My Top 10 Music Videos
The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) took place less than a week ago, but does anyone care anymore? Maybe in the 90s, yes. But now, MTV is all about the drama and reality shows, so the channel lost its credentials a long time ago. What’s the purpose of music videos, anyways? AC/DC never cared… Continue Reading →
Scorpions’ Lovedrive’ Gets Better with Every Listen | Album Review
Since I haven’t been to many concerts growing up, my new mission is to see my favorite hard rock bands before they all retire. As it turns out, the Scorpions are doing a Las Vegas residency in 2022 from late March till the second week of April (but that may change, depending on COVID-19). I’m… Continue Reading →
I Was Supposed to See Harry Styles in Concert, But Now I Can’t!
After refunding my Def Leppard concert tickets for summer 2020, I decided to purchase new concert tickets for a band that my 13-year-old self never got to see live…One Direction! Well, at least part of One Direction. On June 19, 2020, I purchased two tickets to see Harry Styles at the MGM Grand Garden Arena… Continue Reading →
YouTube Is An Addiction…Please Help Me!
You can say this is a sequel to my previous post titled, Is YouTube a Distraction or a Lifestyle? That post was from March 6, 2020 (pre-COVID) and I thought it’d be good to do an update on how I feel about that argument. After all, I’ve been stuck mostly at home for the past… Continue Reading →
My Top Five Adam Lambert Performances From ‘American Idol’
This past week, I finished an American Idol marathon for season eight in three days, excluding the auditions. Since the memories of Adam Lambert’s brilliant performances are still fresh in my mind, I thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to rank my top five performances of his from the show. I’m only doing five because… Continue Reading →
Whitesnake’s ‘Slip of the Tongue’ Is Not All Good, But Not All Bad | Album Review
After I begged my parents to take me to Hungry Ear Records in Kakaʻako, my mom wanted to go to Pearlridge, so that she could go to Macy’s and I could go to the Book Off. One of the albums I found was Whitesnake’s Slip of the Tongue (1989). Some of the panel on Sea… Continue Reading →
‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’ Hasn’t Aged Well With Me | DVD Review
I’d be lying if I said that I never wanted to be Hannah Montana! I mean, come on, she was a normal girl in the day and a popstar in the night. She was able to have all the fame and fortune without the annoying paparazzi, thanks to her famous blonde wig. Hannah Montana (2006… Continue Reading →
Bon Jovi Went Pop Rock With ‘Crush’ and Made It Work | Album Review
After the success of These Days (1995), Bon Jovi took another hiatus before getting together to work on their seventh studio album, Crush (2000). The band changed their sound, yet again, by going more commercial and pop. This allowed the boys to reach a younger audience and fit in with the current times. I saw… Continue Reading →
My Top 10 Disney Channel Original Movie Songs
Before I got into rock music, a lot of my favorite songs came from Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, especially Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs). I previously did a post talking about my favorite rock tracks from DCOMs, so this post is more focused on my favorite songs from DCOMs overall; most of these picks are… Continue Reading →
‘These Days’ Is Still Better Than Current Bon Jovi! | Album Review
If you haven’t read my review for Bon Jovi’s Keep the Faith (1992) album, feel free to check it out here! For now, we are moving onto These Days (1995), the first Bon Jovi studio album without bassist Alec John Such, who was unofficially replaced with Hugh McDonald. The band must’ve paid him well because… Continue Reading →
Don’t Ruin My Childhood’s Legacy – The Problem with Reboots, Spinoffs, and Remakes
In my 22+ years of life, I’ve seen many trends come and go, classic TV shows take their final bow, the birth of Instagram, the rising popularity of social media, and the rebirth of childhood shows through modernization. I’ve spent most of last year complaining that I never got to see Def Leppard in Vegas,… Continue Reading →
The Tragic Story of ‘American Idol’ – It Should’ve Ended With Season 15
Before we get started, I’d just like to say that I will forever be grateful for American Idol (2002 – 2016 and 2018 – present) because it introduced me to the music of legends like Elton John, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Queen, and Judas Priest. Unfortunately, the show has gone on for way too long and… Continue Reading →
Bon Jovi Renewed Their Status With ‘Keep the Faith’ | Album Review
If you haven’t read my album review for Bon Jovi’s New Jersey (1988), feel free to check that out here! For now, we are moving onto the next album on the agenda, Keep the Faith (1992). I tried searching for Keep the Faith on Amazon, but I couldn’t find it for a good price. So… Continue Reading →
Songs with the Same Title – Journey Edition
We’re back with another edition of the Songs with the Same Title series and this time we’re covering the American rock band Journey. I previously covered the new wave of British heavy metal legends, Saxon, so if you haven’t already, feel free to check out that post here! There are six rounds total, and in… Continue Reading →
A Brutally Honest Review on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ | Blu-ray Review
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) changed my life! No joke! This was the movie that got me into rock ‘n’ roll and convinced me to abandon my love for Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, One Direction, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, and other useless junk (technically, I still listen to 1D, but not often). Bohemian Rhapsody re-introduced me to… Continue Reading →
Bon Jovi’s ‘New Jersey’ Had Room for Improvement | Album Review
I was hesitant to get Bon Jovi’s New Jersey (1988) at first, since Richie Sambora isn’t in Bon Jovi anymore, therefore, I shouldn’t have anything to do with Bon Jovi, which is stupid because I previously bought 7800° Fahrenheit (1985). If you want to check out that review, click on the link here! I finally… Continue Reading →
My Trouble with CD Cases
I didn’t start collecting CDs seriously until last year during the pandemic, but I still have my Justin Bieber and One Direction CDs that I begged my parents to get me in my tween years. I got rid of Sonny with a Chance (2010), Lemonade Mouth (2011), and Justin Bieber’s Believe (2012), however. I tossed… Continue Reading →
Songs with the Same Title – Saxon Edition
I was fascinated by the new wave of British heavy metal, so I thought why not do a post about one of the most notable bands from that movement, Saxon, since Sea of Tranquility talks very highly of them. What better way to get a taste of Saxon than to include them in my Songs… Continue Reading →
Bon Jovi’s ‘7800° Fahrenheit’ Is Cheesy, But Enjoyable | Album Review
Here’s a funny story. When I was browsing through the Book Off at Pearlridge, I found Bon Jovi’s 7800° Fahrenheit (1985) and Slippery When Wet (1986). I was torn between those two albums because while the latter is a classic, I’m all about showing love for the underappreciated stuff. The only track I knew from… Continue Reading →
My Dream Setlist for AC/DC
So in late September 2020, I did a post talking about which songs AC/DC should add to their setlist, so if you haven’t checked that out, you can click the link here! Since then, the band announced that drummer Phil Rudd, bassist Cliff Williams, and vocalist Brian Johnson were back in the band; and they… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden’s ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ is Better Than I Remembered | Album Review
During the horrifying year of 2020, I turned to heavy metal and rock ‘n’ roll to cure my anger at the world; it was better than yelling at the TV. Once I started my CD collection, I knew that I needed an Iron Maiden album, so I headed for the Book Off at Pearlridge. I… Continue Reading →
‘Grease’ Doesn’t Make Sense! | DVD Review
The first time I saw Grease (1978), I was around eight or nine years-old (I don’t remember the details, but I was pretty young). I was young enough to be scared of the animated theme song that played in the beginning of the movie. Thanks to The Wiggles and their horrible animated films/clips, I developed… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden Made a Comeback with ‘Brave New World’ | Album Review
The year 2000 saw new releases like AC/DC’s Stiff Upper Lip (2000), Bon Jovi’s Crush (2000), Backstreet Boys’ Black & Blue (2000), and Iron Maiden’s Brave New World (2000). The latter marked the return of vocalist Bruce Dickinson (he left in 1993) and guitarist Adrian Smith (he left in 1990). Brave New World is also… Continue Reading →
Def Leppard is a Different Animal on ‘Volume Two’ | Box Set Review
Formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England, Def Leppard had high hopes to make it big. Though their first album On Through the Night (1980) didn’t do much for them, their second album, High ‘n’ Dry (1981), set the band up for what was to come in the near future; thanks to producer Mutt Lange, they… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden’s ‘Somewhere in Time’ is Mostly Filled with Awesomeness | Album Review
From Piece of Mind (1983), we’re going to flash forward to 1986. It was another great year for new music with Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, Metallica’s Master of Puppets, Van Halen’s 5150, Megadeth’s Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?, Queen’s A Kind of Magic, and Iron Maiden’s Somewhere in Time. The latter was the second Iron… Continue Reading →
Songs with the Same Title – Van Halen Edition
Last time I took on Slayer for my Songs with the Same Title series, now we’re moving onto Van Halen and I am pumped! Not that I’m a huge Van Halen fan, but a few of these songs listed are from my childhood and it’s always fun taking a trip down memory lane. I’ll be… Continue Reading →
10 Songs That Put Me in a Good Mood
Have you ever had those moments where you’re in a bad mood and you need something to cheer you up? Well, that’s what this post is about! I’ve picked 10 of my favorite songs that always put a smile on my face whenever I’m in a bad mood. If you’ve been following my blog for… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden’s ‘Piece of Mind’ is Overhyped! | Album Review
Goodbye Clive Burr, hello Nicko McBrian! After tackling The Number of the Beast (1982), we are moving onto Piece of Mind (1983), the first with McBrain on drums. Man, 1983 was a good year for new music; there was Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All (1983), The Police’s Synchronicity (1983), Dio’s Holy Diver (1983), AC/DC’s Flick of… Continue Reading →
Thoughts on My Last Semester of College
Final grades for the University of Hawaii at Manoa were posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, which means I am officially a college graduate for the class of spring 2021! How does it feel? I don’t feel that different, to be honest. Could it be because I didn’t participate in my university’s hybrid commencement ceremony?… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden Soared to Greatness on ‘The Number of the Beast’ | Album Review
If you haven’t read my review for Iron Maiden’s last studio album with Paul Di’Anno, Killers (1981), feel free to check that out! For now, we are moving onto the band’s next album and it’s a big one, The Number of the Beast (1982); it marks the first album with vocalist Bruce Dickinson and the… Continue Reading →
My Top 10 Richie Sambora Songs
Disclaimer: I’m sorry if I offend any Jon Bon Jovi fans throughout this post, as these are strictly my opinions and Richie Sambora was the reason why I got into Bon Jovi in the first place. Richie Sambora hit it big when he became the guitarist for Bon Jovi. From 1983 to 2013, Sambora helped… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden Avoided the Sophomore Slump with ‘Killers’ | Album Review
If you haven’t read my review for Iron Maiden’s debut album, feel free to check it out! For now, we are moving onto the band’s second album, Killers (1981). It marked the first album with guitarist Adrian Smith, who replaced Dennis Stratton, and the last with vocalist Paul Di’Anno. Killers was also the first Maiden… Continue Reading →
Songs with the Same Title – Slayer Edition
We’re back with another edition to the Songs with the Same Title series, and this time, we’re covering the thrash metal band known as Slayer. Last time when I took on Thin Lizzy, I said that I’d be interested in checking out more Slayer songs, so this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Once… Continue Reading →
Iron Maiden’s Debut Album Showed the Band’s Potential | Album Review
I’m not doing an entire series where I review Iron Maiden’s studio albums because I don’t have all of them, but I have some of them, so might as well review what I have, right? First up is Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut album, which was released in 1980. The record store I bought the debut… Continue Reading →
My Big ‘Degrassi’ Rant – Everything the Show Did Wrong
Next to Full House, Degrassi is my second favorite show of all time! And when I say Degrassi, I mean Degrassi: The Next Generation with Paige Michalchuk, Spinner Mason, J.T. Yorke, Eli Godsworthy, and Clare Edwards. From 2001 to 2015, the show centered around teenagers as they navigate their way through life. They covered a… Continue Reading →
Dio’s ‘Lock Up the Wolves’ is Pretty Bada**! | Album Review
We are finally down to the last album in the first five Dio album review series, Lock Up the Wolves (1990). The album saw a dramatic change in the line-up including Rowan Robertson on guitar, Jens Johansson on keyboards, Teddy Cook on bass, and Simon Wright (the name sounds familiar) on drums. If you haven’t… Continue Reading →
10 Underrated Songs From Bands I Like
This is a follow-up to my previous post titled, 10 Overplayed Songs From Bands I Like, so if you haven’t already, go check it out! Instead of talking about the overrated songs, this post will focus on the underrated songs from bands I like. As a warning, not all of the bands from the previous… Continue Reading →
Dio’s ‘Dream Evil’ Lacks Consistency! | Album Review
And just like that, we’re onto album number four! If you haven’t read my review for Sacred Heart, feel free to check it out. The next album on the agenda is Dream Evil (1987). It was the last record to feature Vinny Appice on drums until Strange Highways (1993), the last to feature Jimmy Bain… Continue Reading →
What If Drew Seeley Was Troy in the ‘High School Musical’ Franchise?
Disclaimer: I am not trying to offend Zac Efron or Drew Seeley in this post. I just always wondered what could’ve been, and I love both actors dearly. I don’t want to assume everyone knows High School Musical (2006), but if you were a kid growing up in the 2000s, you might’ve at least heard of… Continue Reading →
Dio’s ‘Sacred Heart’ is a Beast! | Album Review
Wow, these Dio album reviews are going by fast because we’re already on album number three. If you haven’t read my review for The Last in Line, feel free to check it out. For now, we’re moving onto Sacred Heart (1985), the last Dio album to feature Vivian Campbell on guitar. First things first, I’m… Continue Reading →
My Dream Setlist for Def Leppard
One of my favorite YouTube channels at the moment, Sea of Tranquility, did a series throughout the month of March where they created dream setlists for their favorite bands. They didn’t do one for Def Leppard unfortunately, and around the same time, I came across this article from Ultimate Classic Rock from 2011 titled, “Def… Continue Reading →
Dio’s ‘The Last in Line’ Gave Me Mixed Feelings | Album Review
If you haven’t read my review for Holy Diver, go check it out! The next album on the agenda is The Last in Line (1984). I only listened to it once when I was reading other blog posts and I liked it for the most part, but will my feelings change when I take the… Continue Reading →
Ranking All of Roger Taylor’s Songs He Sang in Queen
Roger Taylor, best known as the drummer for Queen, has an unbelievable singing voice. He talks like an angel and sings like a lion; that’s how I would describe it. His songs don’t get enough appreciation, so for this post, I’ll be ranking all of Taylor’s songs he sang lead vocals for in Queen. I’ve… Continue Reading →
Dio’s ‘Holy Diver’ is an Aggressive Album with 80s Production | Album Review
Now that I’ve finished my AC/DC album review series, it’s time to kick off the first five Dio album review series. If you haven’t seen my post on Dio’s 5 Classic Albums box set, I bought it in February 2021 after hearing Sea of Tranquility, a music youtube channel, talk about how good Holy Diver… Continue Reading →
Songs with the Same Title – Thin Lizzy Edition
We’re back with another post for the Songs with the Same Title series. If you haven’t seen my last post, where I tackled Judas Priest, go check it out! The next band on the agenda is Thin Lizzy. I’ve wanted to do this post for a while, thanks to a specific AC/DC song, and we are finally doing… Continue Reading →
Ranking All of AC/DC’s (International) Studio Albums
Now that I’ve reviewed all of AC/DC’s international studio albums, it’s time to rank them all! Which ones do I like and which ones do I dislike? If you haven’t checked out my AC/DC reviews, I will link them all down below, including the DVD/Blu-ray reviews. As a warning, I’ve changed my thoughts on some… Continue Reading →
Def Leppard’s ‘London to Vegas’ is Kind of Worth It! | Box Set Review
I got into Def Leppard during the summer of 2019 (for the millionth time I’ve mentioned on this blog). If I had gotten into them by January 2019 at least, I would’ve paid big bucks to see their Vegas Residency at the Zappos Theatre in Planet Hollywood that year. In all honesty, I could’ve bought… Continue Reading →
AC/DC Overcame Tragedy and Delivered with ‘Back in Black’ | Album Review
I previously reviewed AC/DC’s Highway to Hell (1979) album, so if you haven’t already, go check it out! For now, we are shifting focus to the last record I’ll be covering in the AC/DC album review series, Back in Black (1980). The reason why it’s the last in the series is because I already reviewed… Continue Reading →
10 Overplayed Songs From Bands I Like
The title is a nicer way of saying I like the bands, but I never want to hear these songs ever again. In some cases, I don’t even want to buy the corresponding albums because I hate these songs so much. The worst part is that these bands play the hits religiously at their shows… Continue Reading →
I Was Terrified of AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell,’ But Now I Love It! | Album Review
I went out of order with my AC/DC album reviews, so I already reviewed Powerage (1978) back in June 2020. Feel free to check out that review and see how far I’ve come with my AC/DC knowledge, haha. The next album on the agenda is Highway to Hell (1979), an album that is the most nostalgic for me. Well,… Continue Reading →
