File Photo: Cover for new album

Actor Jack Black and bandmate Kyle Gass are at it again and will be releasing a brand new Tenacious D album next Tuesday according to a recent interview with Reuters.

The new album, entitled Rize of the Fenix, will be the duo’s third studio release and the first in six years. Both Black and Gass were adamant about trying to bring back “the majesty and genius of rock” by trying to save what they see as a dying genre.

"Since we had our last album, rock and roll completely died,” said Black. “Thank God for The D, riding in on their white stallions to rescue rock and roll. What killed it? Was it Axl Rose in the library with a wrench, or was it Lady Gaga in the pantry with the pliers? We don't know but we'll figure it out.”

Although they admit that critics are hard pressed to take the group serious due to their heavy comedy background, they claim to be completely serious about their latest endeavor, even going as far as to ask fellow famous friends for help writing a hit song, such as Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

"I've always wanted to have one of those hits on the radio, but we haven't really been able to crack that code,” Gass told Reuters. “I think we're trying this time a lot.”

The group was formed by Gass and Black back in 1994 where the two would perform their own brand of “mock rock” at bars in the Los Angeles area and rose to fame on the heels of Black’s successful comedy movies.

Catch Tenacious D’s new album Rize of the Fenix when it hits stores Tuesday, May 15.

Original Source

Debut Elvis album which inspired London Calling

There’s a lot that goes into making an album. First things first, you have to write the songs, get them polished up, record the tracks, mix and master them… and when all that is done, you’re still not done. You will need a way to get your songs noticed… and what better way to get your memorable songs noticed than with an equally memorable album cover! Although the main part of rock will and forever be about the music, there is no doubt that an iconic album cover can go a long way in making great songs reach the masses, because for better or worse, it’s much easier to simply look at a picture than it is to listen to an entire 45 minute album. Sure, of course that’s not ideal and the songs should speak for themselves, but there are a lot of things that should happen that don’t. All that aside, read on and check out some of the most memorable album covers in the world of rock. These are among my favorites and are not necessarily the best of the best but won a spot on my list for not only being iconic representations of the bands themselves, but a perfect depiction of the songs within.

The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Quite possibly the most iconic album artwork in the world of rock and roll, the cover is as well known as the songs it represents – the a truly artistic and revolutionary style that perfectly match the psychedelic and groundbreaking vision of classic rock’s most prolific group. At about one hundred times the cost of an average album cover at the time, the Beatles spent $62,500 equivalent in today’s cash on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’s artwork. The cover featured a collage of life-sized cardboard cut-outs of several famous historical and artistic figures including writers, film stars, musicians and even Indian gurus – albeit at George Harrison’s request. Among the 70 people depicted on the album cover are Sigmund Freud, Edgar Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, James Dean, W.C. Fields, Marlon Brando, William S. Burroughs, Aleister Crowley and Aldous Huxley. John Lennon had requested that Adolf Hitler and Jesus Christ be included as well, although the idea was turned down for obvious reasons. Former Beatle’s bassist Stuart Sutcliffe was also among the cutouts. The Beatles themselves were outfitted in their now iconic psychedelic military-style uniforms, custom designed by Manuel Cuevas to portray the groups’ fictional band. Both McCartney and Harrison wore their MBE medals while Lennon chose to garner the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom on his right sleeve. The cover’s art director was Robert Fraser, a famous London art dealer, with the design created by pop artists Peter Blake and wife Jann Haworth and photographed by Michael Cooper.

The Clash – London Calling

Yes, that old saying that I’m sure we’ve all heard before… imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… although I’d argue that if done right, it can be the sincerest form of making fun of somebody too, but I digress! It is not an uncommon thing for a band to pay homage to their past heroes by taking inspiration from their work, whether it’s their music or personal style. It is uncommon though for a band to surpass their inspiration’s original work in terms of cultural significance, which is exactly what the clash did with their London Calling album cover. Taking direct inspiration from Elvis Presley’s first album, London Calling featured the exact same pink and green lettering – albeit with a much more punk rock cover photo. Sure, Elvis is and will forever be the king of rock and roll, no argument there, but I’d say that Presley’s first record’s cover (strictly speaking of the cover, not the artist or the songs themselves) would not be as memorable as it is today if it weren’t for The Clash deciding on paying homage to the album’s simple artwork. The reason the album cover works so well despite the similarities to Elvis’ album was mainly due to the picture chosen; a shot of Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass at New York’s Palladium – a stark contrast to the king’s youthful and straight forward shot of him wearing a dapper suit while holding his guitar. The Pennie Smith photograph, who did not want to use the shot since she felt it was too out of focus, went on to be named the most iconic picture in rock and roll history by Q magazine, stating that "it captures the ultimate rock'n'roll moment - total loss of control.”

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon

Before I was even old enough to attain my own personal preference of music I was already familiar with the album design of Pink Floyd’s 1973 The Dark Side of the Moon. Simple in its execution yet deeply conveying of the album and the band itself, the cover features no words whatsoever and little to speak of as far as wide-reaching artistic endeavor, but it didn’t need that. Designed by the art group Hipgnosis and George Hardie, the album itself features a band of light going through a prism, dividing the single band into six separate colors. Pink Floyd’s previous two album covers had received mixed emotions by their label EMI, and although they were prompted to come up with something a little more conventional, the fact that Hipgnosis was hired by the band and not the label meant that they would not have to answer to previous criticisms of the band’s album covers by label heads. The lead designers Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell had been instructed by Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright to come up with something “smarter, neater – more classy,” and finally came upon the prism design after being inspired by a photograph that Thorgerson had seen during a brainstorming session with Powell. The group gave Pink Floyd a choice of seven designs, with the group ultimately all agreeing on the prism idea for its representation of three main elements: the band's stage lighting, the album lyrics, and Richard Wright's request for a "simple and bold" design. The artwork itself was created by an associate of Hipgnosis, George Hardie.

There you have it, my choices for the three most iconic album covers in rock and roll history. They were all original for their time, even the London Calling album in that it was willing to obviously mimic the cover art of a legend and give it their own spin. While there are certainly hundreds of clever album art concepts that genuinely capture the feel of the songs and the spirit of the era, these three are by far the standouts for me. From the simple yet abstract design of The Dark Side of the Moon to the famously psychedelic artwork on Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, these three albums prove that a good album cover can certainly go a long way.

Press File Photo: Mick Jagger, 2011

As part of Mick Jagger’s end season Saturday Night Live hosting gig, SNL has just confirmed that Arcade Fire and the Foo Fighters along with Jeff Beck and Jagger himself will jam for the legendary sketch comedy’s musical performance.

Rumors began to surface about the show’s season finale performance after word spread that the Rolling Stones were heard to have been practicing recently in New York, prompting several to assume that the host’s band would be on tap to make a surprise appearance as guest performers – that is until the show solidified the two bands along with Jeff Beck this past weekend.

Both the Arcade Fire and the Foo Fighters have been vocal on Twitter about their excitement towards the gig, with the latter writing “What're you guys doing next Saturday Night? #SNL" and Arcade Fire posting, "We're extremely excited to be joining Mick Jagger on SNL next Sat, May 19!"

Before the musical lineup was confirmed, SNL teased the season finale during this past Saturday’s show, listing Jagger along with three musical guests as performers.

Although Jagger had appeared on the show before, this will be the first time the Rolling Stones frontman will be on helm as the host.

The Jagger-hosted Saturday Night Live season finale is set to air this Saturday, May 19 on NBC.

Original Source

MXR M148 Micro Chorus

When it comes to effects pedals, you have your certain staples depending on what kind of sound you’re going for. One of the more diverse effects in terms of style execution is the chorus pedal, used heavily in pop heavy rock. Think of ‘80s new wave like the Bangles or the power ballads of ‘80s metal bands like Guns ‘N Roses and Def Leppard, although you won’t have a hard time at all finding modern bands using the same effect. Essentially, a chorus pedal clones the input signal and repeats it at very close intervals to make the output sound like multiple "voices," or in the case of the guitar, multiple chords or notes. When you adjust the rate, it simply makes the cloned signal repeat closer together or farther apart. Anyways, for those of you out there on the market for an easy to use chorus pedal that gets the job done nicely for less than eighty bucks, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better overall deal than the MXR M148 Micro Chorus pedal.

The Mechanics of the MXR Micro Chorus

Those familiar with other offerings from MXR will be familiar with the size and execution of the Micro Chorus. Think of the Phase 90 and you’ll know exactly what I mean. The pedal itself is pretty light and the chassis feels like it can take a decent beating, although it doesn’t give you that same indestructible feel that some of the diecast pedals do. Even still, if this bad boy can last as long as my Vintage Phase 90, with all the drops and knocks it’s taken, it should easily last you well over ten years unless something with the electronics goes wrong, which is pretty rare anyway. As far as execution goes, it’s as straight forward as it gets. You have your standard input and output jack, the click switch to turn the effect on and off and a single knob labeled “Rate” for controlling the speed of the effect.

Just like your standard effects pedal, the MXR Micro Chorus can be powered by either a 9 volt battery or a 9V adaptor. It has decent amount of life when used with a battery but just like anything else, you risk having the pedal die on you during a gig, so make sure you have a spare or spring for the adapter if you don’t mind another cable. The Micro Chorus does offer bypass, so you’ll get your raw clean sound when the pedal is switched off but a little warning though, it’s bypass but it’s not TRUE bypass, meaning that if the battery dies or there’s no power, the signal is dead and you won’t get anything going to the amp (while a true bypass system will send the signal regardless).

The Sound of the MXR Micro Chorus

The chorus effect of this pedal sounds better than you would think for the price. The tone is clear and clean and will not wash the raw sound of your guitar at all. For having one knob, the MXR Micro Chorus is actually more versatile than most would think. Set the rate knob at zero and you will get a mellow slow phase type of effect. Set it towards the middle and it speeds up or crank it to 12 ‘o clock to have a very nice shimmering chorus sound. Basically, from zero to 12 it will go from a slow phase type of sound all the way to a bright and faster shimmer. If you like that clean ‘80s type of sound this pedal will give you exactly that, although players who like to micro manage their effects will probably be put off by the pedals lack of control in that regard as the pedal only lets you control the speed of the effect, not the volume of the effect, tone, treble, etc. With that said, I had no problem with the amount of effect the pedal gives off and it pretty much works great at any setting thanks to its easy to use execution.

The Value

While the pedal won’t give you as much control as some of the more pricier chorus pedals, MXR did a great job at making the pedal easy to use, sound great and extremely affordable. Compare it to pricier pedals like the TC Electronic Chorus and you’ll see that the Micro Chorus is no slouch when it comes to sound quality, pretty much on par with each other as far as I could tell, although it won’t have nearly the same amount of tweaking options (at a price though, the TC pedal is about $300). Alright, so all in all, the MXR Micro Chorus is a great little chorus pedal with a great sound at an even better price. The build is nice and strong and should last you years. While it doesn’t let you shape the chorus effect as much as pedals that cost three times at much, the straight forward dummy proof execution means that you won’t have to worry about selecting “bad” settings as the MXR Micro Chorus will sound nice and balanced no matter what. For $79.95, there’s a lot to like here!

And don’t forget to check out the rest of PAL’s huge selection of effects pedals at great prices right here!

From Left: Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch and Michael Diamond

In the aftermath of Adam Yauch’s death, several Beastie Boys albums have re entered the Billboard 200 chart including their seminal album, License to Ill, which broke into the top twenty this week. When the album was first released it became the first rap record to reach the top spot when it became the number one album in March of 1987, staying there for seven straight weeks.

Billboard also reports that 151,000 Beastie Boys songs have been sold through digital download this past week, up from 14,000 the previous week with the song “Brass Monkey” being the top seller, reaching number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

The other Beastie Boys albums to make the Hot 200 include Solid Gold Hits (#51), Paul’s Boutique (#56), Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (#107), Ill Communication (#109), Check Your Head (#124) and Beastie Boys Anthology: The Sounds of Silence (#141).

Yauch, also known by his Beastie Boys’ stage name MCA, died earlier this month on May 4 due to complications from a cancerous parotid gland.

Original Source

Seeing as how America is pretty much the biggest entertainment market in the world, it can become all too easy for us to forget about what’s happening outside of our sphere. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that your average American doesn’t know as much about what’s happening in other countries as they do with ours, and understandably so, seeing as how we are pretty much at the top when it comes to entertainment, among other things. Your average Japanese citizen would sooner be able to tell you Brad Pitt’s last three movies than you would get any of us to name a single Japanese actor. Many successful U.S. movies and bands go on to achieve success in several parts of the world, although the same can’t be said with artists from those same places, however successful they may be (probably because of the language barrier). With that said, there is a huge world of music around us with hundreds of fantastic bands that never made a splash here in the states, so read on and check out a few of the lesser known but highly successful bands from around the world. Although you might not understand the lyrics, one thing is for sure, rock and roll is a universal language!

Archimede – France

These guys may sing in French, but the sound they produce is signature British rock. Inspired by their neighbors to the north, brothers Nicolas and Frederic Boisnard started the band in 2004 and spent much of their early years touring profusely until 2008 when they paused to record their debut album, the self-titled Archimede. The album was completed a year later and the band soon found success with the release of their lead single, “Vinaile Canaiile,” bolstered by its popular music video which featured the band cleverly recreating iconic album covers. Their debut album also garnered the band a “Victoire de la Musique” award (French Grammy) nomination for Best Album by a New Artist. With a growing fan base in Germany, Australia, the U.K. and even Asia, they went back into the studio to record their follow up album, Trafalgar, which was released on September 5, 2011.

Songs to check out: “Vinaile Canaiile,” “Le Bonheur,” “Au Diable Vauvert”

JUDY AND MARY – Japan

While they have definitely made an impact here in the US among anime viewers, mainstream music fans are probably missing out on one of the most exciting and talented bands to come out of Japan in the last couple of decades. Formed in 1992, JUDY AND MARY (stylized in all capitals) quickly rose to fame as one of Japan’s premiere rock bands. Grounded in punk, rock and roll and pop, the band made a name for itself with their innovative melding of both noisy and melodic rock as well as their high energy live performances. By 1994, they cemented themselves as THE top rock band of the ‘90s due to the huge success of their No. 1 single “Sobakasu,” thanks in part to the song’s use as the theme song for the vastly popular anime series, Rurouni Kenshin. Although the group broke up by 2001, they remain a fixture on the Japanese music scene with all members subsequently attaining modest to high success with their ensuing projects, most notably singer Yuki Isoya, who has had numerous No. 1 singles and as of recently as, May 10, 2012, she sits at No. 4 on the Japanese top 100 with her song “Play Ball.”

Songs to check out: “Sobakasu,” “Over Drive,” “Classic”

La Oreja de Van Gohg – Spain

For those of you who are still nostalgic about ‘80s era bands such as the Bangles and the Cranberries, this band will be the perfect fit for you as this Spanish band has plenty of that reminiscent sound. Since their inception in 1996, the group has gone to create some of the best music around in Spain, not only winning numerous awards, such as a Latin Grammy for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group, but have written hits for other artists as well. They first made a name for themselves early in their career by covering songs from well known international artists such as U2, Nirvana and Pearl Jam before creating a string of original hits with their first album, Dile al Sol (Tell the Sun), which went on to sell over 800,000 records. By the time they released their second album, titled El Viaje de Copperpot (Copperpot’s Journey, based off the character Copperpot from The Goonies), they had already gained much critical praise and several honors. The album itself would go on to sell the equivalent of 7X Platinum with over 2,000,000 copies sold worldwide. Their last release with original singer Amaia Montero, Guapa (Beautiful), became the bestselling album in Spain for 2006. By 2007, the group had hired replacement Leire Martinez and released their fifth studio album, A Las Cinco en el Astoria, which was also a commercial hit, going on to be the twelfth bestselling album in Spain for 2008. To date, they have become one of the most successful acts in their genre, selling more or less 1,000,000 albums with every release.

Songs to check out: “Rosas,” “Jueves,” “Cometas por el Cielo”

Rammstein – Germany

Although the band has attained a modest following here in the US, they are not nearly as popular as they should be. Taking elements from metal, industrial and groove while adding testosterone fueled operatic vocals, Rammstein has attained massive success in their native Germany and the surrounding area. Formed in 1993, the band got their name from the Ramstein airshow disaster in which 80 people were hurt or killed during an American Air Force show, although adding an M, making the name mean a battering ram made of stone. They made a name for themselves early on for their live stage theatrics, most notably frontman Till Lindemann’s propensity to sing entire songs while engulfed in flames. By the time they released their debut album, Herzeleid, they were already vastly popular. Their debut album remained on the German music charts until the release of the band’s second album about two years later. By the time their second album Sehnsucht was released, they were already headlining shows for crowds of over 30,000 people. Although the vast majority of their songs are sung in their native German, they have released several tracks sung in part or entirely in a different language including Spanish, English, Russian and French. To date, they have released six studio albums along with a live and compilations record.

Songs to check out: “Dus Hast,” “Feuer Frei,” “Ich Will”

Against Me! lead singer Tom Gabel

Against Me! lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Gabel has announced his plans to make his transition from male to female, Rolling Stone magazine reports.

Gabel, 31, said in an interview with the magazine that he has long suffered from gender dysphoria — a condition characterized by a disconnection between someone’s assigned and perceived genders. The punk-rock singer said he will begin a series of treatments for the transition such as the administration of hormones and undergo electrolysis.

“I’m going to have embarrassing moments, and that won’t be fun,” said Gabel. “But that’s part of what talking to you is about — is hoping people will understand, and hoping they’ll be fairly kind.”

Before revealing the news to Rolling Stone, Gabel is said to have only told a “handful” of family members about the decision, including wife Heather Gable with whom the singer has a daughter with.

“She’s been super-amazing and understanding,” said Gabel of his wife, who intends to stay married to the singer.

Gabel is the highest profile musician to come out as transgender, although not the first as MTV.com notes that ‘70s electronic artist Walter Carlos and Life of Agony singer Keith Caputo (now known as Mina Caputo) have both revealed their gender dysphoria and subsequent transition.

Original Source

The Micro Polyphonic Octave Generator

Getting a little bored with the sound of your old six-string? Wish the thing could sound like a twelve-string guitar? How about a bass? Well, then the Electro Harmonix Micro POG is the right pedal for you! If you haven’t figured it out by now, the Micro POG is a very user friendly octave pedal that can easily be used to not only add the octave notes to what your already playing (so as to make a regular guitar sound like a twelve-string), but you can also simply convert your notes without adding anything extra, perfect for making a guitar sound like your standard bass. Speaking of the bass, the Micro POG works just as good there too in the same way. It is essentially the little brother of the original POG and although it may not have as much versatility, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better octave pedal at a similar price. The way octave pedals work is pretty simple; the pedal takes the signal (one note or an entire chord) and simply adds an octave up or down depending on the settings selected. Anyways, read on and check out some of the Micro POG’s finer points.

The Mechanics of the Electro Harmonix Micro POG

The first thing you’ll notice when you take this guy out of the box, besides the pedal itself, is the included AC adaptor. Those familiar with buying effects pedals can tell you that more often than not, it’s a separate buy, but it makes perfect sense with the Micro POG. Unlike most pedals that have the option of being powered by either an adaptor or a 9 volt battery, the POG can only be used with the AC, which isn’t all that bad since they did include it with it. Anyways, power supply aside, the pedal itself feels modest in weight compared to similar sized pedals – not too heavy, not too light –  although the diecast chassis feels very well built and strong. You might find a manual inside like I did, but in case you didn’t, don’t worry, this pedal is as straight forward as it comes.

There pedal itself consists of three knobs, one input jack, two output jacks and a click switch to turn the effect on and off. The single input jack is where you connect your cable to from your guitar to the pedal. The two output jacks on the other hand come in dry and wet. The wet “Effect Out” jack is your money-maker in that this is the jack that will send the effect-laden signal to your amp. The “Dry Out” on the other hand outputs the signal raw, meaning no effect whatsoever as if plugging in straight to the amp. This comes in handy for playing through two amps – one with effects and one without - also helpful if you’re doing some stereo recording on a music program. The “Dry Out” is the raw signal; “Effect Out” has the signal with effects (as well as the raw signal, technically speaking). Simple, right?

The three knobs are as straight forward as you can get. You have your Dry Knob, your Sub Octave Knob and your Octave Up Knob. The dry knob is essentially the volume of the raw signal. The sub octave knob lets you add an octave below the notes you’re playing while the octave up adds an octave above the notes. Turn either higher for more presence, lower for less… pretty much like an effect volume knob.

The Sound of the Electro Harmonix Micro POG

Those of you out there who just have to have everything right in their effects pedal chain will be happy to know that the Micro POG is clean and silent with absolutely no hum or signal distortion whatsoever. Put it in the front of your effects lineup, in the middle, or at the end; the Micro POG will not give you any signal loss or degradation, as can be the case with some pedals. The sound of the effect is exactly what you should expect from an octave pedal, but a fair warning to those who have yet to use one of these; If you’re looking for natural tones, that is to say that your guitar will still sound like a raw electric guitar, albeit with added notes an octave up or down, then you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. As veterans of octave pedals will tell you, although you can make it sound like a twelve string, eighteen string, etc, it won’t sound like a clean one but instead, like one with a bit of a digital effect to it, so those looking to make their guitar sound like a real twelve-string should either buy an actual one or invest in an acoustic signal generator pedal to calm down the synthetic sound. Just think of it as using synth organ instead of a grand piano and you will have no surprises. I did find that adding a bit of distortion will drastically reduce the digital sound, especially when trying to make your guitar mimic a bass.

Those of you who do know what they’re getting into with octave pedals will love how well the Micro POG does its job. From my experience, messing around between the sub octave and octave up knobs will pretty much always produce a nice rich and flavorful tone. Seriously, I could find something I like on pretty much any combination and it always sounded nice and full. Add just a little bit of effect and you will get a nice bit of depth to your tone. Add a whole lot of effect and you will get some crazy sounds. You can even make it sound like an electric organ when you put the octave up at about 3 O’clock, the sub octave at 11 and the dry at a full 12. Probably the best part of the pedal is that it keeps PERFECT tracking. Play as fast as you want and the pedal effects will keep up with absolutely no glitch, something that can’t be said about other octave pedals in this price range.

The Value

For the price, it will be pretty hard to find an octave pedal that can do as much as this one with the same quality of sound. Most octave pedals below $220 usually can only do either octave up or down and will probably not feature the dry output jack. While not as versatile as its big brother the Micro POG benefits from its much better looking price tag as well as its dummy proof execution. Those in the market for an octave pedal and know essentially what an octave pedal will give you will find the Electro Harmonix Micro POG a great that will do its job perfectly. 

And don't forget to check out PAL's great selection of effects pedals at the best prices right here!

Public Domain: CBGB & OMFUG

Legendary New York punk-rock club CBGB’s may be reborn in a brand new location and will center on newer music according to a club spokesman.

A new batch of investors is currently making plans to reopen the historic downtown Manhattan venue which was permanently shut down in 2006 due to rent disputes with the property owner. Their spokesman was clear to point out that rather than bringing back the past, the new CBGB’s will focus on new music, albeit in the same spirit that made the venue the launching pads for numerous punk-rock/new wave bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s such as The Ramones, Blondie and The Talking Heads.

"They are hoping to open a new venue focused on new music," the spokesman said. "They are not trying to recreate the past but hope to open a space in the spirit of CBGB."

In celebration of the momentous event, the group is set to deliver the first CBGB music festival which will feature over 300 indie bands at several clubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn in addition to panel discussions and film screenings. The festival is set to take place over four days from July 5-8.

"It's a relief to know that it's not going to die," Lisa Kristal Burgman, daughter of the late CBGB’c founder Hilly Kristal, told the New York Times."It's going to be reborn."

Original Source

Read: NOT A MOVIE

In honor of the recent announcement that multi-platinum rapper Andre 3000 will be starring as Jimi Hendrix in a new biopic about the deceased rock star, we here at PAL would like to take some time to remember a few other musicians who chose to go where few have successfully gone before. Sure, Andre is no stranger to television or the big screen as the rapper has had his share of starring roles, but he’s no Will Smith as far as box office draw is concerned. All in all though, he’s not half bad, but for every Andre 3000 there are a dozen or so 50 Cents, in other words, people who should really keep their day jobs. Rather than naming some of the most successful musician to actor transitions, we will be bringing you some of the most memorably bad performances from artists that prove that success doesn’t always follow you everywhere you go. Read on and check out some of music’s worst tries at the not so kind world of acting. Although they’re pretty bad, rest assured that it’s not nearly as terrifying as the list of actors turned musicians. Anyone here remember “Respect Yourself” by Bruce Willis? Enough said.

Lance Bass in On the Line (2001)

Does anyone even remember the name of the movie this guy starred in (if it wasn’t already up there by his name)? Does anyone remember where this guy is from?? It might be because of his forgetful performances in both ‘N Sync and On the Line. Outshined by his former “bandmate” Justin Timberlake both on and off the screen, there was still a time when this guy actually commanded the hearts of several young ladies, although it wasn’t enough to make the movie On the Line a commercial hit, making only 4.2 million from the 10 million it cost Miramax Films to make, not to mention it pretty much bombed with the critics, scoring a paltry 19 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. More of a plug for the boy band than an actual try at making a good movie, but don’t take it from me; this is a small taste of what Roger Ebert had to say: “Just when you think a dating movie can't conceivably involve more impossible coincidences and idiot plot situations, along comes another movie to prove you wrong.”

50 Cent in Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005)

Anything you can do, I can do better… right? Not so when you’re talking about formerly super-buff rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in relation to his boss and fellow MC turned actor (for one movie at least) Marshall “Eminem” Mathers. While Em’s foray into the big screen was by all means a success (garnering the Detroit native the No.1 movie, album AND single in the country at the same time), 50 Cent was not nearly as lucky or even as good of an actor. Compared to 8 Mile’s certified fresh score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Get Rich or Die Tryin' didn’t even come close, with only 17 percent of critics finding the movie passable. Following the basic formula Mathers used for his film’s success, Get Rich or Die Tryin' is loosely based on the rappers life, albeit with plenty of artistic leeway, but unlike 8 Mile which was widely praised for its gritty realism and Em’s believable vulnerability, 50 Cent’s acting debut is marred by a flat performance and a story with no true coherent point or purpose.

Prince in Purple Rain (1984)

If there is anyone that can prove that you don’t need a great actor – or even a good one – in order to have an iconic and highly praised movie, it’s Prince. It might just be the time of the movie’s release or the fantastically ‘80s soundtrack, or even the well known tale of a young man trying to make it while trying to gain the respect of both society and family (in this case, his father), but one thing’s for sure, overall, Purple Rain was a pretty good movie – except for Prince’s acting. No, it wasn’t overtly bad or even terrible, but it was definitely flat compared to his actual-actor co-stars. Prince pretty much plays himself in the movie, and much like his onstage larger than life persona, his character in the film is just as mysterious and impersonal. Ultimately, the movie had everything where it counted; an overall great ‘80s cast bolstered by songs that are far more long-lasting than the film itself. Not so bad when you look at the other artists on this list, but compared to his skills on the big stage, he comes up short on the big screen.

Mick Jagger in Freejack (1992)

There is plenty you can say about the Rolling Stones’ front man; musical mastermind, lover of the ladies and all around proverbial rock and roller… but there is one thing you can’t say…and that’s that the guy’s a great actor. Those who were lucky enough to have seen Freejack will definitely know that he is assuredly not. The film is set in a futuristic 2009 where Jagger’s bounty hunter character Vacendak must capture the body of Emilio Estevez who plays a race car driver from the present (1991) so that his boss Anthony Hopkins can become immortal. Got all that? Yeah, you can imagine how all that went down. Not even performances from Rene Russo and Hopkins was enough to save this time traveling movie going straight to the bargain bin. The usually animated Jagger is stiff and awkward as the “bone-jacker” antagonist to Estevez’s hero, although it must be said that compared to Emilio, Jagger had his moments, although no one was screaming for Mick to get an Oscar for his performance. Hel Hinson of the Washington Post sums it up well: “You know you're in trouble when the cars in a science fiction movie look like those golf carts with football helmets on them. That's if the presence of Emilio Estevez wasn't already enough of a tip-off.”

Dishonorable Mentions

Britney Spears in Crossroads (2002)

Mariah Carey in Glitter (2001)

Rob Van “Vanilla Ice” Winkle in Cool as Ice (1991)

Sting in The Bride (1985)

John Lennon and Paul McCartney in A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Elvis Presley in any of his 31 movies (seriously, take a look at any)

Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazard (2005)

Dee Snider in Strangeland (1998)

Alanis Morissette in Dogma (1999)

Outkast Rapper Andre 3000

A brand new movie based on the life of famed rocker Jimi Hendrix will begin shooting in Ireland this May with Outkast rapper Andre 3000 set as the lead role.

Irish Film & Television Network reports that the movie will document the life of the departed guitarist from his move to England in 1966 to his rise to fame in 1967. The report also states that the new film will be called All is By My Side.

The biopic will feature Jimi’s time in New York where he is discovered at a local club by Keith Richard’s girlfriend Linda Keith, his early drama with manager Chas Chandler as well as the period during the recording of his first album, Are You Experienced.

The film is set to be directed by John Ridley of Three Kings and U-Turn fame and is currently in pre-production in County Wicklow. The principal photography is set to begin in Dublin towards the end of May and shooting is scheduled to take place in six weeks.

Andre “3000” Benjamin is no stranger to acting as the multi-platinum rapper has previously starred in films such as Four Brothers co-starring Mark Wahlberg, the Guy Ritchie directed Revolver as well as a recurring role in the television drama series The Shield.

Original Source

The Classic Big Muff Pi

One of the staples of hard rock effects has always been the overdrive. Seems like just about every hard rock genre uses a bit of distortion – or in the case of punk and metal, A LOT! Even before the concept was properly exploited for use in the studio or on stage, musicians had found creative ways to replicate the sound by essentially overloading the signal that the amp was able to properly handle, giving them that familiar distorted sound that now comes standard on several modern amps. Overdrive through pedals or through a built-in amp effect pretty much works exactly the same, although in a much more refined and controlled sort of way, allowing you to achieve distorted tones of unlimited possibilities that simply weren’t available to rock’s pioneers. With that said, one of today’s most popular overdrive pedals used by the professional and amateurs alike is the one and only Electro Harmonix Classic Big Muff Pi pedal. Everyone from Jack White to David Gilmour have this in their effects repertoire and for good reason as this pedal not only gives you plenty of bang for your buck, but will help you recreate some of the most well known tones in rock history. Let’s get right into it!

The Mechanics of the Big Muff Pi

Like most single effects pedals, this one is pretty straight forward as far as ease of use goes. You have your volume, sustain and tone knobs, along with the obvious input/output and stomper switch to turn the effect on and off. The pedal I purchased came with a manual although I have heard several instances of these being sold without one, which honestly doesn’t matter – there’s no rocket science going on in here. Volume is exactly that, the volume of the signal exactly the same way it works on your amp. It’s nice to have the option of a volume knob on the pedal but there is really not much reason to not have it cranked all the way up while you’re using the thing unless you don’t want to walk all the way over to your amp. Anyways, the other two knobs are where the true controls come in. The sustain knob pretty much works like the gain dial does on an amp, meaning for all intents and purposes just think of it as having the option to go to 20 gain on an amplifier. The tone knob will be your best friend as this is where most of the variety comes in. Tone allows you to choose between a deep bassy sound when set completely down or a much thicker trebly sound with plenty of presence when switched all the way to the right. A combination of both tone and sustain will be the key to getting those signature tones.

As far as the build goes, the Big Muff is pretty light for its size but still feels strong enough to take a modest beating. If you use the pedal as intended and not go literally stomping on the thing, it should last you a very long time. The Big Muff can be powered by either your standard pedal AC adapter (not included) or a 9 volt battery, much the same as it is with most pedals, so if you already have either of the two lying around, you’ll have no problem getting this thing going asap. When used with a battery, you will get modest mileage out of one but just the same as it is with every other battery/AC powered pedal, either make sure you have always have a spare 9 volt or better yet, just spring for the optional AC adapter if you don’t already have one lying around and give yourself one less thing to worry about.

The Sound of The Big Muff Pi

This is where things really get going. As far as pedals go, this one will impress you at how little to no signal noise this will give you when connected. Those familiar with effects pedals will surely note how they can sometimes have a consistent hum even when just holding the strings down, but not this one, all thanks to the built-in bypass system that ensures that when the effect is not in use, the signal from the guitar, through the pedal and to the amp will be as clean as a direct input to the amplifier. All in all, pretty much clean when not in use – always a good thing. The sustain knob will give you a good amount of leverage as far as how much distortion and gain you’re going to want for your sound, turn it low for a light fuzz or crank it to the right for a thick crunch, but like I said above, it’s the tone knob you will be paying attention to mainly. Turn the tone knob to the very left and you will get a very thin but bass heavy, dry sound. Give it enough sustain and it will sound much like “Dead Leaves in the Dirty Ground” by the White Stripes, deep but thin. It sounds very much like the amp is being played in another room, but that’s not to say it’s a bad thing at all as several musicians have used the same tone with great success. Turn the tone knob all the way up and you will get a very thick treble heavy sound with a lot of presence, much like many Jimi Hendrix songs, although the bass will not be as prominent. Mess around with a good balance of the two and give it enough crunch as you will get the same distorted effect that many ‘90s bands tended to use, such as the Smashing Pumpkins (they had two Big Muffs in their effects repertoire). All in all, the tones created by the pedal in multiple combinations are superb for most hard rock genres that work well with distortion. Mess around a bit with the balance and you will be surprised at how many times you’ll pause and think about how the tone sounds pretty much exactly to that of specific songs.

The Value of the Big Muff Pi

For less than $100, you can’t ask for a better distortion pedal. You get all of the great tones that distortion centric rock and roll is known for all in an easy to use and very reliable package. There are other similar pedals, even variations on the Big Muff Classic, such as the Little Big Muff and the Double Big Muff, and although they are great choices that will definitely get the job done, all in all, the classic is by far the most used and well-known. So, if you’re in the market for a great overdrive pedal that can give you that familiar and sought after tone, look no further than the Electro Harmonix Classic Big Muff Pi distortion pedal. You definitely will not regret your investment.

And don’t forget to check out PAL’s huge selection of effects pedals at the lowest prices right here!