2025 in 2025: Day 177

Together Alone - Crowded House

This album is almost a bit more experimental than every other Crowded House album. Certainly more adventurous; some of the songs have a bit more teeth to them, while others just veer off into jamming and traditional Polynesian rhythms and drumming and singing. 

Highlights: Distant Sun, Locked Out, In My Command, Fingers of Love

7.5/10

Together Alone [Deluxe Edition] - Crowded House

Home demos, band demos, writing demos - we got all your demos! And a couple of live tracks and alternate mixes. It is almost comical to think this is how Private Universe could have ended up sounding like. 

Highlights: Black and White Boy [Early Rough Mix], Tail of Comet [Live], Fingers of Love [Alternate Studio Take]

6.5/10

Tokyo Girl [Single] - Perfume

The end theme to my favourite drama. I have to listen to this every time I go see Tokyo Tower for that very reason. Honestly, though, those verses are so fantastic... but the chorus is just typical Perfume. 

Highlights: Tokyo Girl, 宝石の雨

8.5/10

Tommyland: The Ride - Tommy Lee

If he had never been in Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee probably could have been a popular radio rock guy. Like, there is nothing on here worse than Nickelback. In fact, the dude from Nickelback is here, too! I just read the credits and there are some hilarious features. I actually quite enjoy this, for the most part!

Highlights: Makin' Me Crazy, Tryin' to Be Me, Good Times, Sister Mary

7/10

Too Fast For Love - Mötley Crüe

From the best member of The Crüe, to their debut album! 

If I remember correctly, a couple of friends bought me this on cassette back when I was like 11 or something. I think it may have been the first Mötley Crüe album I actually owned! Live Wire is awesome. Come On and Dance is pretty cool - that classic cowbell is kinda funny, as are the bad harmonies. I guess Vince was easily the best singer in the band at this stage (which is funny because 45 years later he is probably the worst and has been for like 25 years). I have always dug Public Enemy #1, even if it has absolutely nothing to do with the band Public Enemy. Which was very disappointing to 11 year-old LOGMAN. It has a real 70's rock vibe. Merry-Go-Round is some sort of power ballad wannabe, but cannot be taken seriously because it sounds like Vince is singing "Mewwy go wound and wound". Take Me to the Top may have been the first song on the album I liked? And then there is Piece of Your Action which is just badassery. Possibly the most "Mötley Crüe" song on the album. And also possibly the first Mötley Crüe guitar solo I attempted to learn (I didn't understand what slide guitar was). Actually the last half of this album is awesome; Starry Eyes is dark and moody (you can tell, because there is a gong strike), Too Fast For Love is good times with gang-vocals chorus fun, and On With the Show is actually a very good power ballad (complete with hilarity where Mick Mars gets out of time double-tracking his guitar, and then just repeats his solos about 40 times throughout the song). A very strong debut album. I was today years-old when I really understood that this is much more of a 70's rock influenced affair - very Cheap Trick meets Sweet in an Aerosmith tribute show. And Vince sounds squeaky. Man, time flies when you are having fun!

Highlights: Piece of Your Action, Starry Eyes, Live Wire, Take Me to the Top

8.5/10

Too Legit to Quit - MC Hammer

Look, the songs are mostly too long and there was no need for the super slow songs in the middle. And a downbeat song with no real groove should not go over 8 minutes. Now all that said... THIS ALBUM GOES HARD! The pop stuff just goes off, the gospel is next level, and everything in between is just awesome - and this is not nostalgia driven, either, because I had no love for this album back in 1991. I grew up and got wise. You should, too! The title track is the most head-rocking foot stomping hip-hop track in my library.

Highlights: 2 Legit 2 Quit, Find Yourself a Friend, Do Not Pass Me By, Count It Off, This is the Way We Roll

8/10

Too Tight - MC Hammer

Oh we just going with Hammer today? The man rolled up to Death Row and put together an album so good... it never got released. Which is a shame, because this album a serious groove. The fake radio skits are such a cliche of the times, and because it is Hammer, everything is just a bit too long. Sometimes a lot too long. But the collabs with dudes like Tupac are better than you could have imagined.

Highlights: Too Late Playa, Unconditional Love, Hammertime Brings It, Get Up

7/10

Too-Rye-Ay - Dexy's Midnight Runners

This is just Come On Eileen, because at least give me some of my 80s cred!

8/10

The Top - The Cure

Robert Smith goes insane from doing too many drugs, and puts it all to music... while doing a lot of drugs?

Highlights: Bananafishbones, Shake Dog Shake, The Caterpillar, The Top

6.5/10

Torn Down - The Cure

Another remix album. As essential as any remix album before it...

Highlights: Shake Dog Shake (New Blood Mix), A Night Like This (Hello Goodbye Mix), It's Over (Whisper Mix)

6/10

Totally 80s - Various Artists

A very underwhelming compilation of 80s pop "hits" - would appear to be heavily British-influenced. British New Wave was better than a lot of their pop output. I should have more Go West in my library.

Highlights: We Close Our Eyes - Go West, Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant, Missing You - John Waite, Vienna - Ultravox, Respectable - Mel & Kim

7/10

Totally Krossed Out - Kriss Kross

These dorks with their backwards clothing sure made a few cool songs, namely Jump and Warm It Up. And that is about all I know when it comes to them.

8/10

Touch - Sarah McLachlan

Does this earn me back some 80s cred? Because boy howdy this sure has some big 80s reverb all over it. Feels like it is even more indie 80s alt than you would expect - I do not recall this even being mentioned in the Sarah McLachlan theory...

Highlights: Vox, Steaming

6.5/10

Touch - Eurythmics

Oooh an 80s album called Touch? This one came first! And is at its finest when it gets all dark and moody. The beats are so mesmerising and Annie Lennox's vocals are just divine.

Highlights: Here Comes the Rain Again, Who's That Girl?, Paint a Rumour, No Fear No Hate No Pain (No Broken Hearts), Aqua

7.5/10

Tougher Than Leather - Run-D.M.C.

I am in the minority, but this album is possibly my favourite hip-hop album of all time. ALL TIME. It just goes so damn hard from the start and never lets up. And they really lived up to the moniker of The Kings of Rock with this one. Honestly, I doubt I would love hip-hop the way I do if not for this album.

Highlights: Run's House, Mary Mary, Beats to the Rhyme, Radio Station, I'm Not Going Out Like That

10/10

Toys in the Attic - Aerosmith

Well, what a coinkidink! It is these guys and the original version of Walk This Way! This is their most consistent and solid outing from the 70s. Easily. That main riff to No More No More is so great and I wish I could remember how to play it.

Highlights: Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, No More No More, Round and Round

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1730

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2025 in 2025: Day 158

Rubber Soul - The Beatles

I love this album... but there sure is a lot of filler. Must be more the "vibe" of the whole thing that really resonates? Why does McCartney insist on putting the worst songs on these albums?

Highlights: Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Run For Your Life

8/10

Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C.

There are three types of lyrics/raps on this album: socially conscious, move your body and get down, and we are the best MCs because we talk about social issues AND tell you to move your body and get down. And in all three, they will occasionally remind you that JMJ is the greatest DJ. I know it mostly sounds dated, but by george this album makes me want a glass bottle of Pepsi and throw my hat on backwards and just get down.

Highlights: Rock Box, It's Like That, Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1), Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)

8/10

Runaway Horses - Belinda Carlisle

I would have liked to hear Ms. Carlisle do something a bit more punk. Possibly pop punk. I think she had the voice for it. I certainly do not think her voice was suited to slow pop ballads, but there was something in the way her voice breaks that would have sounded good doing songs from Josie and The Pussycats, I think.

Highlights: Leave a Light On, (We Want) The Same Thing, Deep Deep Ocean, Valentine

7/10

The Runaways - The Runaways

Just classic no-nonsense rock'n roll. It just so happens it was teenage girls doing it; something we should see more of, especially in this day and age. Simple 70s rock just cannot be beat.

Highlights: Cherry Bomb, Blackmail, You Drive Me Wild, Rock N Roll

7/10

Rural Free Delivery - Whiskeytown

I can never really tell if this band was a genuine attempt at country or if it was an almost satirical example of what Ryan Adams thought a country band sounded like. It is especially confusing knowing how completely disingenuous he actually is.

Highlights: Take Your Guns to Town, Captain Smith

6.5/10

A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay

This is not the same band that we see now. I refuse to believe it. The collaboration with BTS was about the closest thing to this, but it still comes up short a little. There is some serious grandiose stuff going on, while still sounding minimalist. I cannot explain it. I am partial to the songs that have a bit more of a menacing edge. Some of these songs are downright so depressing that listening to them may make you burn your house down while you sit inside drinking a bottle of gin.

Highlights: The Scientist, A Rush of Blood to the Head, Warning Sign, Amsterdam

8/10

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams

In hindsight, this album should have been the warning; I still cannot decide if this or Prisoner can be seen as his 'mid-life crisis' album, or 'jumping the shark' moment, if you will, because it was after this he basically lost the plot and embraced being even less than mediocre while screaming at the void that he is better than everyone else. But yeah... clearly his marriage was in a bad place if he is here singing songs about a girl he had a childhood crush on, and singing about needing someone to save him. And do not get me started on the lyrics for Feels Like Fire. That song is fire. Lots of driving beats with 80s strat tones directly from Bryan Adams' Reckless. Genuinely speaking (or bLogging), this album grew on me and really spoke to me A LOT in 2015. But it really is the peak of the cliff.

Highlights: Tired of Giving Up, Feels Like Fire, Let Go, Gimme Something Good, Kim

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1459

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2025 in 2025: Day 156

Ring Ring - ABBA

This is the least memorable ABBA album. Making your wife sing a song like I Am Just a Girl, with lyrics like "I am just a girl, not the kind of woman men would like to meet/Just another girl no one looks at in the street/" and then about how she is meant to love her man, is a form of abuse.

Highlights: Ring Ring, Rock'n Roll Band, He is Your Brother, Nina Pretty Ballerina

7/10

RIOT ON THE GRILL - ELLEGARDEN

This is the Summer album for all Summers. If you are looking for shelter in a Sharknado, come find me... and I will be too busy air-drumming to this album to help. Possibly the greatest album ever made that makes me smile so much I want to cry.

Highlights: 虹, Missing, モンスター, BBQ Riot Song, Marry Me, I Hate It, Red Hot

100/10

The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - David Bowie

Absolute peak 70s Bowie. Glam art rock with poptastic hooks. My opinion that Suffragette City is his best song still stands.

Highlights: Suffragette City, Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Rock'n Roll Suicide

8/10

The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: 30th Anniversary Edition - David Bowie

This is the bonus disc, which features some demos and b-sides. The b-sides are as great as the demos are bad.

Highlights: Moonage Daydream (New Mix), Velvet Goldmine, John I'm Only Dancing, Round and Round

7/10

Rise Up 2.0 [Single] - Six60

I guess the 2.0 thing means it is a remix or something? I guess this is like dubstep or something? I do not know. It is kinda groovy.

7/10

River of Dreams - Billy Joel

In parts, Joel and band go pretty hard on this. There is a certain ferocity to No Man's Land that you do not often find in a Billy Joel song, and a few other tracks have some real driving feel to them. The rest of the album just feels like middle of the road radio/record label pleasing tunes.

Highlights: No Man's Land, All About Soul, The Great Wall of China, The River of Dreams

7/10

Road To Rouen - Supergrass

This is such an anomaly in the Supergrass discography; more serious rock, no fun at all to be had anywhere. Much of an artistic kind of approach, focused on good riffs. 

Highlights: Tales Of Endurance (Parts 4, 5 & 6), Road to Rouen, Kick in the Teeth, Low C

7/10

Rock 'n' Roll - John Lennon

John Lennon does a lot of cocaine and records some of his favourite rock'n roll classics to avoid getting sued. There are so much horns it almost sounds more like The Blues Brothers or something. Not a bad thing.

Highlights: Rip It Up/Ready Teddy, Stand By Me, Slippin' and Slidin', You Can't Catch Me

7/10

Rock and Roll Over - Kiss

Hells yes. Great album, RIP Ace!!!

Highlights: Take Me, I Want You, Calling Dr. Love, Makin' Love

8/10

Rock Dust Light Star - Jamiroquai

This is a bit more lowkey but straight-up electronic influenced. Wild to listen to this so soon after Return of the Space Cowboy - like a completely different band.

Highlights: All Good in the Hood, Goodbye to My Dancer, She's a Fast Persuader, Hey Floyd

6.5/10

Rock in a Hard Place - Aerosmith

Wait - so this is the album without Joe Perry or Brad Whitford and that people thought was terrible? Because I like this more than half of the albums Aerosmith did with Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. 

Highlights: Jailbait, Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat), Bolivian Ragamuffin, Jig is Up

7/10

Rock N Roll - Ryan Adams

I can never decide if this album is the ultimate in his douchery or it is actually as brilliant as it sometimes feels. Because today it feels the latter.

Highlights: 1974, The Drugs Not Working, Hypnotixed, Do Miss America

8/10

Rock N Roll B-Sides - Ryan Adams

These are not nearly as punk rock as the main album. But actually more enjoyable than I remembered.

Highlights: Red Lights, I'm Coming Over, Luxury

7/10

Rock Show [Live] - Run-D.M.C. & Third Eye Blind

This is the performance on David Letterman. I am not really sure why have this, because Stephan Jenkins is not a great live singer. But it still kicks serious butt.

8/10

ROCK-STAR - Stray Kids

More boombastic crazy stuff from JYP's favourite protégés. I mean, I do not really know if they are his favourites, but they sure make him a lot of money!

Highlights: Social Path, MEGAVERSE, COMFLEX, LALALALA

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1440

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2025 in 2025: Day 149

R-GIRL's ROCK! - SCANDAL

A super budget sounding collection of cover songs I do not know, except for one - because it happens to be covered by everyone. I need to make my own cover and merge the high-points of every cover version. Also, what is an R-GIRL?

Highlights: secret base～君がくれたもの～

6.5/10

Racing into the Night [Single] - INKYMAP

Song of the year for 2024 and this year and every year after. That bridge with the rapping and gang vocals is just perfection.

Highlights: Racing into the Night, Mayday

9/10

RADWIMPS - RADWIMPS

Low budget indie early recordings. The earliest, even! It all sounds poorly recorded and there is something about the guitars that just sound terrible. Which is a shame, because some of the songs could have been good, I think?

Highlights: 「ずっと大好きだよ」「ほんと?..., 愛し ~明くる明け~

5.5/10

RADWIMPS 2 ~発展途上~ - RADWIMPS

More of the same, except maybe the guitars sound even worse? And the drums are mixed so far back in the mix it all honestly sounds like demos. Somewhere along the way they start mixing in rap and it immediately improves the album. 祈跡 is flashes of what made 君の名は。work.

Highlights: ヒキコモリロリン, そりゃ君が好きだから, 祈跡 [Album Version], 俺色スカイ

6/10

RADWIMPS 3 ~無人島に持っていき忘れた一枚~ - RADWIMPS

Things have immediately improved! There is a still a bit of poor production that kind of hampers songs like 25コ目の染色体 and へっくしゅん, but when this album rocks, it rocks pretty hard! Getting a label deal and putting in more effort helped them develop a much more commercial and interesting sound.

Highlights: 最大公約数, 4645, セプテンバーさん, 最後の歌

7/10

RADWIMPS 4 ~ふたりごと (一生に一度のワープ)~ - RADWIMPS

Say hello to the RADWIMPS we all knew and loved! Sure, this is not the absolute peak of their best, but it is the start of that real RADWIMPS sound era. And holy moly were they great!!! And it is crazy that they still got better than this; I actually wish I could just continue with a full RADWIMPS marathon right now to prove it right (and then experience the dramatic downfall).

Highlights: いいんですか?, 有心論, ます, Me Me She

8/10

Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine

I have said it before and I will say it forever: these guys should have just released this album and bounced and it would have just been the most legendary drop ever. This album is a perfect encapsulation of their anger at everything wrong with the world and has been the anthem of the youth (and angry leftists) since. Lightning in a bottle.

Highlights: Wake Up, Bombtrack, Know Your Enemy, Township Rebellion, Freedom

9/10

Rainbow - Mariah Carey

MC leaning heavily in to the popular hip-hop vibes of *checks notes* 1999? Yeah... that tracks with the sound of this. The G-Funk era had peaked about 3 years prior, so it would make sense to try and copy that here. Missy Elliott is awesome as always.

Highlights: Heartbreaker [Remix], Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now), Heartbreaker, Crybaby

6.5/10

RAINBOW - Ayumi Hamasaki

That bass line in Real me is so gawdamn ON! This whole album is full of power and emotion and powerful emotions. It is a weird mix of dark and intropective ballads, coupled with the biggest bops of the Summer - I mean, there is literally a song called July 1st. It is all rather glorious and a testament to the kind of diversity I love about Ayu. And the bass playing just kills me.

Highlights: Heartplace, Real me, July 1st, independent+

8.5/10

RAISE YOUR HANDS!! - PSYCHIC LOVER

This is a bit more poppy and upbeat, but then also features the darkest epic PSYCHIC LOVER song to finish things off. And the first song in English, which I do not need but it is still fun. I would like more PSYCHIC LOVER in the world...

Highlights: Welcome to the Real World, BIG BANG, Save My Soul, Vanguard Fight

7/10

Raised on Radio - Journey

I think this must have been the end of this lineup? Because this is definitely their weakest album; a few great songs, but all fairly mediocre harmless radio rock.

Highlights: Why Can't This Night Go On Forever, Suzanne, Be Good to Yourself, Raised on Radio

7/10

Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C.

The Kings of Rock really lived up to the moniker on this one; a lot of the songs have more energy and a bit more bite, the beats are solid and the guitars are everywhere (and out of tune on the title track). The awesome part is amongst the noise are a few VERY minimalist tracks that either feature just drums or are basically acapella, which gives space to the message the Kings are throwing out there.

Highlights: Proud to Be Black, It's Tricky, Walk This Way, You Be Illin'

8.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1360

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2025 in 2025: Day 107

Kill Bill Vol. 1 - Various Artists

This is, in fact, only Battle Without Honor or Humanity by Tomoyasu Hotei. It is a very, very cool instrumental track.

10/10

KILL MY DOUBT - ITZY

There is a song on this EP called Psychic Lover, which I can only assume is an ode to one of the greatest Japanese rock bands. For sure.

Highlights: Kill Shot, CAKE

7/10

KiLLER BiSH - BiSH

The major label debut with still a strong alt. idol flavour, and the intent is loud and clear from the opening track; get ready for destruction! Lots of madness and screaming with KiLLER hooks. Helluva consistent album, this one.

Highlights: DEADMAN, summertime, Throw away, 本当本気

8/10

A Kind of Magic - Queen

This is the album that made me buy all the 2011 reissues; I had the 1991 remaster most of my life and it was so terribly compressed it was almost unlistenable once I got proper ears. I always get in my head that this album is not that great, but it really is only 2 songs. The rest is absolute perfect examples of Queen; big rock, massive ballad, triumphant pop.

Highlights: One Vision, Friends Will Be Friends, Gimme The Prize (Kurgan's Theme), A Kind of Magic

8/10

KiND PEOPLE / リズム - BiSH

Oooh a double-dose of BiSH this morning. The most average of 'rock' songs with an awesomely massive power ballady-type thing.

Highlights: リズム 

7.5/10

King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime - Faith No More

This was such a departure compared to Angel Dust. Less keyboards. No rapping. No "gay disco". Much less fun. Even Mike Patton's vocal stylings are way different. I remember a friend of mine at the time of release wondering if he had been replaced. It varies between wannabe thrash metal and lounge jazz and just straight-up schlock before ending with some almost gospel.

Highlights: Ricochet, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, Cuckoo for Caca, Just a Man

7/10

King of Rock - Run-D.M.C.

This is certainly not my favourite Run-D.M.C. album, but they sure have some killer rhymes going on. Because I have the bonus tracks, I will add that the Beastie Boys version of Slow and Low is actually superior. Somehow.

Highlights: King of Rock, Can You Rock It Like This, Darryl and Joe (Krush-Groove 3), You Talk Too Much

8/10

KINGDOM - SPYAIR

More epic rock. Less memorable than anything on their BEST album, which probably makes sense? It still rocks. Genuinely need more SPYAIR.

Highlights: Don't Look Back, Brand New Days, RAGE OF DUST, スクランブル

7/10

Kingdom Come - Jay-Z

This album is best enjoyed by ignoring everything Jay-Z is rapping about. Because it is all so much more vapid than usual; like, the dude always raps about being rich and what not, but it just feels even more egregious here. Particularly when he raps about being friends with Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. Boy, that line has aged poorly.  I would say the same about this album, but I do not believe it was even considered good back in 2006.

Highlights: Beach Chair, Kingdom Come, Do You Wanna Ride, Show Me What You Got

6/10

Kinky - Kinky

I love Kinky, but this album is their least memorable and outside of the absolutely brilliant Cornman, there is nothing that sticks. I will say, though, that it is consistently groovy overall. Probably because 90% of the songs sound the same.

Highlights: Cornman, Ejercicio #16, Tonos Rosa, 

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 928

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2025 in 2025: Day 105

Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001 - The Cure

Being a chronological collection, the first disc is mostly post-punk early The Cure. I am a bit conflicted as to the inclusion of a song that was re-recorded here, though. Robert Smith's voice is so different it really sticks out. Disc 2 is where we get stuff that I prefer; 80s darkwave is where The Cure are best. And Throw Your Foot may well be the most pure 80s pop song they made. Disc 3 is also my jam, but it is wild that this only covers 1 album and then a bunch of soundtrack songs (that are all stupendous). But then I am one of those weirdos that appreciates Wish. Half of disc 4 is just remixes and alternate versions. It is fun to think that this collection is 20 years old now - which almost covers the same period of this collection - so maybe we will get a volume 2 at some point? It would be far less exhaustive, considering they have only released 3 albums in that time (as opposed to the 11 they released between 1978 and 2001 - plus all the singles and EPs), but it would mean I could get rid of those b-sides collections I had to listen to earlier...

Highlights: The Exploding Boy, Burn, Pillbox Tales, Throw Your Foot, Sugar Girl, Snow in Summer, Play, Halo

6.5/10

Join With Us - The Feeling

This album starts off strong and the title track is absolute fire. From there, it is a bit average. Still somewhat enjoyable, but just does not quite click for me. Maybe I judge too harshly, since their first album was just a big bag of fun?

Highlights: Join With Us, I Thought It Was Over, Without You, The Greatest Show on Earth

6.5/10

Josie and The Pussycats: Music from the Motion Picture - Josie and The Pussycats (and DuJour?)

This movie, like Spiceworld: The Movie, is my favourite kind of comfort comedy. I love it and quote it to myself all the time. And this soundtrack is the kind of girly pop punk that ticks all of my boxes. I just read that Bif Naked sang some stuff on this and last night I saw her music video to promote Ready to Rumble. Coincidence!

Highlights: 3 Small Words, Pretend to Be Nice, Spin Around, Shapeshifter

9/10

Journey's Greatest Hits - Journey

A grand collection of Journey doing Journey things; rockin' and balladin' and touchin' and squeezin' and lovin'!

Highlights: Any Way You Want I, Be Good to Yourself, Ask the Lonely, Don't Stop Believin', Faithfully, Wheel in the Sky

9/10

joy - YUKI

I consider this album to be YUKI really finding her footing. But her voice had not quite caught up to what she was trying to do. And, again, live versions of these songs are even better. This album is just an absolute gem.

Highlights: WAGON, キスをしようよ, JOY, ハローグッバイ

8/10

Judgment Night: Music From the Motion Picture - Various Artists

From a terribly underwhelming movie came the most insane soundtrack the world would ever see; popular grunge and metal bands teaming up with rap and hip-hop stars. Revolutionary. And, amazingly, it all works so well. A hardcore good time. 

Highlights: Just Another Victim - Helmet & House of Pain, Fallin' - Teenage Fanclub & De la Soul, Me Myself & My Microphone - Living Colur & Run DMC, Missing Link - Dinosaur Jr. & Del the Funky Homosapien

8.5/10

Juno: Music from the Motion Picture - Various Artists

I think I got this free with the DVD of the movie. And I am not sure if I have watched the movie since I got it on DVD. I think the only DVDs I watch are the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series and Air Bud? Blu-ray or UHD all the way, baby! This is peak late-00s indie hipster folk and it is barely tolerable.

Highlights: All The Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople, Dearest - Buddy Holly, All I Want Is You - Barry Louis Polisar

5.5/10

Jupiter - Bump of Chicken

It is Bump of Chicken doing Bump of Chicken things. Nothing outstanding. All rather enjoyable in the background.

Highlights: 天体観測, ハルジオン, メロディーフラッグ, ダイヤモンド

7/10

Just Blaq - MBLAQ

This is purely the song Oh Yeah, to further my random K-Pop collection of miscellaneous songs. It is a fun upbeat track.

8/10

Just the Beginning Tour 2017 - Ayumi Hamasaki

This is the tour finale, I think? The tour was 3 parts and I went to the final of part II and then the opening night of part III. So while it is not a show I attended, it is great to have a document of that tour. Even if they were not shows with a live band and Ayu's voice on this is clearly tired. Still an absolutely killer setlist. And this arrangement of Ourselves needs to be preserved for eternity. 

Highlights: Ourselves, FLOWER, Memorial address, SEVEN DAYS WAR

8/10

Justified - Justin Timberlake

When this came out, I had no interest in NSYNC or Justin Timberlake. In fact, I would say I actively disliked him. And his falsetto annoyed me. But Like I Love You broke me down with how danceable it is. And then he followed it up with more super dance fun. I definitely think this album is a mixed bag and half of Pharrell's stuff is tired and played out, but Timbaland is in classic Timbaland form, so it sounds like JT just guesting on some Missy tracks or something. 

Highlights: Rock Your Body, Like I Love You, (Oh No) What You Got, Right For Me

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 908

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2025 in 2025: Day 58

Doo-Wops & Hooligans - Bruno Mars

Hikola: Bruno Mars is great!

LOGMAN: Yeah, he's the man!

Hikola: *checks my iTunes to put on some Bruno Mars* Ummm you only have 1 song of his? And you're telling me he's the man?

LOGMAN: Yeah, he's the man!

Hikola: You have so much rubbish on here that you hate, yet this guy is "the man" and you only have 1 song??

LOGMAN: Yeah, he's the man!

Hikola: Get some more Bruno Mars, would you?!?

LOGMAN: Yeah, he's the man!

10/10

Dookie - Green Day

Kids these days with this sanitised version of Green Day don't know what it was like in 1994 to hear Basketcase for the first time. Or get this album and realise that pop-punk is the future. I used to busk like 90% of this album. And listening to this now makes me really appreciate how much I just made up half the lyrics to some of these songs. Also, my friends in 1994 thought I was dumb for liking this album. Then When I Come Around hit the radio and everyone wanted to borrow my CD. It's tough being more awesome than everyone else...

Highlights: Lowlights might be easier?

9.5/10

Doolittle - Pixies

Are these cats like the godfathers of grunge or something? This album is hilarious; for every great song, there is an almost unlistenable few minutes of dirge that barely resembles a song. No. 13 Baby is not in fact the child of ELLEGARDEN's No. 13. Non-pretentious non-grunge LOGMAN is less than impressed.

Highlights: Debaser, Wave of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone to Heaven

5/10

Dopamine - Third Eye Blind

When this came out, like most Third Eye Blind, I listened a lot. A LOT. So much, in fact, that two songs from it are still in my Top 25 Most Played playlist - and that is without listening to the album since 2017. Seriously. I have actively avoided it for five years now. Everything Is Easy sounds like The Cure musically. In fact, I would argue that this whole album is heavily influenced by both 80s New Wave and the music of 2015 - which also heavily borrowed from 80s New Wave. Here's to another five years...

Highlights: Shipboard Cook, Back to Zero, Something in You, Get Me out of Here, Say It

9/10

Double Fantasy - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

The contrast on this album is made less obvious by having John and Yoko trade songs. And that is one reason the album works - if they had done something like Side A = John, Side B = Yoko, it would have been one side of standard rock'n roll and then one side of provocative new wave. But mixing them together actually makes it more cohesive, to me. One day I will check out the Stripped version of this album. One day...

Highlights: Watching the Wheels, Cleanup Time, Woman, Hard Times Are Over

7/10

Double Happiness - Jimmy Barnes

This is Barnesy doing duets with a bunch of Australian artists I do not know. And a few I do. Like The Living End - that is a great combo! Bah gawd I will always get chills when Jimmy Barnes screams those crazy high notes, like on What Will They Say. The man is a true one-of-a-kind. Even when doing hip-hop.

Highlights: What Will They Say, Gonna Take Some Time, Resurrection Shuffle, Higher

7/10

Double Platinum - Kiss

Oh, this album again! Kiss trying to make things more interesting, but just making things silly?

Highlights: Strutter '78, Calling Dr. Love, Rock Bottom (Intro)/She

8/10

Down To The Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records - Various Artists

This is purely Monday Night by Ryan Adams. It is a very good song!

9/10

Down With The King - Run-D.M.C.

The Kings are back! With some proper hip-hop guests like Pete Rock and A Tribe Called Quest and Onyx. And even Tom Morello! And some disses at MC Hammer. Come on, guys - can't we all just get along? Run even says that exact line on In The House, so why is he starting trouble with a fellow man of god? This whole album hits HARD and it is glorious.

Highlights: Down With The King, Come On Everybody, Can I Get It Yo, Ooh Watcha Gonna Do, In the House, Get Open, Wreck Shop

9/10

Dr. Dolittle 2: Original Soundtrack - Various Artists

Of course this is not the whole thing - simply Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme) by Snoop Dogg, R.L. and Lil' Kim. This is one of the coolest singles Snoop Dogg has done since Doggystyle. It is at least better than anything he did at WrestleMania?

8/10

Dr. Feelgood - Mötley Crüe
This album is the business. The title track is just badass. Slice of Your Pie is also fairly badass. Complete with an outro from The Beatles and Bryan Adams singing backing vocals. Seriously. Reminds me of when Kiss enlisted his help to make their most rocking album after making some dire stuff on their own. BRYAN ADAMS IS THE FIXER! Man, the production on this album is just off the charts. Kickstart My Heart may well be the greatest 80's rock song of the 80's. I've always liked Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.), but I probably liked it more when I was younger and had no idea what was going on with the lyrics - now it just seems like some adolescent male fantasy. Sticky Sweet is kinda more of the same. And while She Goes Down just continues that lyrically, musically it is just so badass I don't care. Then we finish things off with another couple of power ballads - Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) and Time For Change. Peak Crüe, right here.
Highlights: The Whole Damn Thing

10/10

Draw The Line - Aerosmith

Wasn't I just lamenting the fact that I have not had much Aerosmith come up? Well, looks like I spoke too soon, or something, because here is some more 70s Aerosmith in my face. It is fairly standard 70s Aerosmith. Which is fun.

Highlights: I Wanna Know Why, Get It Up, Bright Light Fright, Sight for Sore Eyes

7/10

Dream Days at the Hotel Existence - Powderfinger

This is one of those albums where I have no explanation as to how or why I have it. Some of their songs can rock pretty well and definitely show some of that fire, but the ballads are pretty meh, to me. Otherwise, it is fine.

Highlights: Head Up in the Clouds, Who Really Cares, Surviving, Ballad of a Dead Man

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 461

2025 in 2025: Day 56

Dissident/Live in Atlanta - Pearl Jam

This is such a weird release; they released 3 different versions of the singles - each one with a different selection of live songs from the same concert, and this is basically the 3 singles compiled in to one box set to get almost the full live concert. Pretty dumb to cut out Sonic Reducer. And some of the editing is... questionable. But it is all but one song each from both Ten and Vs, so the songs are solid. And decent enough performances. I know Pearl Jam had some better shows, but this is fine. Makes me somewhat look forward to listening to Ten and Vs... in, like, 6 months...

Highlights: Dissident [Studio Version], W.M.A.

8/10

The Distance to Here - Live

I once gave an acoustic performance of The Dolphin's Cry (just me and a friend on acoustic bass) and I can honestly say it was one of my most memorable performances. I want to do that again. I saw these dudes on tour for this album; in one of the most confusing combinations, Stabbing Westward were the opening act - which should explain to you, reader, why LOGMAN went to this concert. I mean, I do not hate Live or anything (it would be strange if I did, considering I have three of their albums in my iTunes library), but they are not exactly a band that I was ever clamouring to see live. I would, however, beat the snot out of your children to see Stabbing Westward live again.

Highlights: The Dolphin's Cry, They Stood Up for Love, Sparkle, We Walk in the Dream

7/10

DIStopping - Charisma.com

Have I mentioned how much I dig this group? Because this album is flat out good stuff; big beats, cool rapping and sweet production.

Highlights: スーパーガール, ペインオフ, 100%ブービー

8.5/10

Distortion - Rev Run

This is interesting; Run not only just recycles some of his classic rhymes and rhythms, he also samples Sweet Home Alabama - which I'm pretty sure they did on Crown Royal. At least here it is better, because this is just Run being Run, instead of playing second fiddle to a bunch of dorks. Run turns it up to 11 by sampling God of Thunder, and then Joan Jett's I Love Rock'n Roll. Run-D.M.C. and Joan Jett is the combo I didn't know I wanted in 1986.

Highlights: Mind on the Road, Distortion, I Used to Think I Was Run

8/10

Divine Madness - Madness

Madness were one of those bands that I thought were super fun when I was a kid, without actually listening to much of their music. And that all still tracks today, because there are only two songs here.

Highlights: House of Fun, Our House

8/10

Divinyls - Divinyls

This is purely I Touch Myself. I did not get this song at all when I was young. Then it was used in the film Austin Powers, and it just clicked for me; now I consider it an extremely well-crafted pop-rock song. That hook is unbeatable.

10/10

Dizzy Up The Girl - Goo Goo Dolls

Oh boy, I loved this album and this band. Slide is a perfect song for busking - I actually forgot I used to do this song and that the guitar work in it is really fun. Hard to believe these guys were full on dirty indie garage rock before making it big. We (my BFF and I) both hated the bass player back then, but I've grown up and actually totally dig his songs a lot now - even if I do still think his voice is nowhere near as good John Rzeznik's.

Highlights: Dizzy, Slide, Black Balloon, All Eyes On Me, Iris, Hate This Place

8/10

Do I Wait/Darkness [Early NYC Versions] - Ryan Adams

More Ryan Adams singles. I read today he had another meltdown on stage, but this one at least seems to be justified. Anyways, this version of Do I Wait is amazing. 

Highlights: Do I Wait

8/10

Do What U Want [feat. Christina Aguilera - Single] - Lady Gaga

Instead of scrapping this song and hiding it from the world because of R. Kelly, the album should just replace it with this version. Because who doesn't want to hear these divas belting out a sexy tune together?

10/10

Do You Laugh When You Lie? (Pax Am Singles Series, Vol.4) [Single] - Ryan Adams

More Ryan Adams channeling his 80s influences - this time in a kind of R.E.M. college radio vibe. And an acoustic number.

Highlights: By the Way

6.5/10

Doggystyle - Snoop Dogg

Absolute bonafide hip-hop classic. I am pretty sure back in the day this was the only hip-hop album we would listen to, because nothing came close to being as cool. And most of my crew were skate punks, so gangster rap wasn't their total jam. Somehow I find the G-Funk crew rapping about sex far less offensive than one would think. Especially considering the way they rap out it. How great was Kurupt? Whatever happened to that him?? Warren G always was and always will be a very cool dude. Holy balls Gz and Hustlas is funky as hell. 

Highlights: Gin & Juice, Serial Killa, Ain't No Fun, Gz and Hustlas

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 438

2025 in 2025: Day 48

Cross Road - Bon Jovi

This is purely the songs I don't have on other albums - that being the 2 new songs (Someday I'll Be Saturday Night & Always) and Runaway. Because I am lame and still do not have their debut album. I legit can not explain that in a rational way. Maybe that will be my goal for 2025? Start 2026 by listening to that album?

Highlights: Someday I'll Be Saturday Night, Always, Runaway

8/10

The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists

A whole lot of dark and brooding alternative songs. Some fairly light industrial fare, as well. But when your soundtrack opens with this kind of song by The Cure, you can not help but win. I wanted to do something with Golgotha Tenement Blues during my video making days. It could have been used so much better in this film. Nine Inch Nails covering Joy Division. Rage Against The Machine with a song that I've heard about 7 different versions of and this one is not my favourite. The singer from Helmet had such a boring voice. I could have sworn there was a Skinny Puppy song on here, but I am not sad that I am wrong. 

Highlights: Burn - The Cure, Golgotha Tenement Blues - Machines of Loving Grace, Slip Slide Melting - For Love Not Lisa, Dead Souls - Nine Inch Nails

6.5/10

The Crow: City of Angels (Soundtrack) - Various Artists

The movie was not as good, but I would argue the soundtrack was better in some ways - or at least the better songs are much better? And some of the songs are much worse. I certainly did not need to hear Bush do anything, let alone cover a Joy Division song badly. Tricky is a weird dude. Knock Me Out is just awesome; Grace Slick and Linda Perry's voices are both so strong and full of emotion, they match perfectly in this song. Deftones sound so old school here, with the boxy guitar tone, Chi shouting in the chorus and Chino kind of semi-rapping. City of Angels sounds like a serious ripoff of Dam It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta. And things end with a glorious Heather Nova performance, which I will always welcome after a bunch of crap alt rock.

Highlights: Knock Me Out - Linda Perry & Grace Slick, Believe in Angels - Heather Nova & Graeme Revell, Teething - Deftones, Jurassitol - Filter

6/10

Crowded House - Crowded House

What a debut album this is. Neil Finn is the greatest songwriter from New Zealand - at least this side of Tim Finn, anyways. I am not even sure Crowded House ever topped this album; it is pure 80s pop rock greatness. It also is not said enough, but all three are/were fantastic musicians in their rights.

Highlights: Mean to Me, Don't Dream it's Over, Something So Strong, I Walk Away

9/10

Crown Royal - Run-D.M.C.

The worst Run-D.M.C. album! D.M.C. appears on a total of... one song? And instead they team up with quality MCs like... Kid Rock and Fred Durst. Need I say more? Well, it is not all bad; the one song that is pure Run-D.M.C. is awesome, as is the collaboration with Stephan Jenkins. Also, Simmons Incorporated is pretty darn great. Oh, D.M.C. is on this one as well - I just forget, because he lays down like 5 lines or something. Quite sad that this was the last album they released. RIP JMJ

Highlights: Simmons Incorporated (w/Method Man), Crown Royal, Rock Show (w/Stephan Jenkins)

6.5/10

Crush - Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi always sounds so corny when he swears in his songs. This is probably the Bon Jovi album that I listen to the least - well, until I got What About Now. This album is not as bad as that, but it is trying. It is just really really mediocre. And I don't think It's My Life is nearly as good as everyone else seems to think it is. 

Highlights: Just Older, Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen from Mars

5/10

CRUSH & BUILD - PSYCHIC LOVER

This is pretty much what I needed after that hour of mediocrity. PSYCHIC LOVER re-recording their 'biggest hits' or whatever they are (they are hits to me!). Somehow these songs sound even more boombastic and highly produced, when I am certain YOFFY just recorded these all at home on his own setup. Then again, they have a full on live band these days - maybe they recorded with them as well? Hard to judge which versions are better, to be honest here, but I certainly do not need English language versions. I often consider YOFFY to be the Japanese Jon Bon Jovi, but after listening to Crush and then this back-to-back, YOFFY is way better. IMAJO is no Richie Sambora, though (they are both awesome in different ways).

Highlights: Everything Except the English Versions

7.5/10

The Cure - The Cure

Man, this morning is too sunny and beautiful for this album! For some reason, I feel like I have already talked about this album. It is like The Cure, if the The Cure were angry and trying to be more metal? But then this is The Cure? The End of the World is like a total pop song, though, so everything I am writing is just proving to be nonsense? The Promise is epic. 

Highlights: Labyrinth, The Promise, The End of the World, Alt. End, Going Nowhere

7/10

Cut The Crap - The Clash

Joe Strummer does 80s pop? Joe Strummer does Garageband? Joe Strummer does a 'WTF am I doing?' Everything sounds so poorly recorded - even for The Clash. And there are just odd noises and samples going on in the background that distract from actual songs. The weird part is, I kind of wish they had just embraced the 80s ska-pop thing 100% and really gone for it, because there are couple of cool songs (or at least songs that have cool elements) that just end up crashing from the poor production and whatnot. Fingerpoppin' is a certified dancehall banger!

Highlights: Fingerpoppin', North and South

4.5/10

Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams

I think this was BA's first really good album; You Want It, You Got It was fine, but Cuts Like a Knife is more polished and the songs are stronger, more consistent. I think maybe this was the first album Keith Scott joined the team? That would all tie in nicely; his guitar playing really adds something to what Bryan Adams brings to the table. As does whoever is playing these organ/keyboard parts. I could imagine Kiss doing I'm Ready - maybe not for Creatures of the Night, but definitely on Unmasked. 

Highlights: The Only One, Cuts Like a Knife, What's It Gonna Be, Take Me Back, This Time, I'm Ready

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 373

2025 in 2025: Day 13

B-Sides & Rarities CD 8 - The Cure
How fitting the 13th day begins with The Cure. And a messed up collection; I found online some 10 disc collection of b-sides and rarities and Robert Smith collaborations, but when I looked through it all, I really only needed the last few discs. And even then, not all of it. AND THEN my plan was to listen through the songs a few times and decide what to keep - then organise it into a proper single album. Yet, here we are! One of the main reasons I grabbed these is for the vinyl-only tracks for the self-titled album (I do have the album on vinyl, so I don't feel like too much of a jerk downloading them - not my fault The Cure didn't find a way for me to listen to these at work). The dance collabs are kinda fun, too. 

Highlights: Truth Goodness and Beauty, Love

6.5/10

B-Sides & Rarities CD 9 - The Cure

The next disc features all the singles and remixes from the 4:13 Dream album. Outside of the b-sides, I don't think these are necessary in life. I sure as hell don't ever need to hear Jared Leto insert himself into a Cure song.

Highlights: Not In Love, Without You

5/10

B-Sides & Rarities CD 10 - The Cure

And the final CD is more collaborations and a couple of cover songs. Which makes sense, considering The Cure released NOTHING in the last 15 years - until finally dropping a new album at the end of last year. There is a weird re-recording of Taking Off called The Dragon Hunter's Song, which is just the same song with new lyrics about Dungeons and Dragons or something. The McCartney covers are kind of fun, admittedly.

Highlights: Hello Goodbye, J'aurai Tout Essaye

6/10

B-Sides: 1990-2000 - Pearl Jam

I'm not sure if I labelled this thinking I would continue collecting their work, or if I was pointedly drawing a line in the sand for where I stopped having an interest in Pearl Jam. Hilariously, I've never done anything with the track-numbering, so everything is just per being ripped from the original CD singles - which means everything is just in a jumble. Which is probably a good way to listen to this? The fun thing here is I can't even remember the last time I listened to some of these songs - I had even forgot Alone existed! Totally rocked out when that opening riff kicked in. I also forgot how awesome a song Oceans is - I mean, according my iTunes, I have never listened to it before, right? This version with the added drums is equally awesome. Funny story time: about 24 years-ago, I saw that douche-burger Eddie Vedder in concert and he fucked up Soon Forget, and then blamed it on me for clapping (called me "fucking annoying"). He's right - I am! But also, he fucks this song up live all the time and this version they released is the gawddam proof! Yellow Ledbetter is not as great as I remember - the guitaring in it, however, is. 

Highlights: I Got ID, Alone, Oceans [Remix], Yellow Ledbetter

6/10

BABY ACTION - SCANDAL

Early SCANDAL is fun, but so different to what they do now; a bit more idol nonsense mixed with happy pop-punk. It's mostly fun. Nothing Earth-shattering and nothing terrible.

Highlights: Pride, アップルたちの伝言, 東京スカイスクレイパー
6.5/10

Back From Hell - Run-DMC

This was one of those albums that took a while to grow on me. I can't really pin down why. But what's important is that I did come around. And boy have I! This album is a massive departure from anything they had done before; more of the New Jack Swing thing going on, more Jam Master Jay on the mic, and a LOT more aggression. Lyrically, they are taking no prisoners here. But there are also some seriously kickin' jams; Faces and Pause are just New Jack Swing in full effect. Sure there's some really odd stuff on here like P Upon a Tree, and the thug stuff gets a bit old - and its crazy considering Pause is like an anti-gangster anthem, and this may not be that real 'classic' Run-DMC. but when I am in the right mood, this album is 100% my jam.

Highlights: What's It All About, Pause, Word is Born, Not Just Another Groove

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 107

Music Talk: Real Questions

Does listening to a specific artist make you feel the need to do something in particular?

Like, when I listen to De la Soul, I find myself wanting to don my Bret Hart basketball-style singlet and go shoot some hoops. Despite never actually playing basketball. Or being athletic. Or having anyone to play b-ball against.

Today I'm listening to Run-D.M.C. because they are the kings. I don't make the rules. Anyways, Rock Box is still the awesomest... and totally makes me want to find a nice cold glass bottle of Pepsi. Must be glass. Not sure where I would find such a thing, but if you have one, please send it my way.

I kind of liken to this when I listen to Kiss; that always results in me wanting to play guitar, and then inevitably getting bored because my guitar playing is so poor now. And listening to Ramones makes me want to just give my boss the finger or something. My boss is me... so... yeah.

Real talk.

Also, can we get some deluxe Run-D.M.C. reissues? Someone wanna do an atmos remix of their albums? Don't tell me wouldn't enjoy having a multi-channel version of It's Tricky to crank up. And why is Tougher Than Leather not available on blu-ray? I'm pretty sure I could make my wife watch that and make her fall asleep.

These classic jams are just to hold me over until I can finally order the Diamonds and Pearls box set. I started getting hyped for it and was listening to Purple Rain a lot, which led to me falling in love with the full-length version of Computer Blue, which then led to me starting some post about it or Prince or something. I might revisit that once I get the Diamonds and Pearls box set. Or continue to listen to the Kings of Rock.

WrestleMania March Madness, Day Nineteen: WrestleMania XIX

30 March 2003
Safeco Field
Seattle, Washington

Attendance: 54,097

Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry 'the King' Lawler, Michael Cole & Tazz

My thoughts before this viewing:
I saw this one not too long after watching the last WrestleMania, and like WrestleMania XVIII, I have very little recollection. I do recall it being similar to XVIII in terms of production, but I probably had less interest in this show as I was now further removed from the goings-on of the WWF (now called World Wrestling Entertainment - WWE - from this show onwards). Will it be as much of a struggle as last night's viewing? Or will your hero find entertainment from this world of wrestling? Or will he just end up re-enacting his own WrestleMania using a Dark Knight Mr. Potato-Head and some Transformers? That would be an interesting battle. Lindsay Lohan will be the guest referee and sing the national anthem, to which I will accompany her on synthesiser. Now to write a national anthem for the LOGMAN universe...

Oh, you're still here? Guess we better get on with this show so it's time that you know...

Opening Video Package
It's just the same as last year, only they have added comments from Brock Lesnar.
8/10

Oh yeah, there has been a 'brand split' between the shows, so we will have different commentary teams depending on the match. Make sense? There are also 2 world champions now - make even less sense?

Tazz is excited because he's "never been a part of anything like this before!". Except for the last 3 WrestleManias where he had matches in front of some larger crowds? Got it.

Opening Match
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Rey Mysterio vs Matt Hardy v1 (c) (w/Shannon Moore)
Oh shit - it's Rey Mysterio dressed as Daredevil!

Let's hope he is more entertaining than that movie. And Matt Hardy v1 - complete with 'Matt Facts':

I liked this Matt Hardy. Then it became apparent he is a pathetic waste of space for a human being and I changed my mind. There was lots of cool flippy stuff in this match. Because that's what Rey Mysterio does.
Winner = Matt Hardy via pinfall while holding the ropes in true WrestleMania tradition
8/10

Backstage
Some girls arrive. They are apparently 'cat fight girl'. I am apparently 'not interested'.
-1/10

Musical Performance
It's "The WWE's favourite band in the whole world - LIMP BIZKIT!" Pity this is 2003 and no one else in the world agrees with the WWE. Fred Durst pulls the finger to the crowd. Um, okay? That makes you super cool, Fred. He, like the WWE, seems surprised that no one gives a shit about his band or the song Rollin'.
2/10

The Undertaker tries to make Fred Durst feel better and gives him a manly hug. He should have gone all Undertaker on him because his career is dead. Ha I am so funny!

2-on-1 Handicap Match
Undertaker vs Big Show & A-Train
A-train is really hairy. And has pierced nipples. That can't be too comfortable to wrestle with.

Winner = Undertaker via pinfall following tombstone piledriver
6/10

Backstage
The 'cat fight girls' meet up with Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler. I'm sure this will result in excitement.
-1/10

Jim Ross tells the US armed forces to beat up everyone in Iraq so they can come home. Fuck you and your war-mongering.

Triple Threat
WWE Women's Championship
Trish Stratus vs Jazz vs Victoria (c) (w/Steven Richards)

Jerry Lawler spends the entire match making jokes about PMS and threesomes, and just generally perving on the women. Good to know the WWE respect female athletes so much. Victoria is jacked! She could probably punch Lawler in the balls if she wanted. I think she should. Stupid old pervert.
Winner = Trish Stratus via pinfall following a kick or something
New Champion!
5/10

Backstage
Coach is with The Rock who is now a bad guy. He says Act 1 and 2 don't matter. Just like his first 2 movies don't matter.
8/10

Triple Threat
WWE Tag Team Championship
Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs Los Guerreros vs Team Angle (c)
Team Angle are very talented.

Chavo Guerrero is very talented. Eddie Guerrero is one of the all-time greats.

Chris Benoit is one of the all-time greats a psychotic killer.

Rhyno is just a fat sack of crap.

This was before Benoit's brain turned to mush, because he uses his intelligence to keep Rhyno out of the match as much as possible. Which means this match is awesome. And let's Benoit and Eddie do awesome stuff like this:

Winners = Team Angle via pinfall on Chavo Guerrero
9/10

Backstage
It's plastic women in skimpy clothing again. Now they are arguing. Jerry Lawler is so excited he is probably going to have a heart attack.
-3/10

Video Package
Chris Jericho used to worship Shawn Michaels but now plans on ending his career. That means Jericho will lose the match.
4/10

Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
Hey look - Shawn Michaels is back from that 'career ending injury' again. Funny he was able to heal up perfectly in time for the departures of The Rock and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin... His entrance took as long as his celebrations at the end of WrestleMania XII. And he doesn't know how to use confetti guns.
Winner = Shawn Michaels via pinfall following typical Shawn Michaels match
7/10

They hug... then Jericho kicks him in the balls.

That was awesome.

Backstage
A referee goes into Vince McMahon's office. OK...

Musical Performance
Limp Bizkit perform 'Crack Addict - this year's WrestleMania theme. Oh, I thought it was Jeff Hardy's new theme. My mistake...
5/10

Cat Fight
The women strip to their underwear and have a pillow fight. Why? Coach gets pantsed and then pinned.
Fuck.
You.
All.
-5/10

And to think, one of these women would go on to have a serious relationship with George Clooney.

Video Package
Booker T had a troubled youth; after his Mother passed away he found himself on the streets and eventully turned to crime, which resulted in a short jail sentence for burglary. But he has worked hard to get where he is today - he has never been handed anything in life. Unlike old big-nose cock face.
7/10

World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H (c) (w/Ric Flair) vs Booker T
This could be the feel good story of the night; a guy overcoming everything and working hard to turn his life around, who came from the bottom to finally become World Heavyweight Champion! Except HHH is a piece of shit and doesn't do feel good. Unless you mean him feeling good by hitting the pedigree and waiting 10 minutes to pin the guy with only one hand on him in the most disrespectful way possible.
Winner = Triple H via pinfall following pedigree
1/10
Fuck you, big nose.

Video Package
Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan made WrestleMania a success, but Vince thinks it was all him. Which would explain why almost every WrestleMania has sucked since Hulk Hogan left. Oh and Vince is still holding a grudge about that.
7/10

Street Fight
Hulk Hogan vs Vince McMahon
Oh, yay! Another McMahon match! This is just what I needed after all that garbage... Why is Hogan coming out to Jimi Hendrix and not Real American? So two old men beat each other to a bloody mess and who should come out? Why, it's another old man -'Rowdy' Roddy Piper!

The Curse of WrestleMania returns! He beats Hulk with a lead pipe... but guess what? Hogan 'hulks up'! Big boot, 3 leg drops of doom and fuck you, Vince.
Winner = Hulk Hogan via pinfall following 3 leg drops
5/10

Video Package
The Rock and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin still hate each other. The 2nd best Limp Bizkit music video you will ever see.
9/10

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs The Rock
Yeah The Rock is still awesome. Even as a bad guy. He proves this by stealing Steve Austin's vest and talking trash to the crowd at every turn.

Winner = The Rock via pinfall following rock bottom
8/10

Video Package
Brock Lesnar has had to deal with swerve after swerve against Kurt Angle. I would take this more seriously if the music hadn't been lifted from a Star Wars video game.
6/10

WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle (c)
Champ out first because oh stop it...
Michael Cole is losing his voice. Oh please please please please! Tazz calls Lesnar "the vanilla gorilla". Sounds like a white rapper. Or an ice cream flavour. Angle takes Lesnar to Funky Suplex Town.

And then Brock tries to murderise himself.

That Chris Benoit fellow is a bad influence on these guys. Brock manages to actually move some of his limbs again and Kurt tells him to hit his regular finisher so they can finish this match and both get to the hospital pronto.
Winner = Brock Lesnar via pinfall following shooting star face plant F-5
7/10

That was a great match until Brock landed on his face. Had he nailed it, that would have been an amazing WrestleMania moment. But now it really looks like he needs to get to the hospital. Kurt Angle already had neck surgery schedule for the next day - no joke. Because Kurt Angle is actually insane and I'm quite surprised he didn't Benoit someone himself. Brock and Kurt embrace as Brock's music plays to send us out.

What, no Limp Bizkit?


WrestleMania XIX: The Awards

1. Best Match
   Los Guerreros vs Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs Team Angle
   Not a major surprise that these guys put on an awesome match. Is surprising they did it with Rhyno.
2. Worst Match
   Triple H vs Booker T
   I best not write anything or I won't stop...
3. Highlight of the Show
   Brock Lesnar still being alive after the worst WrestleMania botch of all time. There is a reason this man became the UFC heavyweight champion.
4. Lowlight of the Show
   Four women engaging in the most pathetic pillow fight ever.
5. Star of the Show
   The Rock. Even as a bad guy he was incredible and he really was the key to the match with Austin being so fun.
6. Best Celebrity Appearance
   Damn - do Limp Bizkit get this award by default???
7. Worst Celebrity Appearance
   Fred Durst.
8. Tonight's Meal
   Tonight saw avocado, spinach, red onion, capsicum, cucumber, tomato topped with fried mushrooms and a quorn chicken patty, with a splash of sweet chilli sauce. Seriously so good. I continue on my voyage towards the Pepsi Next generation (what?) and the Oatmeal Creme Pie was quite tasty. That concerns me.
9. T-Shirt Cleanliness
   Not a lot of stains added tonight. Though I am not sure there is enough clean space left to create any more stains.
10. Overall Score
    This was a really good show. Other than the HHH/Booker T shitfest, every match was at least enjoyable and most were thoroughly entertaining. There was some absolutely awful filler with those catfight girls and Brock Lesnar trying to break his own neck certainly hurt the ending, but on the whole that was a good show. Now if they could actually get a good musical group like Run DMC again, things will be great!
    6.5 out of 10
    
    
    
    

WrestleMania March Madness, Day Sixteen: WrestleMania 2000

2 April 2000
Arrowhead Pond
Anaheim, California - USA

Attendance: 18,034

Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry 'the King' Lawler

My Thoughts Before This Viewing:
I believe I first saw this show on my 20th birthday - I could actually be off by a day or two, it probably doesn't matter too much. I remember enjoying it. I think I tried to watch it again some time later and didn't enjoy it as much. It surely can't be any worse than the last few...

National Anthem
Ring Announcer Lilian Garcia is here to sing for us today. She's no 'Mean' Gene, but she does a pretty good job.
8/10

Opening Video Package
Guess what they show? A brief history of WrestleMania - how original! Tonight is all about the McMahon family. Oh fuck, what did I get myself into?
4/10

Musical Performance
Ice-T comes out with D'Lo and Godfather and a whole lot of hoes to rap a song I can only assume is called 'Pimpin' Ain't Easy' because he only says that about 50 times. And Michael Clarke Duncan is in the front row gettin' down!
6/10

The Godfather promotes prostitution and drug use. Are you surprised that the crowd loves him?

Opening Match
The Godfather & D'Lo Brown (w/Ice-T & Hoes) vs Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan
So the Big Boss Man is still alive? The Undertaker must be a shitty undertaker - remind me not to employ his services when I need dead people disposed of.

The commentators state that WrestleMania is the ONLY WWF event where someone can achieve legendary status. What about winning the annual Royal Rumble? Or the annual King of the Ring tournament? You know, those other PPV shows that puts someone in the record books?
Winners = Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan via pinfall following top rope leg drop
4/10

Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan won so they think they get the girls and chase the hoes to the back. Yay sexual violence!

Backstage
HHH and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, are chilling in their dressing room.
Yawn.
1/10

Up next is a 'hardcore battle royal' - I bet this will be exciting!

WWF Hardcore Championship
Hardcore Battle Royal
The rules for this make no sense, because they actually fought mostly out of the ring and at no point was anyone awarded anything for throwing someone over the top rope. Battle Royal my ass! Almost all you need to know about this match can be shown in the following gif:

Multiply that by 15 minutes. And add in 23 championship changes. And a super botched ending.
Winner = Hardcore Holly via Crash Holly kicking out of pin and referee not counting 3
-1/10

They show some clips from Fan Axxess. The wrestlers all look incredibly bored by the entire thing, except for Michael Cole. He took part in some thing where any dork could sit with him and do commentary for a WWF match. I'm guessing it was so they could prove he isn't the worst in the world.

Backstage
Steve Blackman and Al Snow are playing around the bathroom. Yay toilet humour!
1/10

Al Snow & Steve Blackman vs Test & Albert (w/Trish Stratus)
Al Snow brings out a Mexican midget in a block of cheese costume, whose trick is slapping his bum along with the chants. Oh the excitement!

Trish Stratus has the most ridiculous breast implants.

And those are your match highlights
Winners = Test & Albert via pinfall following boredom
-1/10
When the commentators are saying the match was sucky, you know you've done a bad job

After the match, Al Snow & Steve Blackman take it out on cheese block man.
Blergh.

Backstage
The Dudley Boyz cut a promo that I totally forgot about until I saw this picture.

Triangle Ladder Match
WWF Tag Team Championship
The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz (c)
Mayhem and brutality.

Winners = Edge & Christian via survival
New Champions!
8/10

Backstage
Mick Foley is with Linda McMahon and says this will be the last match of his career. Oh really?
5/10

Catfight
The Kat (w/Mae Young) vs Terri (w/The Fabulous Moolah)
Guest Referee: Val Venis
What in the hell is this about? Oh I see, you win by throwing your opponent out of the ring - so like a battle royal but with 2 little women. Val Venis makes lewd jokes. Pervert.

An absolute 5 star classic. My immediate thoughts were that it was one of the greatest displays of professional wrestling I had ever seen. And while events in real life may belittle it and keep it somewhat forgotten, the Bret Hart and Chris Benoit 'Owen Hart Tribute Match' from October 1999 really should always be respected and remembered for what it was.
Oh this match? Yeah, it was the exact opposite of that match.
Winner = Terri via cheating
-5/10

Promo for WrestleMania next year. They are straight up planning to break the attendance record they set with WrestleMania III. Spoiler alert: they didn't even come close.

Backstage
Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn are talking about beating people up. Eddie wants to get it on with Chyna. Eeewwwwwww! Then it cuts to Chyna - even she is grossed out by the idea of someone wanting to get it on with her.
2/10

Too Cool & Chyna vs Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn
Hey, Eddie, I'm no expert with the ladies or anything, but I don't think beating them up in the ring is the best way to instigate some type of romantic liaison with them. Or maybe it is? Remind me to try that some time...
Winners = Chyna & Too Cool via pinfall following something
5/10
Scotty Too Hotty has to hold up Chyna's pants as they leave

Some white trash won free tickets to the show.

Backstage
Shane McMahon brags about Big Show winning tonight. I'm sick of the McMahons already.
2/10

Earlier
Kurt Angle beat up Bob Backlund. I like this Kurt Angle kid already!

Backstage
Kurt Angle tries to bribe some security guard. I really like this Kurt Angle kid!
7/10

Two Falls Triple Threat Match
WWF European & WWF Intercontinental Championships
Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle (c) (c)

That wasn't a typo - Kurt Angle holds both titles.
Apparently Chris Jericho thinks Chris Benoit is a robot. One of those robots programmed to kill?
Too soon?
First Fall - Intercontinental Championship
Winner = Chris Benoit
New Champion!
The commentators argue that Benoit is actually a machine. A killing machine?
Still too soon?
Second Fall - European Championship
Winner = Chris Jericho
New Champion!
Poor Kurt lost both of his titles but he didn't even get pinned once!
7/10

Backstage
Michael Cole talks to Vince McMahon to make a room full of suck. Vince believes he is the real factor in the main event and hints at a swerve. Well of course he does.
Then the H bomb rants to Stephanie.
I stab myself in the head with my remote.
2/10

Rikishi Fatu & Kane (w/Paul Bearer) vs Road Dogg & X-Pac (w/Tori)
Road Dogg & X-Pac come out to the Run DMC remix of the Degeneration-X theme, which is a million times better than the original. It doesn't stop X-Pac almost falling over.

Road Dogg's delusion of thinking he is a black guy has gotten worse and Tori is no longer dressed as Botchwoman. Kane and Paul Bearer are back together?

Man, I can't keep up with the drama! Holy fuck Jim Ross can not say Rikishi's name properly - he calls him RAHkishi all the time.

Do you see an A in that name at all? Shut the fuck up!
Winners = Kane & Rikishi via stuff happening
2/10

Too Cool come out so they can dance with RAHkishi. Oh look - it is Pete Rose yet again! This time he gets a chokeslam and RAHkishi's fat ass in his face. His contributions to pro-wrestling are really something he can take a lot of pride in and share with all his loved ones.

Backstage
Kevin Kelly talks to The Rock. It's The Rock, bitches!
9/10

Oh shit, Martin Short is here! And Dustin Diamond! Watch out, Martin - he could have a knife...

Four-Way Elimination Match with a McMahon in Every Corner
WWF Championship
The Rock (w/Vince McMahon) vs Mick Foley (w/Linda McMahon) vs Big Show (w/Shane McMahon) vs Triple H (c) (w/Stephanie McMahon)
That is way too much McMahon in one match. Or world. No one can ever seem to agree on Big Show's size and weight.
Big Show is eliminated via pinfall by The Rock
Mick Foley is now becoming so crippled he couldn't pull off a leap on to the table.

Mick Foley is eliminated via pinfall by Triple H
Foley gets a huge ovation and this is really a great way to go out. Apart from the losing and not looking good in the match. The commentators really sold how much this was his last night in the WWF; boy, they are going to feel stupid in a couple of years. Now we get a battle of the McMahons because that is what this show is all about. Stephanie proves her worth with the greatest facial expression of the show.

Then Vince gets all angry and hits The Rock with a chair!

Winner = Triple H via pin following chair assault from Vince McMahon
5/10

And the McMahons all celebrate together in the ring - hurrah for the family reunion! Because that is exactly what we were all concerned about.

The Rock comes back in the ring and beats everyone up because sportsmanship is what makes a hero in the WWF. He hits Stephanie with the people's elbow and leaves the McMahons in a mess while his music plays to send us out.

WrestleMania 2000: The Awards

1. Best Match
   The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian
   Just a crazy match full of ridiculous high spots.
2. Worst Match
   The Cat vs Terri Runnels
   When half-naked woman butt can't even get you a point, you know you've done something wrong.
3. Highlight of the Show
   The Rock's promo. I had forgotten how awesome his promos were - and this wasn't even one of his best.
4. Lowlight of the Show
   Focusing a WrestleMania main event on the McMahon family.
5. Star of the Show
   The Rock. Who else could manage to lose in the main event and still be so awesome?
6. Best Celebrity Appearance
   Michael Clarke Duncan. He wasn't there in any official capacity, but boy he was really fired up for this show.
7. Worst Celebrity Appearance
   Pete Rose. Third WrestleMania in a row the dude has been beaten up by Kane - you think he'd get the hint already. Guy is the Tong Po of WrestleManias.
8. Tonight's Meal
   Tonight I had combination of egg plant, mushrooms, onion and capsicum fried and then topped with salsa and sour cream. And big chunks of fresh avocado. Was delicious. Really delicious. Pepsi Next was back on the beverage agenda, but I think I should have had more. The Oatmeal Creme Pie was great until about halfway through, but that seems to be how those things roll. I don't think I could ever eat more than one in one sitting.
9. T-Shirt Cleanliness
   The t-shirt took a hammering tonight; I stupidly over-filled my wraps and it caused a fair bit of spillage, some of which was caught by my t-shirt. Somehow even managed to stain one of the sleeves. It's an art form, I tell ya...
10. Overall Score
    Again, a totally bi-polar show. The main event would have been better if it was shorter and probably even just a triple-threat match. And boy there was some super tragic stuff in here that made me question why on Earth I am even doing this. But then there was a really crazy tag match, along with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in their prime and before someone turned into a psychopathic murdering machine (spoiler alert: it wasn't Kurt Angle. But don't get me wrong, he has lost all his marbles as well). So that was fun. If you are a fan of Vince McMahon and want to watch him and his family do stuff then this was the show for you. Sadly, if my tags for these shows are any indication, I am not a fan of Vince McMahon and wish him nothing but pain and suffering for WrestleManias like this.
    4 out of 10