Revelations and Doorknobs

For this page, I have selected certain pieces that I wrote for my blog of the same name, which was featured on the website for The Only Podcast That Matters. For four years, along with my friends Chris, Andrew and Jack, as well as many guests, I discussed many aspects of life in a humorous and often irreverent manner, wrote blogs, acted in video sketches, and had an amazing and unforgettable time. I wrote over 100 blogs for the site, and the ones that will be presented here have some special meaning to me. The name for the blog came to me when I began to notice a phenomenon pertaining to modern rock bands, who would throw together two completely incongruous words or objects together for their song titles. To poke fun at that trend, Revelations and Doorknobs was born. I will continue to use the name on this blog, and will write additional pieces as they come to me.

Growing Up 90’s: Everclear- “Heartspark Dollarsign”

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Coming from the band that named itself after the grain alcohol that could strip the paint off a car (but people still willingly ingest…still boggles my mind), Everclear’s “Heartspark Dollarsign” was a song that delved into the ugliness of racism, and the love that is needed to rise above it. The song, written by the band’s lead singer Art Alexakis, centers around an interracial relationship, with the protagonist having to deal with grief from his racist family members for having the nerve to date a black girl, seeing past the color of her skin and loving her for what she is.  Continue reading →

Growing Up 90’s: Tonic- “You Wanted More”

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I don’t know when I got bitter/Love is surely better when it’s gone

That line leading into the chorus of Tonic’s 1999 hit “You Wanted More” hits you right in the stomach, if you’ve ever been lost in the arena of love. Barely sneaking in as a 90’s song, the tune appeared the band’s album Sugar in November of ’99, as well as on the soundtrack of the iconic teen movie American Pie, and has been tugging at my heartstrings ever since. Continue reading →

Growing Up 90’s: No Doubt- “Don’t Speak”

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No Doubt didn’t make their breakthrough until their third album, Tragic Kingdom was released in 1995, but that breakthrough was a massive one. The band rode that album’s wave to the top on the strength of singles such as “Spiderwebs,” “Just a Girl,” “Sunday Morning,” “Excuse Me Mr.” and the biggest hit of all, “Don’t Speak”. The song was written about the breakup of lead singer Gwen Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal, which nearly caused the band to break up as well. Continue reading →

Growing Up 90’s: Goo Goo Dolls- “Long Way Down”

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The first song on the track listing for the Goo Goo Dolls’ breakout album A Boy Named Goo, “Long Way Down” is a song that rocks your face off, at least when compared to everything the band put out after that record. Once upon a time, the three-piece band, consisting of John Rzeznik on guitar and lead vocals, bassist Robby Takac (who took lead vocal duties on a handful of the tracks on that album), and drummer Mike Malinin, actually plugged their instruments in and rocked. Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy: A Retrospective (Part II)

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Just days prior to the storm, I scoffed when I was told that I should fill up my gas tank, or buy batteries and flashlights. “It’s not going to be that bad,” I thought, “We’ll just get a day of wind and rain, like every other time a ‘hurricane’ hits New Jersey.” I mocked the mouth-breathers when I saw the bread aisle in my local Shoprite the night before Sandy hit. “Maniacs, the lot of them,” I muttered aloud. Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy: A Retrospective (Part I)

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It was almost as if we had been chosen. Nature decided that we needed to be punished, and what happened is something nobody at or near ground zero will ever forget. At the end of October 2012, Hurricane Sandy made its way up the Atlantic coast after battering everything from the Caribbean on up, and while out to sea, the “superstorm” made a sharp left turn and a subsequent beeline for New Jersey.  While American forecasters struggled to predict where the storm would make landfall, if at all, the European models correctly asserted that the massive storm would hit New Jersey and New York directly. At one point, Sandy was a Category 3 hurricane, which weakened to a tropical storm, and got a second wind and strengthened back into a Category 1 before slamming the Jersey shore.  Continue reading →

Essential Power Ballads: The Modern Edition

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For the past seven weeks, I’ve recommended a list of classic power ballads to music fans, and this week, I wrap up the list with a batch of more modern-day songs that fit the style. Enjoy!

Rihanna- “California King Bed”

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This song from Rihanna’s album Loud is a down-to-the-numbers power ballad. I’m not terribly well-versed in her catalog, but her singles are unavoidable, and I can say with confidence that out of everything I’ve heard from her, this tune provides us with her best vocal performance to date. She actually SINGS, and that’s certainly better than that Barbadan yodeling she usually does. Listen for the huge choruses, and the guitar solo (!!!). For me, this is the best song in her entire discography, short of “Bitch Better Have My Money,” of course.  Continue reading →

Essential Power Ballads, Vol. 7

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This week marks the seventh and final installment of my Essential Power Ballads series, at least as far as the classic songs are concerned. Next Tuesday, a bonus edition will be posted with some more modern power ballads!

Boston- “Amanda”

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The first track off of the band’s third album, the aptly-titled Third Stage, “Amanda” eventually became Boston’s highest-charting single in the United States. The band’s lead singer, the inimitable Brad Delp (who committed suicide in a bizarre fashion in 2007) passionately sings about telling the song’s namesake for the first time that he loves her. He relates in no uncertain terms what a nerve-wracking challenge that is for most men, so hopefully she returned the sentiment. The song also features a wailing solo from guitar genius Tom Scholz, who along with Delp’s vocals, provides much of the band’s signature sound. Continue reading →

Essential Power Ballads, Vol. 6

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Another five emotional rock ballads are being served up to you this week, with more coming next Tuesday!

Bon Jovi– “Never Say Goodbye”

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A power ballad list would never be complete without New Jersey’s favorite prom song (it even references the prom) from Bon Jovi’s breakthrough record, Slippery When Wet. The song’s musical structure is emotionally gripping, and its lyrics pine for days gone by, youthful hijinx, and the retention of those memories. This is one of those songs that makes me miss when Bon Jovi was great, as well as those relatively carefree days of my own youth.  Continue reading →

Essential Power Ballads, Vol. 5

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Volume 5 of this continuing series on the tear-jerking rock songs you need in your life is here!

Aerosmith– “Angel”

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Kicking off with a cascade of sound from the legendary Joe Perry’s guitar and Joey Kramer on the drums, this huge hit from Aerosmith’s 1987 album Permanent Vacation features impassioned vocals from frontman Steven Tyler, and an all-around emotional sonic landscape that you’d expect from any great power ballad. Seriously, you’re going to want to listen to the opening of the song over and over again. The 80’s rock music scene was obsessed with keyboards, and in this song, the band used the instrument to synthesize violin music.  Continue reading →