Heavy Newz and Reviewz

Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, 2010 and will be remembered as a true innovator in the heavy metal music scene.  Perhaps more than any other lead singer, Ronnie’s songs concentrated heavily on the underworld of magic and sorcery and Ronnie’s small stature made me think of him as a heavy metal hobbit of sorts.  Very few casual heavy metal fans realize that Ronnie was the lead singer of Black Sabbath before he formed the band Dio.  In fact, Ronnie was the front man for several bands before forming Dio with the former drummer of Black Sabbath, Vinny Appice.

Ronnie started out his music career with a band called The Vegas Kings in 1957.  After that in 1958 it became Ronnie & The Rumblers, then Ronnie and the Red Caps, then Ronnie Dio and the Prophets.  In 1967 Ronnie formed the Electric Elves, which later shortened its name to The Elves, which later was know simply as Elf from 1970-1975.  After that, Ronnie formed Rainbow and then in 1979, he joined one of the best heavy metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath.

Ronnie James stayed with Sabbath until 1982, when he went on to form Dio, which lasted from 1982-1991.  After that, RJD went back to Black Sabbath from 1991-1992 and then back to Dio from 1993-2010.  He was dedicated to making dark heavy metal music and there are few who did it as well as he did.  He will always be remembered as the ultimate heavy metal warlock to me!

Music is one media that can mend the soul, lift you up or give you the edge to get through the day. Of music’s differing genres you find an array of styles. These styles vary from children’s music to classical, Christian, easy listening, blues, alternative, country, dance, electric, hip hop/rap, jazz, new age, R&B, pop, reggae and of course rock. Of course this is only a brief list of music genres out there.

One of the more controversial genres you hear about and have always heard about is heavy metal rock. This is the music your parents were ready to call an exorcist when they heard this blaring through your walls. The instruments especially the guitars are heavily played drowning out the words of the songs. In most cases the words were not sung but screamed. All the members of the heavy metal rock band was doing the classic head banging move all while rifting away on the electric guitar.

It’s hard to pin point when heavy metal hit the scene and who can claim first to bring it to our ears. We have seen that the words heavy metal first were used to describe Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild in the 1060’s. Many debate that this was truly the first of heavy metal. Battling for rights to be claimed first are Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. Of course to most of the older generations they will call any music that is loud heavy metal, in some ways it is true.

Aside from the ones said to be the first heavy medalist you can’t forget the bands that have made headlines and hits all along the way. Bands such as Metallica, Judas Priest, Pantera, Anthrax, Korn, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Rage Against the Machine, Twisted sister, White Zombie, Budgie, Mastodon, Skid Row and Atheist. Just reading the names makes you wonder what in the world could these guys be thinking about all day. Not puppy dogs and ice cream. But they are a few of the top loved heavy metal rock groups to hit the charts.

When it comes to music, everyone seems to have his or her own opinions. Some love the soft vocals with the classic rock type approach, and others simply love electronic sounds with the bleeps and the bloops. Others simply can’t fathom how anyone calls techno music. This divide is what allows so many genres of music to survive. Every few years another genre of tunes emerge and a new age of listeners are born. One of the music genres that came about during the late 1960’s was heavy metal music. It was characterized by huge bold guitars with crunchy riffs and distortion. It has become the favorite genre of many, and the laughing stock of others within the music world. Some believe it to be one of the purest forms of music and only listen to heavy metal.

Some of the originals in this genre are still remembered today. We are talking about Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Many of these artists are still idolized by the newest teen fans, and sporting t-shirts of these heavy metal gods is common and virtually everywhere.

Perhaps what is most interesting about heavy metal music is its influence on all genres of music up to the present day including things like glam meta, punk rock, and dub step. Some consider dub step music to be the techno successor to heavy metal. People involved with these genres of music tend to be masculine and isolationists. The colors of the bands are usually dark with black and purple being the primary colors that they employ.

Heavy metal is perhaps one of the most interesting genres of music to come out of the last one hundred years.

Every heavy metal fan knows the band “Iron Maiden” well. The band is truly one of the pinnacle bands of the heavy metal era and their music continues to thrill fans that are searching for a dose of heavy metal sound. The sound of “Iron Maiden” began in east London in 1975 when Steve Harris formed the band. From the beginning, Harris formed the foundation of “Iron Maiden” as their main songwriter and bass player. Since 1975, the band has released 38 albums including 10 live albums, 15 studio albums, 7 compilation albums, and 4 EP’s.

This band rose to success during the 1980’s and were truly headliners in the world of heavy metal, particularly among the British. Their most popular albums were “Piece of Mind” in 1983, “Live After Death” in 1985, and “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” in 1988. In 1999, the band had a second rise to the top with an album called “The Final Frontier” hitting number one on the charts in nearly 30 different countries.

With several decades of musical success under their belts, the guys in “Iron Maiden” have now sold over 85 million albums around the world along with uncountable downloads through iTunes. It is estimated that “Iron Maiden” Has performed in over 2,000 live events since they began in 1975. The calling card of “Iron Maiden” has always been “Eddie”, the band’s mascot. Eddie is spotted on nearly every album and has appeared in every show that the band has ever performed.

Much like other metal bands, the image of “Iron Maiden” is centered in a horror-theme. From their mascot, Eddie, to the famous act where they would squirt fake blood onto the audience during shows, much of “Iron Maiden” culture is about death and science fiction. Love them or hate them, there is no denying that “Iron Maiden” is a band that has a profound influence on the music industry.

Heavy metal music has had an underground following and sub-culture for a long time, a lot longer than anyone can actually remember. It first started becoming a recognized genre of music in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Since then, heavy metal music has grown increasingly popular.

Even though heavy metal music sounds like a weird mish-mash of noise to some people, the artists who write and perform it do have parameters that they work with. One element of heavy metal music is a little bit of blues, which is layered with some rock and underscored by a lot of guitar. The purpose of the heavy metal music is to speak to the soul. If you really listen to the music, you’re going to find that a great deal of it actually explores the concept of good vs. evil.

One of the things that many fans of the genre are quick to point out is that there are several sub-genres of metal music. These genres include black metal, death metal, grind-core, thrash metal, power metal, speed metal, rap metal, etc.

Over the years there have been several really amazing heavy metal performers, but none have been as great as the late Jimi Hendrix. Not only did Hendrix have a profound understanding of heavy metal, but also he is quite possibly one of the best guitar players ever. Even though none have achieved the kind of hero worship that Hendrix reached other wildly successful heavy metal bands include:

• KISS

• Led Zeppelin

• Nirvana

• Pearl Jam

• Black Sabbath

• Metallica

• Ted Nugent

• AC/DC

Many of the really successful heavy metal bands have managed to record songs that became so popular that they are recognized and liked by people who don’t generally like heavy metal.

Some people only dream of living the rock star life, but I actually had the privilege to experience it.  For one glorious year in college, I toured with AC/DC playing the electric guitar like there was no tomorrow.  Thinking back on it, I could’ve died right on that stage and never regretted a day of my life.  Living like a rock star had some serious advantages.

For one thing, you never had to worry about getting a good hotel room when you traveled.  Everywhere we went on tour, the band was given complete uninterrupted access to Jacuzzis complete with beautiful women handing us towels to dry off with.  We all enjoyed those after show parties a little too much and then we would cope with the morning hangover with therapeutic air tubs at the hotel spa.

Another great thing about being on tour was the food.  We ate at some of the swankiest places in the world during that year.  In fact, when we toured in Japan, we ate at this restaurant that was built like a big water park and they served your meals in these large two person bathtubs instead of seating you at tables.  They put the plates on little floating trays and you soaked and ate the best steak of your life.

There was a crazy adrenaline rush when I was on stage with my best friends in the band.  It was explosive as we rose in popularity from a group of new artists to one of the Top 40 heavy metal bands of all time.  I always loved the moment when the curtains would open and we would be standing in front of thousands of cheering fans.  The drummer would give us the count and then we would start jamming.  As the lights danced and the people screamed, it was like living in a dream.

Unfortunately, a rock star can’t live on forever and I eventually left the band to get married and have a family.  I left behind the wild parties and the expensive hotels, but I never did get over my love for the whirlpool bath tubs.  I still play the occasional gig at local night clubs and I always come home to soak in one of our whirlpool bath tubs when it is over.  You’d think that since I was a famous rock star, I would have the most lavish tastes, but I actually went online to look at discount whirlpool tubs because even I like to save money.  Then I enjoy some time in our Saunatec outdoor sauna, which is equally therapeutic.  For this old former rocker, it makes me feel young and famous again!

I have always loved listening to music from the awesome classics of the 80’s to the alternative rock of the 90’s.  My all time favorite musical genre has got to be heavy metal with groups like Metallica, AC/DC, and Ted Nugent topping my list.  Now that I’m an adult, I have channeled my love of music to the internet by keeping a blog about the latest news in the music industry.  I track the upcoming artists that seem promising and I write biographies of the best musical groups of all time.  My little blog has recently started drawing a lot of traffic so I decided it was time to enlist some professional Chicago website designers to restyle it and give it a better look.

I wanted it to look like an online magazine with different feature areas.  When I started calling different web designers for quotes, I tried to explain what I was looking for and I browsed dozens of portfolios.  Finally, I came across a website design Appleton WI professionals had created and I loved it.  They had incorporated a video feature as well as news feeds which were perfect for my niche.

Once I had an idea in my mind, I started pricing the various companies to see who could design my site for the most reasonable price.  I definitely liked the Minneapolis website design firms that I interviewed and I came very close to hiring on a Naperville website design student who offered cheap prices since he was still in school.  I hesitated though because I needed to be sure I got top quality for my money and I couldn’t afford to have to do multiple design attempts before getting it right.

Finally, someone recommended that I check out some website designers Round Rock, TX.  I got their information and looked at their website and I thought they seemed impressive.  The next day I gave them a call and it seemed like they were a great fit for what I needed.  The icing on the cake was when one of the Round Rock designers shared that he was also a heavy metal fanatic!  I hired him on the spot and have never looked back.  He has been the most amazing website designer that I could have ever imagined, and he loves Metallica too, which is a big bonus in my book!

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While playing in actual casinos can be fun, many times people will find that there are no casinos anywhere near their home, therefore making it a long drive to reach the actual casino.  In addition, regular land casinos, while fun and entertaining, can distract some of the more serious players due to the noise, crowds and even alcohol.  While some people definitely still enjoy being in that environment, more and more players are turning to casinos online such as VirginGames.com to offer them the same gaming fun they’ve come to love.

When choosing which online casino to play through, consider what type of casino games are offered.  Thanks to advances in technology, there are literally hundreds – if not thousands – of casino games and online casino reviews to choose from online.  Most well-established online casinos will offer a wide variety of different games, such as online bingo and blackjack, including both single and multiplayer games.

When selecting which top online casino to use, consider finding one that offers both the single and multiplayer option to ensure that all of your gaming needs are met.  Even if you traditionally only play one type of gaming – say, single player UK online poker for example – you might find that, at some point, you want to branch out and try a game that involves several players.  By starting out your online gaming experience with a casino that can offer both of those types of games, you’re sure to be covered no matter which type of game ends up attracting your interest!

In addition, some online gaming sites offer tournaments as well as satellite gaming opportunities.  If you’ve never played in a tournament before, you might be surprised by how fun they can be – even if you don’t know the people you’re playing with and against online!  Satellite gaming opportunities are also enjoyable for many of the same reasons; you never know who you could end up playing with online – it could be the neighbor next door or a person from the other side of the world that you play EuroGrand casino online with!

Many gamers look for sites that offer loose games and wild play.  This is especially helpful for inexperienced gamers who might need time to learn the ropes of games that are new to them.  Loose games and wild play games attract both the inexperienced and experienced players alike, but they tend to offer everyone relatively the same opportunities while ensuring fun for everyone who is playing, regardless of their skill level.  If you read some of the online blackjack reviews, you’ll understand that this is why both experienced and new blackjack players enjoy playing the game online.

What are you waiting for?  Let the casino games begin!

One of our favorite childhood games has a new life thanks to modern technology. Bingo has been online for some time now and it has become a tremendously popular game worldwide. The UK is host to numerous companies who design bingo sites and make them available to the world. These designers have created a juggernaut; every day new sites pop up and bingo gaming expands.

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If you are a smoker, you probably feel guilty about it, especially if you have kids.  No one wants to adversely affect their own children, but the habit is incredibly difficult to break.  By smoking in front of your children, they are not only more likely to smoke themselves, but you are damaging their health from the effects of your second hand smoke.  It is a horrible feeling to know that you are endangering your child by your habit. This is only intensified if you have a child that is chronically ill with a breathing ailment like asthma.

Children that suffer from asthma have a difficult time breathing most of the time.  Their airways constrict and narrow leaving them gasping for air. There are many causes of asthma attacks and pet allergies, environmental allergies and cigarette smoke are the biggest causes.  But how does a smoker live with an asthmatic child?  Yes, you can go outside and smoke, keeping the worst of the smoke away from them.  Unfortunately this doesn’t always work all the time since the smell of the smoke stays on your clothes and hair long after you are done smoking.  Your car is another place that smoke lingers.  No matter if you smoke when your child is in your vehicle or not, the smoke stays there even when you aren’t smoking.

There is a solution however.  The new electronic cigarette is the best thing to hit the market in a long time.  This innovative new product allows the smoker to enjoy the smoking habit that they love and still receive the nicotine that they crave.  The huge benefit when you choose to buy electronic cigarettes is the fact that they are completely smoke free.  They deliver the same nicotine as a traditional cigarette but only emit a harmless, odorless vapor.

These e-cigs are made up of a few easily assembled parts, including a rechargeable battery and electronic cigarette cartridges.  This allows the smoker to choose not only how much they smoke a day but the flavor of the nicotine as well.  By making these e-cigarettes smoke free, they have finally created a safer alternative for those who just can’t quit smoking.  There are many places to buy electronic cigarettes but they are most easily found online.  You can check out some of the best reviews from Green Smoke and NJOY electronic cigarettes.  These reviews will give you a firsthand look at how switching to e-cigs has changed lives.

For a child with asthma, every breath is difficult. As a parent of such a child you want to do whatever is in your power to make it easier for them. Giving up your habit isn’t always possible or desirable.  By switching to electronic cigarettes, not only are you improving your own health, but you are also making it easier for your child to breathe every day.