Heavy Metal fingers

A great oldie but goodie for ya here. This one's for all my rock and metal friends! You can click on the image to the right or here to view the full size image by Jon "Bean" Hastings. Click here for the alternative version too ;)

Bliss for music libray management

So I've become pretty "knee-deep" in an upcoming post; something that I've been working on for many years as a matter of fact. It has to do with me, my personal music collection and how I've moved from cassette tapes to compact discs over the years to now having everything digitally available on my home network. PLEASE NOTE: I still love 'owning the media', but because I am always on the go, in different places all the time, so having everything in portable format is great. You ask, "Why not just stream it?" I know that seems to be what the thing to do is today, but I guess I consider myself 'old school' and like to 'own' my music from the first track to the last!

The reason for this post (and the piece of software I am about to tell you about) is because I was trying to understand why some of my album art was not showing up on my Ford Sync 3's head unit in my (2016 Black Friday purchase) truck. Well after a quick Google search, I came across a blog post from Dan at Bliss. Basically this article mentioned without the proper ID3 tags and image size, the info/album art limits what will show in the Sync's display unit. This really prompted me to finish this cleanup/migration effort of mine that has been in progress for years.

Bliss is one of those apps that is a key player now in the management of my music collection. It used to be TuneUp, but seeing the support for that product is pretty much dead, Bliss has filled that hole. I like that the application supports the macOS platform (as thats my OS of choice) but also has flavors for other operating systems as well. After installing, it basically runs a 'server' type service on your local machine that you configure to point to a 'watched folder' so it can scan, analyze and report what may be wrong with the media. Whats also greta about it is you can customize what you want this tool to do down to some semi-granular detail.

Settings such as album art size is a key thing you can set. In my case, I wanted to make sure album art was no larger than 500x500 pixels, yet no smaller than 300x300. This way, it would render in my car deck (old school term right there, huh?). It can assist with locating or even uploading album art if you are missing it altogether. Pair that with proper ID3 tags (metadata tags) along with a standard file naming convention, it can turn a mess of a collection into a well organized one. Take a look at the before and after screenshot of all my "Lo-Fi" music files!

If you are someone like me and had a mess of a digital music library collection after burning all those compact discs and such, Bliss truly made this whole process a breeze.

My recently played music tracks!

Here's something not new, but still cool; a somewhat real-time display of what I've been listening to! Powered by Last.fm, I have an audio scrobbler that keeps tracks which 'tracks' I've been listening to. Kinda geeky, I know, but I still think its neat.

"Scrobbling" is a feature which keeps tracks are being played. Like mentioned before, it tracks anything I play on my computer, iPhone or iPad! Not necessarily in real time, but it will eventually get synchronized with my Last.fm account at some point. You've probably noticed that I've written about Last.fm before, utilizing some Wordpress and other website plugins, but these days I am just using it to "track" my tracks played. Now you can still see what I've got spinning on my player at any time by clicking HERE! You can also join Last.fm and become music buddies; so we can each check out what we're both listening to.

NOTE: If you see Justing Bieber and other "pop' tunes on my list of top 10 tracks being played, its not me! (its for my boys and general party-vibe music... ;)

Book Review: Ready Player One

Its been awhile since I've posted a book review but after *reading* this one, I had to give it some praise out here on the interwebs. Yep, this ones' an audiobook (thus the stress on the *reading* part). I've only listened to handful of audiobooks in my time and I honestly don't know why I don't listen to more. I'm sure as life goes on, I will do plenty more!

Anyway, I've read a bunch of books since my last review posted out here (yes, physically read them). Books such as Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Hobbit and the Hunger Games trilogy... but whenever I can, I'll download an audiobook to listen to. Aside from the Micheal J. Fox book I reviewed many years ago, I've listened to some great ones in more recent times but simply never reviewed them on my site. For example, both Daemon and Freedom(TM) written by the tech savvy, Daniel Suarez were excellent to listen to. All these books I've mentioned are great books, but the one I am about to tell you about was SO cool I HAD to post something about it.

The book is a New York Times bestseller titled, Ready Player One written by Earnest Cline. It was released/published in June of 2012 and I first heard about it a few months after that (from one many podcasts I watch/listen to). Anyway, I picked up the audiobook version just about a month ago and loaded it in the ol' iPhone. I'd give it a listened during the commute to work or times where I'm killing time between shuffling one of my two boys around. All-in-all, I want to say it was about a 16 hour long audiobook! Maybe the most sad part is the fact that I listened to all of it in my car.

I won't dive too much into the story too much but before I do, the first really cool thing about the audiobook is that its read by the one and only, Wil Wheaton. Yeah, Gordie from the 80's classic Stand By Me and Wesley Crusher from the 90's show, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Today, in this internet world we live in, Wil Wheaton represents everything that is cool about geekdom (computers, games, beer). Having him read this book makes it that much more cool.

The story is about an impoverished teen living like most people do in his time (which is the year 2044) - spending it online inside a virtual reality world called the Oasis. In this world, people work, go to school, play and do just about everything else there. There is a whole economic ecosystem in that world; money is earned and spent there. In the story, the original developer of this world (James Haliday) had died and as part of his legacy, programmed a 'easter egg' somewhere inside the Oasis. The person who finds 3 different keys followed by 3 gates will uncover this easter egg and unlock the billions of dollars the developer has left in his will. Its basically a super hard scavenger hunt that millions of people have been attempting for over 5 years... without any luck until the main character, Wade (aka Parsifal) uncovers the 1st key.

Of course there is MUCH, much more to the story. You can read more here at Amazon.com's website. The reason I loved this story is because it brought together many of the things I grew up with - all being from the 1980's. All things 80's such as TV sitcoms, vintage Saturday morning cartoons, classic Atari 2600 video games and music from the era. Its simply a brilliantly crafted story! Before I wrap this up, I will give you a little spoiler - near the end of the book during one of the last 'Gates' the characters have to go through, they have to solve a quest which is directly based off the Canadian rock trio, Rush album, titled 2112... The way the author was able to tie this into the story was clever and cool as hell.

Bottom line: if you grew up in the 80's and have any interest in a fictional story involving video games and virtual reality, check this book out!

H block 10 Reunion Show - September 24, 2011!

It's been many, many years but the boys from H block 10 are re-uniting for a one-time show! In just a few days (Saturday, September 24, 2011) the original lineup, consisting of Adam Coolong, Justin Sirota, James Kinsey and yours truly (Ben Ducklow) are getting back together for show in honor of our good friend, Jeremy Carlsruds' Day of Birth celebration! We'll be playing at The Buck in located in the quaint, quiet college town of Menomonie, WI.

After a special request from Jer a few months ago, he managed to stir up some interest from me and the guys who once rocked various bars, clubs and cornfields in the greater Twin Cities and western Wisconsin area. We've got Adam who happened to have a few days off from his busy Irish acoustic 2-man band, the Wild Colonial Bhoys, Justin (who was able to fly in from Los Angeles, California) and of course, Jimmy and myself (who have been performing as part of the Two Fisted Leroys over the past few years).

We're 1 out of 3 bands performing that evening and are in the middle slot - we should go on about 10pm-ish. We'll be playing alot of the tracks off our 2001 release titled, "The Struggle" such as Dare I, Mistaken, Come Out You Black and Tans as well as some songs written and performed after that release such as Through A Bombsight and Soccer Mom. BRING YOUR EARPLUGS!

So if your looking for a reason to take a road trip or you're in the area, hit me up so we can meet up!

Two Fisted Leroys - Friday, April 23, 2010 !!

Big news from the base camp here at the Ducklow Estate. I'll be firing up the tubes and slicking down the slowounds this coming Friday, April 23rd 2010 at The Buck (I know, horrible website design) located in the lovely college town of Menomonie, WI. I'll be teaming up with former H block 10 drummer, James Kinsey as well as former bandmates of Attict, Jeremy Carlsrud and Doug Faffler in a new project called the Two Fisted Leroys. Where did the name come from? Honestly I don't recall who, but it was a fan-driven, fan-chosen name...and I stand here today... proud to say I am at least one of the fists in the Two Fisted Leroys group!

The guys in the band are old friends and were offered an opportunity to play with a few other bands from the tri-state area. Seeing our schedules were free, we all jumped at the opportunity to get together and take the stage...er, bar floor, once again. We won't be doing any 3 or 4 hours setlists like we used to in the past but rather a more condensed 30-40 minute show featuring some classic songs like Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" or "99 Red Balloons" by 80's star Nena. Not only do we cover those, but we'll put our spin on many punk and metal hitz by bands such as Metallica and the Alkaline Trio!

So if you're in the area or want to make the trek out, hit me up!

PS: Check back here for some pics of the event and aftermath!

IRS Episode 001

Welcome to my 1st podcast on the SiaNet Radio network. Sianet Radio is an independent, online radio show/stream/podcast put on by my old friend, Chris. We've shared the stage many, many times back when I was in an all original rock outfit here in the cities. Chris still plays and is very much active in the local music scene and has put together a nice following of his show. So a few weeks I called him and pitched him an idea I had for a show - The Independent Rawk Show. I'll be referring to it as IRS (cuz it sounds cooler) and I hope to put one out about once a week or so. I'm sure the show will evolve from it's current form as I'd like to incorporate more talk in some form. For this first show, I've featured some cool bands I know, have met, played with or seen. Here's the list in order of appearance:

Dropnickel, Redoverlunar, Casanatra, Kwang, Pretty Far Gone, Condo

I don't talk a heck of alot, but I at least make my vocal debut. I guess that year working at the Winona State University radio station, KQAL finally paid off! This innagural show is a short 20 minute one which can be listened to here or subscribed to via iTunes here.  Hope you enjoy!

Old Music: Chevelle - Point #1

Here's another classic disc I've been listening to again: Chevelle - Point #1. This somewhat unknown album is the 1st by the this Chicago trio. This album goes back to 1999 but heck, I didn't even know about it until I actually heard one of their breakout songs from their sophomore album, Wonder Whats Next in 2002. The reason this disc is so good is because it has a mix of modern rock with some of the old grunge. Some of the songs sound very much like Tool, but with more of a straight forward rock sound than them. Tracks such as Open, Point #1 and Mia are simply must-listen-toos, especially if you're into hard rock.

If you haven't heard this disc, here's your chance. I'll leave this link up for a week or so. Shhhhh.

Concert Review: 3 Doors Down, Staind and Hinder

So I got the chance to see a couple of bands that I really like as well as 3 Doors Down. Don't get me wrong, I like 3 Doors Down (3DD) but find most of their tunes kinda the same thing; rock ballads. Once I heard of the show months ago, I immediately told my wife (as she loves 3DD) and we called and snatched up 6 tickets the day they went on sale.

The show actually started at 6:30pm on the nose with a opening band that I wasn't aware was on the bill (Jet Black Stare) and I didn't get to actually see them. I was busy meeting up with old friends as well as getting a cup of the summer nectar/drink called Summer Shandy. We all made it back to our seats on the main floor (about 30 rows back) in time for Hinder. Now I've seen these guys once back in August of 2007 and have listened to many Hinder interviews on Joe's Podhole so I knew what to expect. Not only did Hinder give a great show, they pulled out a new tune that will be on their forthcoming album, Take It To The Limit, coming out later this fall.

After those guys were done, Staind came out. They started out strong but as I expected, they went for the radio hits and mellow tunes that more or less broke the band into mainstream music. I was a little let-down as I remember seeing these guys way back when at those 93X-fest concerts where every tune ripped and they played with intensity. The final encore tune they played was their hit, Mudshovel which really disappointed me. Even though I love Aaron Lewis as a singer, he put no effort into this final rawk performance; he was casually walking the stage, flipping picks into the crowd as he should have been showing some passion into the song to really end the set with a bang.

Finally was 3DD. As far as stage show, these guys definitely put on the best out of them all. Well, when your the headliner and have the whole stage to yourself that what happens. They performed all the hits you would hear on the radio in sync with video on dual jumbo-trons, pyrotechnics as well as a LCD backdrop for the band. The sound for these guys was spot on; they sound just as good live as they do on the records. Crowds both young and old were there to enjoy their near 1.5 hour set. I like how these guys gave tribute to our military on a few songs by showing some video while they were performing songs. My only wish was for these guys to really rip with their heavier tunes; overall just too many rock ballads for me.

The final question: Would I see any of these bands again? Hinder- Yes, Staind - hmm...Probably, 3 Doors Down - Maybe (if the price was right).

Blue Velveata show

t's been almost 6 months but I'll be joining the Blue Velveata lineup this coming Saturday, April 5th at the Dahlgreen Golf Course for an evening of "Music You Can Chew". I'll be making my special appearance during the second set. Music starts at 9pm.

Guitar Repair

HOLY COW! I just got back my 2 guitars back from the repair shop and I am completely blown away with what was done with my Yamaha acoustic FG-410A. This thing is like a brand new guitar! Leonard Shipiro Guitar Repair did an amazing job transforming this 10+ year instrument into a brand new, easily played acoustic!

I know I am not the best player, but having this guitar re- setup and re-strung, I am now inspired to pick it back up again and perhaps do some recording with it! I only wish it had a built in pickup so I could go directly into Garageband with it. Perhaps, you'll get to hear some audio snippets out here at some point?!

Stay tuned I guess!

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock!

A nice little b-day gift from my family. Now I have an excuse to throw a party with the guys...It's Guitar Hero III for the Xbox 360!

One of the hottest games to come out this year, the GH3 is a game that allows you to play a very stupefied simplified guitar to some of the hottest hits of the 70's, through today. Basically you have a mini-plastic/play guitar that has several colored buttons on the neck that you press as soon as you see them on the screen/game; those notes are supposed to represent the notes played during a song (After playing it, the 'notes' are a combination of the drum beats, bass lines rhythm or lead guitar parts). In addition to hitting the correct buttons (in-time with the song), you have to hit this 'toggle switch' with your other hand which represents you strumming the strings at the right time.

I've played a few hours of this bad boy and its a blast! I've been playing easy just going through some of the levels and its really fun. I like it because alot of the songs I've actually played on guitar or bass in real life so I know the songs, its just a matter of getting a rhythm and following the screen. I can't wait to bust this out at a party! Overall a solid game.

PS: The real cool thing about it is you can go online and download new songs/albums; there is a small fee but a cool option for down the road!

12/21/07 2:00pm - I just finished the game on the Easy level. Time to pick it up a notch!

Podcast Pick: Joe's Podhole

Here's another one of my top podcasts pick. It one that I have been listening to for well over a year now. It called Joes Podhole and it put out by Joe Barnes, a regular guy like myself who lives in the greater Chicago suburban area.

I like his show because he a guy about my age and is very relateable. Joe holds a normal 9 to 5 job, has a wife and kid and likes his music. He is the self proclaimed 'defender of all music that doesn't suck' so he's plays stuff that I like; mostly rock or metal music. I first heard about JPH through a link from a favorite band of mine, Anthrax. He was interviewing them while they had a show in the Chicago area. Since that point, I listened to all his old podcasts which range from him interviewing some of the biggest rock bands in the world to simply talking to his mom, wife or friends.

This show is uncensored and is not for people whom are easily offended by burping, farting or the occasional swearing.

Handsome Bastard - 09/21/07 debut

I hope I didn't offend anyone.

This post isn't about my good looks but rather the name of the neighborhood rock band I am part of for this years Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Benefit taking place in the Carver Bluffs neighborhood on Friday, August 31st. If you want to check it out, feel free to attend! The benefit is at the Zincke's house located at 854 Ramsey Ave in Carver, MN.

There will be 2 Bands: Blue Velveata and Handsome Bastard opening the show. There will also be food, drinks, and lot's of activities for kids like face painting, inflatables. Let me know if you have any questions on the event.

Last.fm

For those of you who were wondering how I get the nice links on the right side that list the lastest tunes I've been listening to, here's the scoop: Part of this is due to my trusty iTunes player but the other is a cool site called Last.fm. This site is one of many that allow people such as myself to incorporate things in my personal life and tie them to the web via MySpace, or any other blog-type site. All I do is use a cool little application on my 'puter called iSproggler. iSproggler simply looks at tracks played in both my iPod and iTunes recent playlists and lists them on my Last.fm userpage. To get this info to my blog, I use a cool little Wordpress plugin called Last.fm Records. The update takes place every Monday morning automatically.

For those of you whom are into blogging/MySpace, check the links above and spice up your site/page!

...And the winner is:

ME! I just got them! 2 FREE tickets to see the band Tool at the Excel Energy Center on Tuesday, June 26th! I posted a while back about listening to KFAN's The Powertrip Morning show, well all my listening paid off! I called in one morning on my way to work after they said they would take caller #11 for a pair of Tool tickets. To my surprise I won! Can't wait for this one...I heard they are LOUD in concert.

New Music: 'Tarantula' by Smashing Pumpkins

Like the Smashing Pumpkins? Well they are back with a new CD this July. Check out their single 'Tarantula' off forthcoming CD entitled "Zeitgeint". Sounds like old Pumpkins stuff if you dig that.

Concert Review: Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Puddle of Mudd

I'll still trying to get my hearing back after this concert last night. This show was featured at one of the new clubs in the Twin Cities simple called The Myth. This venue is very good sweet! My take on this place is a mix of 1st Avenue absed out of Minneapolis and another club called The Quest. Excellent sound system, LCD displayed all over the place to see the action on the stage if you either can't see or if you're hanging out in back. If you have a chance to see a show there...do it!

I usually don't catch many national acts unless the lineup is good. Obviously this one was.

There were actually 4 bands total. The first band was called Red. I've never heard of them before but they were'nt too bad and put on a decent show. It was hard to pinpoint what they sounded like...which is kind of a good thing. I will probably check out their tunes online or something. The next band was Puddle of Mudd. They were good. They had a simple stage setup and looked like they just rolled out of bed, but I like them. The highlight of the show was when they covered "Breed" originally by 90's grunge band, Nirvana...it was spot on. The next band was when I sent down to 'the pit'. Breaking Benjamin was the band I really wen to go see and ranged from 3-5 'rows' from the front. This is te second time I've seen them; I've got all their albums and they simply rocked the house. The final band was Three Days Grace. These guys were good. By the time they got onstage I already got out of the mainfloor area and stood stage left. These guys played all their hits and were pretty good. Well, I have no rock shows I am planning to attend for the near future, but stay tuned, you never know!

MP3Sale.ru

Looking for some cheap MP3's for your iPod, Zune or home based media center collection? Check out this Russian based site, MP3Sale.ru where you can download quality MP3 tracks for 15 cents per track! Like an earlier post back in post #23, this is yet another site that seems sketchy but has been around for some time now. I have a few buddies that have turned me onto this. I just signed up with a $30 deposit and they threw in free $10! If you put down more money up front, they throw in more money. I think they max out at $50 though..

So far this has been great, I've purchased a few rare cuts, live shows and acoustic tracks from bands like Creed, Chevelle, Limp Bizkit, Hinder...so far they have downloaded and played up to my expectations! Of course you can always find MP3's using BitTorrent.

New Music: Chris Daughtry - "Daughtry"

Aight, here it is. It's now the number 1 album in the country right now; my 2006 American Idol prediction winner (that lost) Chris Daughtry. His first album simply called Daughtry. Its mostly the pop-rock ballad-type stuff but its pretty good. There one straight up rock track called "What I Want" which features Slash on guitars. This album is not bad; something you and the Mrs would enjoy. Check it out here!