h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Say, I heard you slip in a mention of Megadeth on the h2g2 list a month or so back. I've only heard two songs (99 Ways To Die and Crush 'Em) but they got my seal of approval, so up went the small Megadeth poster on my door *^_^*

Can you tell me a bit about 'em? And, like, what's a decent album of theirs to pick up?

The one I borrowed from my friend(it was a weekend, hence the post for weekend music) was pretty good. I can't remember the title, but I'll ask her.
I've never even seen a Megadeath poster for sale...where'd you find it?

Came in an issue of Kerrang! (exclamation mark part of the name). Megadeth came 90-odd in the top 100 bands list (which was a bit crooked - Korn at #6???), so they included a poster. Smaller than A4 size

I absolutely dig the names Megadeth give their albums. How can you forget them?!

I'm sorry*sob* I think it MIGHT have been countdown to extinction. I didn't actually have the cd case, just the cd,, and I'm not even sure the title was on there.

Well, ok, that's fair enough.

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

Hmmmm....Ghandi? Nah, he's dead.

I'll have the albun title on the weekend, once my friend recovers from her first week of school and replies to my email.

Cheers. I need some new material. Megadeth will suit me fine thank you very much

Luckily, one of my friends was considerate enough to splash out some dough on Peace Sells But Who's Buying and the new album Risk. Listened to 'em, and I think, "How did these guys last so long?"
I was not particularly impressed. The songs on Peace Sells seemed to have no structure, like as if they were just making it up as they went along. Risk seemed just like a mellowed out type of Peace Sells. It was average stuff, not what I'd expect from a band of Megadeth's reputation.

Up the Irons!!

It WAs Countdown to extinction...I dunno, maybe they got worse with time? Seems to have happened to Mettalica and the offspring(who I don't really like anymore anyway).

The Offspring....hmmm. I really should like those guys (especially the early stuff), but I have bad memories from when Pretty Fly For A White Guy to release. Suddenly all the part-time Offspring fans came out, and while that song was in the charts, they were "cool". Any band that gets treated like that, I hate that.

But all bands mellow out over time. Even Slayer slowed down a tad on Diabolus In Musica. Just depends how many bpm your like in your music.

yeah, I really hate Pretty Fly for a White Guy. Also, Get a Job. They were good when I saw them at woodstock though... I don't think they performed those songs them. I like the older music, if not the band.

Jesus, Get A Job too. I think they released that as a single too. Must have, because a coupla months after the album came out this kid was singing the chorus and I asked "why are you singing that crap filler track?" and he said "it's the new Offspring song". And I told him, right there, that it wasn't new, it'd been on the album for months. The mentality of these people!

If someone asks if you've heard a band's "song" (ie their newest single), it's depressing. I even get that with Iron Maiden. Fking stupid...

This post has been removed.

Luckily, the one band that I really like that releases singles goes about it the right way. Before the album is released, they'll pick the best song (or a very good one) and release that. A few months after the album itself has been released, they'll get another very good song and release -that- as a single. Add two or three B-sides (this band has notoriously good B-sides - proper songs instead of remixes) and you're laughing.

By this method, you can introduce potential new fans to the band and it's music by providing something accessible for them to buy. A £3 single is better for "trying out" the band than a £16 album. After all, if you don't like the album, you're scuppered.

It also provides many hit singles for the record company to line their pockets with. A pity that so many bands use the second justification for releasing singles. Scum.

Have I been too patronising in my post?

Not really. I don't but singles because, while they're cheaper than albums($10 or so, maybe $8) the albums only end up costing $13-$20, and you get many more songs. I like the idea of releasing a few singles online though, so that they'll crreate a market for their music. MP3s can be a good way to discover bands.

I frown upon MP3s, and I especially frown upon this Napster furore. I mean, I downloaded the thing because I hoped to get hold of an icredibly rare, 16-year old B-side. Now I've found the applicable item in a collector's shop (£18, about $40-50 or so), I think I may as well get rip of this thing on my 'puter. It's insulting to see "Napster Music Community" staring at me: a community of theives, maybe.
I have only ever downloaded one MP3 off this thing. Napster is what I consider stealing. The only other MP3 I can ever remember downloading was one of a minor band, the guy from it inviting us to listen to this one song. That's acceptable, I believe. If the artist WANTS you to hear his wares. Or as a means to get a taster of a band before spending hard-earned money on them. But these people who are giving Metallica abuse, so-called fans amongst them, they are stealing whole albums worth and I will just not accept that.

If I have discovered bands, it has been through reading mags. Listening to the free CDs on those mags. Borrowing albums. Swapping tapes. Using my own good judgement. Surfing the 'net (I discovered black metal from one website, virtually). In each case I would be glad to say that I have rewarded the band for their efforts by happily spending my money on their masterpeices.

Anyways...I'm buying shed-loads of singles now. They're collectibles. About a fiver apeice for each one, I'm paying. For the B-sides, and for the honour of being to say, "I have a near 20-year old EP". And there's a new one, out next month, that I will buy. This time, it saves me having to pick it up 20 years later as a collector's item

I don't download big bands - If I want to hear something I know about, I borrow a CD, then return it when I have the money to buy my own copy. As a rule albums are better, and there's a lot more there than just music. But I approve of bands releasing digital singles online just as they can release singles to the radio, where people can tape them. That's easier to do. Also, in the US music mags almost NEVER come with sample CDs, and when they do the magazine costs something like 3 times its original price.

Funny how things change eh? Practically the only way I can listen to new bands that interest me is through downloading

Come back to us someday