Month: March 2015

Running with the Devil!!

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Decided to get back on the classic metal and rock posting by pointing out some amazing news and some cool but kind of upsetting music news. Good news, Huge Van Halen North American Tour just announced! Saw them in 2012 with Diamond Dave at the helm and it was AMAZING! Running with the Devil, Panama, and  Unchained have been on my playlist since the announcement! It should be an amazing tour, in support of their new live album.

In sadder news, Black Sabbath has announced their final tour, before officially breaking up (yes I know again for like the 200th time) but this time I think Sabbath is retiring, each to their own respective bands and projects. I am excited but sad at this last show, I am already going to see Motley Crue’s final show this coming august, ending with Alice Cooper “Killing” them, so having another one of my favorite metal bands call it done is really upsetting.

I swear I was born in the wrong era, considering all the bands I love are retiring, but I digress)

Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne were pivotal figures in starting my interest in horror (besides Freddy and Robert Englund of course). The dark music and themes lead many fans to understand the stories they tried to tell through songs such as “War Pigs” or “Electric Funeral”.  The classic and ominous guitar riffs and Ozzy’s/Dio’s eerie but amazing vocals painted a picture for listeners with each word, a story within each song. “NIB” about the devil, “Black Sabbath” also, and “Heaven and Hell”. Black Sabbath has been utilized in numerous horror films and documentaries, especially when mentioned how parents and groups protested because they thought the band was Satanic. Heavy metal itself was often questioned and labeled “the Devil’s Music” with bad influences within each song. However, most metal songs are like horror, they touch on subjects that society often wants to hide, it often tries to ask those hard questions.  Sabbath actually was inspired by a horror film playing across the street from their studio, and from there they wrote “Black Sabbath”. and the band started with themes about war and destruction because they came from a war torn England and saw the effects  of war on the land and the people. They simply used their songs to express some of the turmoil in the world at the time, like many other bands, that was their statement. Many people see them as Satanic and turn away, but when you get really down to it, a lot of metal and rock songs, like horror films, have deep underlying meanings. There is always a reason they are telling this story.

Van Halen and Sabbath have been on my “work” soundtrack while I live in the studio till my review in 2 weeks roughly. Below are my recent finished pieces, plenty more are getting done tonite after I get done posting, so I apologize there is less art this time, having multiple projects and crits going at once has me trying to juggle everything.

As always thanks for reading! Till next time I recommend breaking out Van Halen’s “1984” or Sabbath’s “Paranoid” if you want a new adventure during your hectic week or weekend, great songs, great albums.

Music as inspiration

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I’m going to deviate a bit from horror and music to just music in general and to offer some advice from my Spring Break. My break was literally hell, I went home to find out that my publishing internship and contract were null and void due to some horrifying choices done by one of my now former bosses. Then I visited my dad and found out he is sick, only he won’t tell me, so I return to campus defeated, trying to get my head back on track for my BFA review in early April. If I don’t get in, I don’t get my art degree. So do or die time sets in as I balance class, pull all niters, look for other paying jobs, and attempt to pull off some projects to fill my now revamped portfolio to give it my all.

Through some frustrating nights, crying, anger, disappointment, you name it I found my solace in not only may art, but the music I love, rock and heavy metal. At this point I have funneled all that anger and disappointment into creating better art, doing all I can to express my ideas and imagination all the while listening to Black Sabbath, April Fool, WASP, KISS, and so many others. I put my ipod on shuffle and let it go, many songs inspire me to keep drawing even when I’m tired, or give me a cool idea for a project (thanks Sabbath). So below I will post my new portfolio finished pieces, and my in progress portfolio pieces. Let me know what you think, any feedback is appreciated.

My advice to you is don’t let anyone’s actions or decisions define who you are, what they did has nothing to do with you, learn from their horrible choices and forge onward finding your own way. It may be hard, I’m still trying to figure it out myself, but with the support of family, friends, and role models, and my music, I’m forging onward to show the art department my best, at least they cant say I didn’t try. So whenever you need motivation turn to your own “eye of the tiger” song and Carpe Diem! As always thanks for your support and reading, I appreciate it! Next week I shall return back to horror, music and Elm Street!

my finished portfolio so far….

dracula comic inkeddraculaEnglund Headshot Dehumanizer drawingoilsemester 1 upload 145inferno

Progress portfolio pieces…..

Dance of the dead rusty angelAlice inferno

Education Deliberation Review

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The Sunday deliberation I attended was on the topic of education, specifically the learning objectives within the modern classroom. This topic interested me immensely because I have been discussing education, its organization, and literacy in general in my other honors English and tutoring dual credit class. I was very curious on the sides the group would take and what the audience would offer experience and solution wise to the three “pillars”. The group was phenomenally organized and researched their three pillars of education thoroughly. They cited numerous sources within each mini group presentation which solidified their ethos/credibility. The group event guide was concise and well-organized, providing some background to each point, bulleted focus on the main ideas or arguments of that point, and three “framing” questions that they used to springboard into conversation. It was extremely easy to follow and reference during the discussion especially as an outside person attending.

The event itself was very well organized and everyone was prepared with their presentation. The ground rules were clearly stated and the audience was given ample enough time to each describe our personal stake in the issue. They had a lot of outside people join in their event; it was really cool to see non RCL students get involved and to hear the opinions of numerous other students from other majors. I also enjoyed the different views and opinions that everyone brought into the discussion, especially as conversation picked up on specific issues. Everyone seemed comfortable within the Commonplace, and the group members were open to all opinions and points that everyone offered or elaborated upon. The groups also had extra questions prepared in case we used up the original three they had set, and on a few occasions let discussion go further as opposed to asking another question right away to keep the awesome conversation points going when a point of interest seemed to be hit. I thought that was a really good way to keep the conversation flow and make sure everyone got the chance to express their opinions on each point if they wanted. No one grandstanded or emphasized a specific point like the infamous Jim we heard about who attended other deliberation events, and I felt the conversation was very informative, beneficial, and there were never any awkward silences or pauses, and the group kept track of time efficiently.

All three points they offered were pivotal aspects to education today and provide aspects that affect all of us and we are invested in it some way or another. It may affect us all differently but standardized testing, critical thinking, and social and civic development are points that have numerous positives and negatives to them in our current system. The group seemed to express some of the same opinions on the matters and offered some cool ways to maybe improve the current system which has many flaws. The standardized test set was a particular point that brought many opinions and insights and many people, me included, seem to dislike judging people based on timed tests. It was noted, especially when people learn how to teach the test specifically, and how to skip long questions and how to take the test, which hinders learning in many ways, especially deeper critical thinking. I did not think a full consensus was reached on any issue, but it definitely opened many people’s eyes to how the system currently works and how others feel about it because of various experiences. The group did believe however that critical thinking is important and should be implemented earlier in schools so students have more chances to learn and become acquainted with some of those skills. I definitely learned a lot about the current education system that classes do not seem to discuss much, and I really enjoyed hearing everything that everyone had to say, definitely broadened my perspectives and knowledge on the issue of education.

Soundtracks! Not movie specific but still amazing!

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I’ve noticed through my long homework filled nights while I was sprawled all around my desk reading under dim light drinking umpteen sodas or spread out all over the floor between a midterm drawing and painting, movies have been my salvation! I have noticed, unlike Dream warriors I mentioned before, that songs that were created long before these films are added to the soundtrack often fit the movie epically! Specially, Freddy’s Dead the Final Nightmare, the Condemned, Paranormal Captivity, the Condemned, and Crow: Salvation. These horror and or action flicks have amazing soundtrack albums, found on ITunes, and contain an array of music from soft rock, rap, to heavy metal. Each song seems to fit the scene it is in perfectly! Ozzy’s Crazy Train in Ghost Rider just as Johnny Blaze makes that jump, or the Goo Goo dolls or Inna Gadda Da Vida from Iron Butterfly in Freddy’s Dead allow you to connect to the scene or characters just that much more! I collect many soundtrack albums myself, starting with the Scorpion King and Rocky 4, and I gotta say, soundtracks are often overlooked.

People actually sit aside from film production to deliberate (like we just finished) which songs or genres they feel would fit this particular film. Would a heavy metal song enhance this action sequence? Would a fast paced song get this high speed chase just right and keep audiences literally on the edge of their seats? Or will this sad Celiene Deion Titanic song make audiences break out crying every single time they hear it (yes, that’s me, “near or far, wherever you are…” gets me every stinken time. I watch the movie, love it, but use like 4 tissue boxes) Some movie scenes get added into bands music videos of that song, its really cool tio see again how music and movies are inseparable. what would Jaws, Halloween, or Titanic be without its signature songs?

I included the Titanic song because I couldn’t resist hearing it and tearing up, and my recent water color paintings and comic I finished. As always thanks for reading and have a great spring break!!!

 

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