Will she smell like tomorrow?

I just got back from a walk, and while out I listened to the new, eponymously titled release by Stone Temple Pilots for the second time. I have to say that I'm pretty impressed so far, and it definitely has more than a few good songs on it. This got me to thinking about how they were probably one of the best bands of the 1990s (and beyond, by this point) despite the fact that they got such a bad rap at the beginning.

I remember liking their first song, "Sex Type Thing" well enough, and it was their second single, "Plush" that got me to buy their CD. Listening to that song now, I think that some of the lyrics are almost ridiculously silly, but the music is good, and it has a good melody. Of course, this was when the comparisons to Pearl Jam came from every corner. I even remember David Spade on Saturday Night Live making a crack about how he really liked STP "the first time when they were called Pearl Jam." Not only that, but I would hear from friends and family members who thought they sounded the same as well. As for me, I was a big fan of Pearl Jam, so I didn't really see this as a huge problem. Not only that, but the more I listened, I could hear a fairly significant difference. I also thought the comparison was unfair considering that I had the CD and the comparisons pretty much ended with that particular song.

I continued to like the band with their second release, Purple. I remember buying it pretty soon after it came out, and I thought it was pretty solid all the way through. I also remember being frustrated, as I lived in the dorms at the time, and all I could hear people who had the CD booming from their rooms was "Vasoline". Don't get me wrong; it's a good song. However, I thought that there was a lot of other great stuff on there, and it wasn't until MTV started playing "Interstate Love Song" that I would hear that song being blasted as well. Apparently many people can't decide that they like a song unless it has some kind of mainstream approval first. I mean, did the song suddenly get better once it got some airplay? (Note, if you want to hear the song, it doesn't start until about 35 seconds into the video.)

Of course, the critics still raked the band over the coals, and I knew plenty of music snobs in college who would have nothing to do with them. After all, Pearl Jam was supposedly a horrible band in many of their eyes, so why would anybody want to listen to a knock-off of Pearl Jam? By this point, I thought that the comparisons were starting to get quite a bit lamer. After all, a song like "Interstate Love Song" doesn't sound a thing like Pearl Jam's style. The only similarity is that both lead singers have voices that are deep and slightly gravely, but if that makes them the same, then Jim Morrison sounds like Johnny Cash.

By the time their third CD, Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop came out, I remember reading a review in either Rolling Stone or Spin that raked them over the coals, continuing with the constant Pearl Jam comparisons. I had to wonder if the idiot writing the review had even heard a single song. How anybody can listen to that album and STILL say that is beyond me. I'm not going to post every video from that disc, but here are just a couple of them. If you think they sound like Pearl Jam by this point, please explain that one to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0gAxuvo5rc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds_43MdYiuQ

Of course, there were more albums, and more good songs, like the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_4POA-4GYo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxS4lqppZ6Y

Then they broke up, and Scott Weiland went off to sing for Velvet Revolver. While I don't think that band was as bad as some would have you believe, for the most part their music was fairly forgettable and not equal to the sum of its parts (as the band was essentially Guns 'N' Roses without Axl). Of course, there were also Weiland's issues with drug addiction, but I'm not really all that interested in that sort of a thing. I felt bad for the guy and hoped that he would be able to clean up his act since he had provided me with so much music that I liked. Beyond that, I didn't really follow all of his arrests and relapses.

I remember feeling some vindication though a few years ago while flipping through an issue of Spin. I don't know if it was some new, young-Turk reviewer, but basically it was a column about how STP had gotten an undeserved bad rap over the years. The writer also made the bold statement that "Interstate Love Song" was the best pop-rock song of the 1990s. (Perhaps he wrote "one of the best" but still...) Also, a few of their songs were included for playing on Rock Band, which obviously indicates that the makers of that game felt that their songs had the staying power of bands like The Who, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, and, well...Pearl Jam. It seems to me that the world is coming around to understanding what all of us STP fans understood all along - they're a damned good band.

As for the new album, I have to say that if you were a fan of the band, and you're a little hesitant in fear that this might be the dying gasp of a has-been band, I can assure you that it isn't. Their first single, "Between the Lines" is fine enough, but it's not one of the ones that really stood out for me. There's a great combination of hard rock and catchy pop tunes on this album, and Scott Weiland continues to mix up his vocal styles to suit the song. It's good to see these guys back again.

The making of chili ale - continued

I didn't expect to have an update for a few days, but this stuff is getting spicy. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you how the finished product tastes by next weekend.

Comics Roundup for 5/26/10

Secret Avengers #1 - This was a fun first issue, but that's not surprising at all. I guess the only criticism that I might have of this is that it feels a lot like an extension of Brubaker's Captain America, but considering how much I love that title, that's not really a negative. Anyway, they've assembled a pretty interesting crowd of characters here, and I don't think that I'd be all that interested if it weren't for the creative team (Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato) involved here. I bet that we won't get the whole cast every issue, as I can't imagine every situation calling for spies like The Black Widow and Moon Knight, a scientist like The Beast, and a space-traveling Nova (not to mention War Machine, Valkyrie, and Steve "Super Soldier" Rogers). Still, unlike Dark Avengers, which this one replaces in some respects, I can see this one having some legs beyond the whole Age of Heroes storyline running through Marvel's books.

Green Lantern #54 - It's good to see that the whole issue with all of the various colored lanterns hasn't gone away with the end of Blackest Night, and we also got a little bit more about this mysterious new villain, along with some more information about the White Lantern. Honestly though, I don't think I can remember what happened in the last issue of this series versus what happened in the Brightest Day series. Hopefully that title will remain a compelling read, as I wouldn't want this, one of my favorite comics, to start getting all confusing.

The Amazing Spider-Man #632 - This was a really compelling read, and Chris Bachalo's rather unconventional way of laying out a page was more fitting than distracting this time. I do have to wonder if everybody who reads this issue would necessarily get what's going on with the Lizard's new ability, as it didn't seem to be really well-explained. I got it because I 1) have read the early appearances of the character and 2) know that we still have a lot of reptile genes in our DNA. Essentially, the Lizard is once again using his power to control reptiles, but now it has been expanded to communicate with mammals, as he's been able to tap into the reptile part of our brains. Pretty cool...pretty cool.

Thor #610 - Apparently there isn't any mayo in Valhalla, and even if a goddess can see into its halls, she cannot be with a slain loved one. That was probably my favorite moment in this series, as the bit where Thor fights his clone from Civil War just felt like it was wrapping up loose threads. It seems like Kieron Gillen is going to be sticking around for a few more issues than the original plan. That's fine by me.

The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #37 - They stole my idea! I always wanted to read an "untold tale" of Spider-Man meeting Captain America for the first time, and I thought about it real hard. Apparently they read my mind and stole my idea! Heh. Seriously though, this was just a matter of time, and it was handled pretty well. It also answers a really good question - if Cap has so much respect for Spider-Man, which he obviously does, why hasn't he used his good name to help Spidey's rather crappy reputation in the media? Aside from that, it was good to see an official "Untold Tale" from the original team behind the now-classic Untold Tales of Spider-Man: Kurt Busiek and Pat Oliff.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2 (of 5) - Grant Morrison makes my head spin sometimes, but I dug this tale of Batman versus The Crucible plus a giant squid-monster. It looks like next issue he's going to be a pirate - kooky, crazy stuff.

The making of chili ale

For those of you who like to read my blog, but wish that you didn't have to do all that "reading" crap, here's a video log for my chili ale. Since I had to use cane sugar when I bottled, I'm not even going to open one of these until next weekend. (I understand that it takes longer to carbonate with cane, rather than corn, sugar.) I wonder if they will also need some time for the chili flavor to really sink in. Then again, shouldn't a week pretty much do the trick when you're talking about something like chilies?

Comics Roundup for 5/19/10

I'm going to start this one off with the title that I was looking forward to the most:

Avengers #1 - One thing that I was concerned about with this new series was that we were going to get a long build-up before the new team was established, and that wouldn't finally be in place until issue number four or five. Well, it only took up until page eight to see the new team assembled. It's part classic Avengers with Captain America (albeit the Bucky Cap), Thor, Hawkeye, and Iron Man and part New Avengers with Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, and Wolverine. By this point, it makes sense to have guys like Spidey and Wolverine on the team, considering everything that went down in the last series. Unlike New Avengers, this also felt more like a classic superhero story, and I mean that in the good sense. We have Kang, time travel, and something involving what looks like The Maestro (a future version of The Hulk). There were also some neat team dynamic bits, and I hope that we continue to get a good mixture of all that in the issues to come. Oh, and it's good to see that Steve Rogers, although not in his Captain America gear, is having a huge part to play in this series. In fact, it makes even more sense now why he's not wearing the uniform, and I'm quite content to keep the Bucky Cap for the time being.

The Invincible Iron Man #26 - There's not much to say about this issue, as it's mainly just setting things up for a new storyline. Still, I can say that I find the character's current predicament to be pretty interesting. Basically, Tony Stark has rocketed to the top and gone crashing down to the bottom. He's on his way back up now, and there are a lot of interesting dramatic possibilities.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #12 - I was a little disappointed at first with this story's direction. Basically, it involves a former Mad Hatter henchmen about whom I don't really care. However, I quickly found myself getting into it as it has all sorts of neat twists and turns. Also, there's just enough Batman in it to show that Dick Grayson is filling the cowl rather nicely.

Brightest Day #2 - Even though none of the characters on which this issue focused I could call one of my favorites, there sure were a lot of interesting bits with Firestorm, the Martian Manhunter, and Hawkman. I'm hoping that the next issue will get a little bit more into Aquaman and why he's only able to talk to dead sea creatures now.

Kill Shakespeare #2 - Meh. I loved the idea of this, but I think I'm done. I'm buying too much stuff, and there are a lot of interesting new series coming out, so I don't want to waste my time with something like this. The thing is, maybe I'm just some kind of Shakespeare nerd, but Hamlet just doesn't feel like the Hamlet that I know. I suppose my first sign of this was when in the last issue he was still palling around with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Keep in mind that this was after he had been banished to England, which is right around the time when (in the play) he had no problem sending them to their death, claiming that "They are not near my conscience." This issue has Iago, and he's just a generic villain here. Plus, I have a bad feeling about what they're going to do with Juliet. Yeah, this is probably an about-face from my enthusiasm after reading the first issue, but I think that I was more in love with the idea of the whole thing. Now that it, and a second issue, have sunk in, I think I've lost interest. I'd rather see this artist do a straight-ahead adaptation of one of Shakespeare's works.

Zatanna #1 - Here's a good reason to support a series starring Zatanna: If she gets popular enough, they'll have to make a movie with her. And if they make a movie, they'll have to find an actress who looks like her, and they'll put her in that costume. Nah, that's not really the reason why I bought this, but it sure doesn't hurt. I bought it because Paul Dini is writing it. So far, I like what I've read. Magical characters are tricky, as they have to be able to do some amazing things, but they can't be seen as being able to get out of any given situation or you don't feel like there's any threat. So far, so good.

The Astounding Wolf-Man #23 - Blah blah...fun issue...blah blah...too bad the series is ending...blah blah...wonder where this is all going...blah blah...nothing new to say...blah blah...still really like it...

Draw Mohammed Day!

Perhaps you've heard it on the news, but certain ultra-fundamentalist religious types really get their shorts in a bunch over the slightest perceived offense. No, I'm not bagging on the Christians again. This time, it's the Muslims - at least, the ones who think that it's their right to attack anybody who draws a cartoon of their prophet.

In protest of this, a Facebook group announced that today is "Draw Mohammed Day". It's a celebration of free speech, and a big "up yours" to any of these loons who think that their religion gives them the right to limit our freedom of expression.

The irony is, from what I understand, there is no specific ban on creating an image of Mohammed in the Koran. Basically, Muslims are just more keenly aware of the notion that creating images of their prophet might lead to idolatry, and they want to avoid that. I mean, there is a history of Islamic depictions of Mohammed. Of course, fundamentalists of any stripe never let things like facts and history get in the way of their world view.

If there wasn't such a huge backlash against these cartoons, then I wouldn't take the time to bother with this sort of a thing. I don't deliberately go out of my way just for the sake of offending people. Besides, I realize that a reasonable Muslim wouldn't even find my picture to be offensive in the first place. After all, I didn't try and do something deliberately provocative like put him in a dress or put a bomb on his head. I actually tried to make him look kind of cool. (How did I "draw" him? I used Hero Machine 2.5.)

I'm sure that there might be some people out there who might point out the folly of me doing this. After all, I use my real name on my blog. Maybe some crazy fundie is going to come and kill me. Well, you know what? I'd rather die than live in a world I'm afraid of offending religious nutjubs. Will some non-crazy Muslims possibly get offended by this as a result? Probably. However, being offended is the price you pay for living in a free society. Look at me. I'm offended all the time.

If you want to know more about this whole thing, which is really getting crazy - to the point where Pakistan is trying to block access to Facebook and YouTube, click Wikipedia's link.

Chili Ale is in the works

I've been homebrewing for a few years now, but I have always stuck with the kits. I've never ventured off into creating something that was really my own recipe. The reason for this is that for every kind of beer that I want, I can easily find a kit for it at MoreBeer. Still, there was one style that they don't have one for, and I've been wanting to make a batch for some time, and that's a Chili Ale.

My experience with the style is very limited. While down in Santa Barbara, I tried a Habenero Pilsner that was really awesome. It was really hot, but the coolness and refreshing feeling of the Pilsner instantly put out any fire as soon as it started. When I got back home, I looked for something similar at BevMo, but what I got really wasn't all that great. I can't remember the name of the brand, but let's just say that the only thing good about the beer was the chili flavor. It was basically a really crappy American Macro Lager with a touch of chili pepper taste.

I wrote about my trip to Humboldt County and how I enjoyed the Chili Pepper Ale of Six Rivers Brewery. Ever since then, I have been determined to make a chili ale of my own. I even got some advice from their brewmaster.

I figure that I'm going to blog about the whole process. Last weekend, I brewed up a batch of Blond Ale. From what I learned, you generally want to start with a beer that isn't really jam-packed with flavor as it is. You want something light and refreshing like a wheat beer or what I'm using. Anyway, it's fermenting as I type this. The weekend after next is when I start doing stuff to transform it from a Blonde Ale to a Chili Ale.

As of now, my plan is to put half of it in a secondary fermenter along with maybe about half a pound of peppers. I'll give it a little taste every day until it gets to the level of heat that I want. The other half I plan on bottling, but I'm going to stick some chilis into the bottles. This, of course, will involve me finding some good peppers that are thin enough to easily fit into a bottle. I'm also thinking that I'm going to try grilling a few of those to see what kind of effect I get from that.

Here's hoping that I get something good! At the very least, I should have a pretty decent spicy marinade.