is also my first exposure to alternative rock and inspired me to check out other alternative albums (like Futures).  It also got me to start looking into other artists.  It got me to start exploring the musical world a little more instead of listening to the same Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and other vinyl that my dad put on all the time.

Mike Dirnt’s bass playing was also a pretty big influence on my own bass playing since I wanted to learn quite a few Green Day songs.  I was interested in the texture of his bass playing and I did mess around with his style a bit.  Probably without realizing it, his bass sound is a part of my own sound that I have developed.

American Idiot is also my first exposure to angry music.  Green Day’s punk roots really shine in songs like American Idiot and St.  Jimmy and I was completely taken by how awesome it was to shout the words to these songs along with the recording.  My interest in punk probably roots back to this album.  I call American Idiot the “gateway drug” into Punk music.  It’s my own experience with American Idiot that lets me conclude that American Idiot is just that.  I wasn’t anywhere close to listening to punk before American Idiot.  I liked the hard rock sound of the guitar but slowly grew to like the content and punkish style of the album as well.  That’s how I was led into the world of punk.  And, I wouldn’t have it any other way.   

Honorable Mentions:

Green Day – Dookie

I listened to Dookie all the time in middle school.  Ironically, I started listening to it because my sister got it but found that she didn’t like it that much so she gave it to me.  Haha, she still regrets that decision since she loves the album now.  Dookie was pretty inspirational to me though because of the ongoing theme of the album of being an outcast and not fitting in.  At the end of middle school, I started feeling that way and this album was a great thing to relate to at that time.

She Wants Revenge - This is Forever

This one almost made the list.  If this was a top eleven list, it would have been number eleven.  This is Forever was a huge leap for me when it came to expanding my musical horizons.  I wouldn’t have even come close to listening to anything like this.  I heard Tear You Apart on the radio and I went out and bought this album (ironically, they didn’t have the album with Tear You Apart on it at the store but I still wanted to check out some more She Wants Revenge).  This album really got me to play around with the genre Dark Wave and some of my earliest compositions are heavily influenced by She Wants Revenge and the Dark Wave genre.  You can still hear hints of Dark Wave in my later compositions every now and then.

Styx - The Grand Illusion

I love this album.  Like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, I heard a lot of Styx when I was a little kid.  This album in particular has always stuck out at me.  It has The Grand Illusion of course, Come Sail Away, Fooling Yourself, Miss American, and Castle Walls.  One of my earliest memories is of the song Come Sail Away.  I remember watching The Return to Paradise Theater concert Live in Chicago on TV and I remember how awesome it was when Styx played Come Sail Away.  I may not compose using a lot of synthesizer but, I know that Styx has definitely left its mark on my musical intuition.

Crushes

So, I haven't really made any comics in a REALLY long time and I don't have any in progress right now.  I know, I've been a real bum about making comics.  However, I noticed that CJ wanted to start writing blog posts for his site along with the comics and I dug the idea.  I was logged into my Google account the other day and noticed in my 102°F fever haze that he had some ideas for blogs as drafts on the account.  I happened to notice that one of his ideas was about his crushes.  I got off of my computer and, now laying on the floor in my 102°F haze, I started thinking about all of my crushes that I have ever had.

Damn.  I had a lot of crushes!

So, I'm going to put it all out there (well, almost all of it).  Whether you asked for it or not, it's coming out full force.  Get ready motherfuckers!  Or just stop reading here.  The glory of reading, right?  You can skip parts or stop whenever you want and don't have to worry about your DVR being full.  Anyways, time to go balls deep into this shit!

Believe it or not, my first crush was when I was in preschool.  There was another girl in the class named Lauren that I had a crush on.  And that's the extent I remember that crush.  What do you want from me, a fucking diary or something?  Geez...

I remember having a crush on a girl named Alyssa in 2nd grade.  Yeah, I don't remember a lot about that one either.  Hook me up to an electric generator if you want.  I don't have anything else to say about that one.

3rd Grade I had a crush on a girl named Sydney.  She had a fucking boy's name and was athletic like a boy but she had her girly aspects too.  Maybe... maybe I just had a thing for dykes in 3rd Grade.  Who knows???

4th Grade I had a crush on a girl named Chelsee.  Yeah, her name was spelled C-h-e-l-s-e-e instead of C-h-e-l-s-e-a.  She was a sweet girl though I haven't really talked to her since 4th Grade.  We all know that girls change a ton before high school is over.

5th Grade I had a crush on........hm.  I didn't have a crush on anyone in Fifth Grade?  Wait, that's right.  I had a crush on Megan that year.  She didn't even go to my elementary school.  She went to the one just down the road but since the elementary schools are small, the district combined the two schools' band programs into one for the concerts.  So, on Tuesday mornings (I think) we would have rehearsals in the cafeteria.  All I remember is how good Megan looked and, believe me, she just got better as Middle School and High School went on.  She had a steady boyfriend for most of it though.  So there goes that idea.

6th Grade I had a crush two girls.  Damn raging hormones!  I had a crush on a girl named Dana (not CJ's ex) who was a beautiful blonde girl with a sweet personality.  If I had a chance to go on a date with her today, I would definitely take it.  She certainly didn't get worse through high school.  That is for sure!  The other girl I had a crush on was named Amanda.  She was a beautiful brunette with a squeaky voice who had a very trim figure.  I didn't really know much about her because I didn't talk to her much but she was certainly nice to look at.  But yeah, my crushes on Dana and Amanda went through the duration of middle school.  In fact, like I said, I still would give Dana a chance if the opportunity arose.  It's almost like I never even got over that crush at all.  Sheesh.  I'm a fucking wimp!

Anyways, amongst these two crushes you can also add on another crush when I was in 7th Grade.  There was a dark and tall girl in my science class named Lauren.  I'm sure she turned into a major ass slut in high school.  She just has it written all over her with the makeup and the fancy handbags and high heels.  What girl wants to live like that anyways?

In 8th Grade, I developed three more crushes on top of the other three I had at the time.  At this point, I'm just about to lose my mind!  There was a cute read-head named Jess that played soccer.  Man she had those sexy soccer player legs!  Anyone who knows me knows that I will bring up the sexy soccer player legs every now and then.  I don't even know what it is.  Girls that play soccer have this kind of structure to their legs that are just really appealing to me.  I think it has something to do with the fullness and firmness of them that makes them better than any other chick legs...ever.  Anyways, like a lot of soccer players in high school, she turned into a major ass slut too.  My second crush that I got that year was for a girl named Molly who was a really pretty blonde with a very trim figure.  She was also the first girl I ever asked out.  She was a band geek like me and one day after band when we were putting our instruments away, I kind of hinted that I liked her and she just looked at me with this disgusted look and I covered it up with a joke.  She was instantly relieved after that.  So even though I didn't technically ask her out, I still consider it one of the times that I did because I got rejected so hard that I didn't even get to the "asking out" step.  Beat that Motherfuckers!  hahahahaha  More uneventful was my third crush.  Her name was Megan (not to be confused with the Megan from before).  She also had soccer player legs.  I don't even know what it was about her.  I liked her carefree personality a lot I guess.  She was probably the first girl I had a crush on that wasn't based on physical attractiveness.  I guess it was a sign that my tastes in women were maturing as well.

Of course, like a lot of people, a lot of things change when going to high school.  One thing that didn't change in high school is my high volume of crushes and my lack of girlfriend.  So, Freshman year of high school I liked this girl named Steph a lot (not my ex-girlfriend).  She had long blonde hair and a cute personality.  She was also very short which added to the cuteness factor.  She also had soccer player legs (anyone noticing a pattern here?).  She played flute in band as well which for some reason is something I found attractive at the time.  Both Megans that I had a crush on also played flute for that matter.  I also had a crush on a girl named Kelly who was a tall and slim brunette with a stunning figure.  We were in the same geometry class and I don't remember much but I do remember this one time when she made some comment about how she was getting fat and I stood up and immediately told her how wrong she was and how good of a figure she had.  I honestly think that I made her day by telling her that because she was blushing and whatnot but it's not like she liked me or anything like that so really, another crush gone nowhere.

Sophomore year my crushes didn't slow down much at all.  This is actually the year I am most open about when it comes to my crushes.  This is the year that I had a crush on three different girls in my one English class and I talked to all three of them on a daily basis.  In retrospect, I could have probably had some sort of success if I wasn't so depressed and mixed up at the time.  But yeah, the three girls in that class were Ashleigh, Ashley, and Kelly (not to be confused with the other Kelly).  The thing about these three girls is that they were all great in their own unique way.  Ashleigh was the really quiet bookworm.  She was a really tall brunette with glassy eyes and lush lips.  She was very pretty.  Like Dana, if I was ever presented with an opportunity to date Ashleigh today, I would definitely take it.  Yeah, Ashleigh was overwhelmingly pretty.  Her last name was Angel which I always found ironically fitting for her because she would never hurt a fly or do anything bad.  But yeah, I did ask her out.  If you want to know more about that story, you're gonna have to look at the comic.  I'm not telling it again.  In retrospect though, when asking Ashleigh out, I really should have spoken up more.  I think a lot of it had to do with that Ashleigh was the first girl that I was really humbled by her presence.  Everything about her just amazed me.  In fact, her qualities are still quite appealing to me today.  She is the one girl that I had a crush on before that I still think about semi-regularly (which is weird, I know).  It's almost like my crush never really went away.  It drives me crazy some days!!!  Well, moving on, along with Ashleigh, there were also Ashley and Kelly.  Ashley was also sweet.  She was pretty cool.  She's also about the most unappealing when it comes to physical appearance.  But as I said before, my tastes were changing to more of what they are now and how I am more attracted to a good personality opposed to physical appearance.  Ashley's acne would really turn a lot of guys off I imagine.  I just couldn't help being attracted by how cool she was though and her personality.  Kelly was really interesting too.  She travels all over the world and has been to all sorts of foreign countries as a foreign exchange student.  She was always very interesting to me which is why I had a crush on her.  Her biggest downfall though is how skinny she was.  Her chest is flatter than the Midwest and her ass didn't exist at all.

But yeah, enough about that.  Sophomore year was when I was starting to breakdown emotionally.  Fortunately, I had some higher class girls around to keep me from having crushes on sluts.  Well, they weren't around my Junior or Senior year so I was starting to get crushes on sluts those years in pure desperation.  I could barely keep myself away though, in retrospect, I don't know how I did but I'm glad that I did stay away from the sluts.  Junior year of high school I had a small crush on a slut named Tana.  Anyone who was in my graduating class knows who Tana is.  She is a very pretty blonde with an outgoing personality.  She's a huge ass slut though.  I made sure to steer clear of anything involving her because I knew that, underneath the good qualities, she's just a slut.  I also had a crush on a girl that I cannot even remember the name of (Yeah, I'm fucking serious.  Call me a pig if you want.  I can't remember her name for the life of me.).  She had dirty blonde hair and a slight tan.  I didn't have a crush on her for very long though because she ended up dating one of the football player guys in class.  So that was that. 

Senior year I had a crush on a slut named AJ (yeah, that AJ).  I fucking fell for that shit so fast because I was so fucking depressed.  Shit.  I'm not making that mistake ever again.  That whole following summer was a huge mistake.

Yeah, after Sophomore year of high school, my crushes slow down considerably.  I only had two Junior year and one Senior year.  After high school I ended up "dating" a girl named Steph for a bit of time.  Technically, that one wasn't a crush though because I dated her strictly on physical attraction and (mostly) desperation.  That story would have to wait for another day, however.  My Freshman year of college I had a crush on a couple of girls in my English classes.  One of them was a singer in an indie rock band so it was pretty much solely for that reason.  Her name was Elle.  The other girl was a nice brunette that I sat next to on computer lab days.  Her name was Allison.  Not too much more to tell there except that I found out later that both of them had boyfriends.  So that was that.

Sophomore year of college was about as uneventful.  I had a crush on a girl named Ali in my speech class but because of the nature of the class (ironically) I had very little opportunity to talk to her.  At the end of the semester, I asked her out and she wasn't interested.  Though at this point in time, I really didn't care too much.

So this actually brings us back to present day.  After this long, unedited, rant of past crushes and what not (and the blatant omission of the girls I asked to Senior prom.  Though, I guess those don't technically count as crushes anyways).  I'm sure those of you who have known me for a long time don't really know about half of the stuff in this post.  I would be surprised if you would anyways because I don't really talk about this stuff that much.  Anyways, now that we are at this point, you may be wondering how I feel about the future.  Well, as anyone can see, girls have pretty much been an emotional roller coaster for me.  Am I optimistic about the future?  A little I suppose but mostly just tired and not caring at this point.  Every plan that I make now makes the assumption that I will be single in the future.  Why should I plan otherwise?  I have had no result so far that will tell me that I will not be single in the future (including "dating" Steph which I found out after the fact that she was not even interested in me.  I was just a part of her stupid little game). 

So crushes come and go but recognize the things that will always be there for you like your family and your closest friends.  They're sticking around whether you like it or not.  Maybe one day I will learn that crushes are just really annoying and not even worth thinking about.