Issue of April 15, 2005
Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 8
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Music for the Mind
By Cindy Mey
So what is this thing called Music For The
Mind? It's an event to raise money for scholarships for all
seniors in National Honor Society. It will be held on Monday 12, 2005
at 6:00 P.M in the auditorium. It's going to be hosted by seniors
Nichole Barrera, Claudia Tobing, and Michelle Choiselat. They want to
show us that music is a part of everyone's lives and we should make it
official to celebrate it at Colton High School.
People from the school, including staff an students,
can come to audition on April 22, 2005 in the Macintosh Gym. It does
not matter who you are and what kind of music you like; you can come
try out and help raise money. It's a good deal because you get to
play for free and if you want to come watch you can buy a ticket at the
cost of $5 a person to go see all the hot talent that the school has to
offer. (For example; you and your kick but band can perform.) You can
dance, sing, rap, beat box, rap dance, break dance, or do anything that
is music related. For those who are in school dance clubs you can also
get your members or whole crew out there to perform.
Last year they raised a total profit of an
impressively high $2000. "Hopefully we double the amount we made last
year," says Choiselat. Some of last year's performers were Johnny
Cheapo (the librarian and his band), Faultline, The Giggaloops and
Handpicked. Other stars that did a great job last year included English
teacher
Dave Rainey (soulful,
wailing and crying electric blues guitar), students Lexy Romano,
Kristina
Choiselat, Nick Daily and many more talented music lovers. Please come
and audition and show us what you got. Don't forget to spread the word!
It is only $5 a person and if you are performing you will for sure get
in for free of course because you are our entertainers. Remember Music
For The Mind is for every one to come and relax as you enjoy your
snacks, which will be sold at the snack bar. Get your parents, family
girlfriends, boyfriends, and friends to join in on this music
celebration.
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John Paul II dies
By Nina Acosta
On Saturday April 3rd, the Catholic Church as well as the world lost a
man who had come to be known as the "Peace maker." At the age of 84,
Pope john Paul had passed away due to kidney failure. A man that
despite his deteriorating health and his battle with Parkinson's
disease dedicated his life to a higher power, and appealed to everyone;
faithful or faithless.
Born in 1920, the man faced death a number of times, the first time was
at the mere age of ten, nearly dying in a shooting accident. During the
nazi invasion in 1939, the pope was exposed to machine gun fire from
low flying German planes. He was arrested in 1941 and almost sent to
Auschwitz. In 1943, he was hit by a German truck and left for dead. In
1944 nazi soldiers invaded his home and searched for all adult males.
He was never found as he hid in the basement and prayed. In 1981 he was
shot by a Turkish terrorist and thus spawned the "Popemoble." Despite
this shooting he forgave the assassin and prayed with him. Despite his
close encounters he still became a priest and eventually the leader of
the Catholic Church in 1978.
Though he believed in the traditional Catholic practices and doctrines,
Pope John Paul II devoted most of his time to bridging the gaps between
all faiths and races. In fact most believe that his 1979 visit to
Poland helped stop communism. The pope also committed himself to
bringing the youth closer to god. In the final hours of his life he
thanked the youth for honoring him and listening to him.
Pope John Paul II has been highly regarded to all faiths and races. The
union of so many people in St. Peters Square is only a symbol of what
the man had
achieved.
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Prom fashion show coming to an auditorium near you
by Julia arenas
For the girls who want to be queens of the prom, and for the guys who
want to be absolutely dashing, the prom fashion show is a perfect place
for inspiration. Organized and hosted by senior Lexy Romano, the show
will be held today, in the Whitmer auditorium during 6th period.
From boutiques all over the town, the twelve couples will be modeling
the hottest fashions. The girls will be showing off the many latest
styles of the seasons as well as the most up-to-the-minute accessories.
Guys will wear many variations of the classic tuxedo.
The show took a very long time to put
together. " there was a lot of work, many people helped me get this
thing together," says Romano. Finding the many boutiques as well as
getting the auditorium ready is not an easy job. Plus, deciding who
would be in it would also prove to be a daunting task. However, the
show would be a success. "everyone who is helping us out with this
event is the most important," she adds.
Many bright young students will be showing off
these fashions, seniors Nichole Barrera, Chi ho, Katy Reyes, John Suh,
and Leo Kyle, being just a few of the models. Hopefully, many of our
prom goers will be encouraged to buy some of these fashions.
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Mark Saldana: leading by example
by Michelle Choiselat
Senior Mark Saldana is more than ready to graduate,
and he has some pretty decent choices lying in front of him. Being
accepted to both the University of California, Berkeley and the
University of California, Los Angeles, as well as being a finalist for
the Berkeley Alumni Scholarship, Saldana has worked hard to become the
success he is today.
Saldana intends on attending Berkeley and majoring
in political science and English. As President of the Young Democrat's
Club, he feels politics are greatly overlooked and that youth are so
cynical towards politics that they think they won't make a difference,
which is why plans on getting involved in government, becoming either a
state prosecution attorney or Supreme Court Justice. He also adds, "I
want to write a book."
Though Saldana has many influences, he greatly
admires his social studies teacher Dr. John Fisher (who retired last
year) and Bob Degroff. "Dr. Fisher though me that history doesn't have
to be boring and that history is forgiving. We can all make mistakes
and we aren't damned because of them. Dr. Degrodd because he inspired
me to be outspoken and to love Newsweek," says Saldana.
Though Saldana takes his education seriously, he
takes pride in his ability to "balance minimum effort with maximum
output when it comes to school," he says. I his spare time, he enjoys
practicing the piano and the drums and playing Dance Dance Revolution,
and partying with his friends on the weekend. He believes the life he
lives is fulfilling, and he lives by the following words: "If brevity
is the soul of wit, then gravity is the soul of weight."
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How much does music influence our daily lives? The argument continues..
By: Cristina Sauceda
Ever wonder how life would be like without music?
Would it be dull? Would everyone act or think the same? Music is a big
part of a teenager's life, whether it is rap, pop or rock-n-roll. Music
influences our daily lives in all aspects.
Many teens believe music influences the way they dress, eat and how
they think. They seem to seek answers to life's problems with music.
However music such as rap and rock-n-roll are being blamed by both
parents and the media for most of the suicides and acts of violence
committed by teens.
Senior Elila Casillas says, " The way music influences our lives is
that you can learn right from wrong for example music that expresses
emotions shows you how people really are on the inside."
Artists use music to express their feelings about life to the public to
show how happy or unhappy one can get when reaching stardom. Senior
Sophia Rocha says," Music plays a critical role in how we feel or who
we are ; you might even say that some type of music encourages teens to
express their anger and could even end up influencing them how they
live their everyday lives or how they view their problems."
Many other parents out there believe that music cannot have a negative
influence on people. In fact, it can make teens happy when life gets
them down. Music should not be blamed for some of the senseless acts
teens commit such as shootings at schools, robberies and murders
because it can all begin at home. Karen Klein, an art teacher at Colton
High School feels that music affects people; music sets the tone and
the mood. If music is positive and upbeat it has a positive effect but
if its negative it can have a negative effect.
Music is neither good nor bad. It affects teens and
everyone around them in many different ways. Music of today is as
important and natural to teens as the blood runs through our veins.
Without music life would be like a lonely desert that is never ending.
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Both sides now
By Sandi Chhin
MUSIC: IT'S GETTING WORSE
Music has gotten worse over the past few decades,
period.
People who are out there and are famous have no
talent whatsoever. They are just famous because they have the two
things that matter the most: money and looks.
One thing that has gotten highly popular is
lip-syncing. I'm not accusing everyone of lip-syncing because a lot
don't go down that road. But I mean, come on, where is your talent? Are
you too lazy to perform and sing onstage? Singing in front of a crowd
is supposed to be something you love with a passion. For example,
Ashlee Simpson: what is wrong with her? Don't blame it on the drummer
because we all know it was not the drummer. She was clearly prancing
around like an idiot while the music was singing without her. No
offense to all you Ashlee lovers.
I also love how most of the popular stars out there
are really wealthy, but yet they have no talent to begin with.
Everyone goes through his or her little phases of
the boy bands, the wannabe pop role model who wears skimpy clothes and
so on. Music has just gotten so overrated and it has just become what a
person is, and what group you hang out with. I know that this is just a
stereotype, but its true though. Look around because you wont find a
hardcore Goth hangout with an original "G".
But this is just my opinion, I just don't like how
people categorize themselves into a group because of what music genre
they are into at the moment. Music doesn't classify who you are.
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Both Sides now
By Sean Durdle
MUSIC: IT'S NOT GETTING WORSE
Is music getting worse? Honestly, I don't think it is. That doesn't
mean that there isn't bad music getting played. Although true rock
music in the original sense is dead, and with the recent wannabe
revival of it putting a damper on the music scene, it doesn't affect
the other great artists being produced in other musical fields. I
happen to love classic rock, but as with everybody else I just have to
face the fact that it's dead and can never be again. To say that music
is getting worse would be to imply that records are not being sold, or
that everyone listening has bad taste. The first is far from the truth
as artists are making as much money as in the past or even more, and to
say that people wouldn't know good music if it was right in front of
them is to say that people are pretty much stupid.
All you have to do is look at the some of the sales generated by
today's top artists, give the album a listen and see what they have to
offer. Not all the music out there is going to be good, but I believe
there's at least one good song from every band out there. Even if it's
only a part of one song in their entire career, I think people can find
something they like in almost every genre. Music is universal; it works
on people in ways know when you get a song stuck in your head and hate
it, but you can't stop hearing it or singing it. It doesn't mean you
like it, but it is prime example of how the noise really affects the
mind.
Music is thriving more than ever right now; there are more artists and
bands out there now than there have ever been. There's tons of music
out there, and if you believe music is dying and getting worse, you're
probably only on the surface of music. Try to imagine the music
industry as a volcano and everything that most people hear is the very
tip (MTV, Popular radio, etc), if you only try to dig deeper into the
cave of music, you'll see how much more there really is out there. In
reality the only music that is bad is the music that doesn't sell. Sure
you can say that Britney Spears is bad music, but try telling that to
the millions of people who bought the record and go to the shows.
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Michelle's Manifesto
By Michelle Choiselat
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and I mean that quite
literally. Who knew Pee Wee could be so right? While this editorial is
directed, for the most part, to seniors, the rest of you will be in the
same position in just a little while. Anyway, at this point in time,
our future is pretty much defined. Continuing your education, deciding
to work, bumming for a year, or starting a family, we are only
beginning to live.
For the college bound, decisions are made this
month. Now you have to ask yourself, are those schools that accepted
you worthy of your presence? At the same time, however, you ask
yourself if you could handle it? The real pressure is on. This one
decision will affect you forever. No going back once you send in your
registration paperwork. Then, it'll sink in. Adulthood has arrived. Mom
and Pop can't back you up on this one; it's up to you to make your
college education worthwhile.
Then there are those who decide that maybe college
isn't the place for them, and that's fine. Still, you have to grow up.
Living at home the next few years wile you adjust to the "real" world
isn't a really big deal, unless you live there until you're like 39 and
a have a couple of kids living with you. Many will agree that a
middle-aged man or woman living with their parents is pretty pathetic.
We all probably believe that there's plenty of time
left in the year. Wrong! We will graduate in 62 days. 62! That's
nothing. Besides with everything else on our minds such as prom, grad
night, and all that other fun graduation stuff the last thing we want
to think about is our futures. This is our last year of high school;
the last year to hang out with our buddies without any worries.
This new chapter of my life will be like trying to
find my way through the dark. I have no idea what to expect. I will
make mistakes and I will screw up. On the other hand, I'll do the right
thing without anyone holding my hand. Though I am a little anxious, I'm
completely ecstatic. I'll meet new faces and gain those little "life
lessons" that all our teachers talk about. So, what is really comes
down to is that high school isn't really ending; life is only starting
to begin.
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Gonzo is the Word
By Sean Durdle
"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a
man."---Raoul Duke
This quote appears in the beginning of Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas (the book and the movie). This quote summarizes,
for me, the essence of the author, Hunter S. Thompson. Earlier in the
year, in one of my columns, I mentioned how his writing and ridiculous
way of life has inspired me. So I was very devastated to hear that on
February 21 Hunter committed suicide. At first I didn't believe it, and
wouldn't, but when I saw the news articles I knew it to be true. It was
surprising to know that he could be capable of such a thing, but then I
just thought back to the quote. Hunter has taken the quote to the
extreme; by making the ultimate beast of himself (his suicide) he
succeeded in ridding the pain of being a man.
In the 70's a short documentary was made on Hunter
following the success of his book. The documentary gave a sneak peek
into what type of person Hunter was and how crazy his life was. At one
point in the documentary, he laid out the details of what he wanted to
be done to his body when he died. First he wanted to be cremated and
have his ashes kept. His ashes were then supposed to be put into a
giant fist with thumbs on both sides. This giant double-thumbed fist
was to be shot into the air, and at a certain height, explode. From
this, Hunter's ashes were to be scattered all over the surrounding
area. Now that you have an idea of how crazy you think he is, multiply
by a hundred and you might be close to what kind of person he was.
After watching Johnny Depp's performance of him, you might think that
it's some fantastical character that could never exist in reality, but
it's based solely on Hunter and isn't too far off from the truth.
"One of god's own perototypes/ too weird to live and
to rare to die." In Fear and Loathing this line is directed towards his
accomplice Dr. Gonzo (in real life, Chicano activist and lawyer Oscar
Zeta Acosta), but more aptly defines Hunter. Through his extreme way of
living life, to call him weird would be an understatement. To say that
he was rare is close, but to say that he is one of a kind hits the nail
on the head. To me, Hunter was a great and horrible person; someone who
achieved the American Dream in the fact that he made a living doing
what he loved. Someone who achieved recognition through being himself
and being truthful. Someone who lived his life the way he wanted, when
he wanted, doing his own thing without caring what anyone else thought.
A man who was a beast, and a beast who was everything but a man.
"When in Rome, we shall do as the Romans; when in Hell, we do shots at
the bar" - from the band
Every Time I Die
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Bleeding Romantics: local band making a name for themselves
by Larissa Litras
The Bleeding Romantics: I'm sure you have heard the
name before. Well if you haven't, let me tell you a little bit more
about the five ambitious high school students who formed a band called
the Bleeding Romantics. The band is made up of Kevin Monahan-bass,
Samantha Zendejas-lead guitar, Shayne Williams-drums, Trevor
Hileman-vocals and Alicia Owens-rhythm guitar. They are all students on
this campus who plan and hope to go far with the band they have worked
so hard to put together. So what type of people are they? You might be
surprised. Let's find out more about what this band has to offer.
-So where does the name come from?
"We had influences from the band Bleeding through" -Trevor
"The name just sounded cool." -Kevin
-Who started the band?
"We all just kind of united"
"Samantha is the one who brought us together" -Kevin
-Which member of the band holds you
guys together?
"It is definitely Samantha, because she always is the one to have
practice at her house" -Kevin
-Do you want to get serious with the
band or is it just for fun?
"It's serious" -Kevin
"What ever happens, happens; were taking it one step at a time" -Trevor
-How do you come up with your songs?
"We start with a guitar riff then we all just throw something in" -Kevin
-How long has the band been together?
"Shayne, Kevin and Samantha about a year. Then me and Alicia joined in
Fall 2004". -Trevor
-What would you like people to know
about the band?
"I play naked" -Kevin
"He feels more comfortable, he feels like he is one with the bass"
-Samantha
-How many songs have you guys written?
"We have four songs finalized, and about ten are a work in progress"
-Trevor
"No; there are like a million in progress"
-What are some of your favorite songs
to cover?
"Beach Boys" -Shayne
"Metallica and Tool. I really don't like the music, I just like the
bass line." -Kevin
"As I Lay Dying" -Samantha
"Avenged Sevenfold and Unearth" -Trevor
-What type of band are you?
"We are not like anyone." -Kevin
-Do you guys have any last words?
"Don't let a Chihuahua bite at your ankles." -Samantha
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CELEBRITY DEATH MAKES NEW IN THE PAST YEAR
By Sean Durdle
In the last year there have been many celebrity
deaths. I would love to address them all, but sadly I don't have enough
room. I went through the website weeuniverse.com/deaths.html, which has
the dates of deaths of celebrities, going back to September 2003. It
has deaths of celebrities, athletes, and even politicians. I figured
that I would just do a couple of the more recent deaths of people that
inspired and impacted us.
On February 20th of this year Hunter S. Thompson
(age 67) reportedly committed suicide. Thompson was a writer was best
known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Only ten days later Arthur
Miller, a very well known Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, died from
heart failure. He wrote Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, and many
more. On January 23rd, the entertainment world lost an icon in Johnny
Carson. Carson, as many know, was the former host of The Tonight Show,
and was credited for the huge popularity of late night talk shows. Only
about a month prior, on December 26, 2004, the world of sports lost
Reggie White who died of a heart attack. White was a former football
player for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and the Carolina
Panthers.
For man of the fans of music, especially rap, on November 13, 2004 "Ol'
Dirty Bastard" (whose real name was Russell Jones) died of a drug
overdose. Jones was a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. On October
10, 2004 we were rocked by the deaths of two celebrities. The first was
Christopher Reeve, who died of a heart failure. As many remember, Reeve
was the original Superman, who had a tragic accident that cause spinal
injuries that didn't allow him to walk or talk without aid. The same
day the baseball world suffered a great blow with the drug overdose of
Ken Caminiti (41), Caminiti was a baseball player who played for such
teams as the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and the
Atlanta Braves; he also won the National League MVP in 1996.
Although these weren't the only deaths of
celebrities in the past year, I feel that they do deserve to get some
recognition. I would recommend that you go to the website and check out
the rest of the celebrities that have died. Though these people have
the privilege of being in the lime light and having their deal publicly
acknowledged, many important people don't get the acknowledgement they
deserve, so check the website out and acknowledge the ones we have lost
throughout the years.
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Did you know that???
By the Honey Team
· First song ever sung in space: "Happy
Birthday" to the Apollo astronauts on March 8, 1969.
· 32% of people who join health clubs do so
between January and March
· First female boxing match in the U.S.: March
16, 1876. The winner got a silver butter dish.
· MTV aired their one millionth video in
March, 2000
· Not fast enough for us: Spring travels north
at a rate of 30 miles a day.
· Every thousand years , Spring gets
two-thirds a day shorter.
· Stiff as a board: Wood frogs freeze solid in
winter and thaw back to life in spring
· First CD pressed in the U.S. for commercial
release: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA.
· Americans buy 129 million eggs per week on
average- and 206 million the week before Easter.
· Americans buy more candy at Easter than they
do at Halloween.
· The most popular Easter egg color is blue:
Next are purple and pink.
· No yolk: Hens can lay eggs without a
rooster… but they'll never hatch into chicks.
· Egg shells are 90% calcium carbonate … the
same thing teeth are made out of.
· It takes about 18 minutes to cool melted
chocolate into a Hershey's Kiss.
· Cleveland, Ohio, chocolate maker Clarence
Crane invented Life Savers in 1912.
· Makes sense: Streetlamps in Hershey,
Pennsylvania, are shape like chocolate kisses.
· Pollination experts say: We can thank bees
for apples, flies for chocolate and bats for tequila.
· Vanilla is used to make chocolate.
· Hole in one! Life Savers are the most
popular non-chocolate candy in the U.S.
· Most popular chocolate candy in the U.S.
M&M's. Most popular M&M color: brown.
· Nutritional Fact: There are more places to
buy candy in the U.S. than there are places to buy bread.
· The average American consumes 26 pounds of
candy a year.
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Fortune Cookies
By Sarah Hoffman and Shauna Pardo
We're back!!! Sorry we weren't around last issue to give you your
fortunes , but traveling was a bit rough. Rainey sent us to Disneyland,
but our appointment was in Disney World, so we headed over to Florida.
We had a blast and now we're back for your enjoyment.
Freshmen: "You'll be in a whole new world with someone new."- Aladdin;
" A whole new world."
Sophomores: " There may be something there that wasn't there before."-
Beauty and the Beast; "Something There"
Juniors: " A dream is a wish your heart makes." - Cinderella; " A Dream
is a Wish your Heart Makes"
Seniors: " Don't underestimate the importance of body language." - The
Little Mermaid; " Poor Unfortunate Souls"
There ya have it! Freshmen, don't be afraid to start again, that's what
life is about. Sophomores, that friend you've been talking to lately,
take a second look. Juniors, wishes don't come true till you make them.
And seniors, this is almost self-explanatory. We'll catch you next
time, cause we're heading to the Deep South, with the Blue Collar
Comedy crew.
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Music breaks barriers
By Jackie Alcantar
"In the end our idea will overcome all barrier. We
were allowed to be pioneers, but first we have to die for this idea. So
many young people die for this regime, it's time that somebody dies
against it"
This quote, by Sophia Magdalena Scholl, is featured
in an album by one of the many bands that inspire me, Heaven Shall
Burn. They are a positive band so don't let the name fool you. It is
just a metaphor, the name "heaven" being the fantasy world that we make
up so not to face our problems.
Why do I prefer rock (ex hardcore, metal,
metalcore, screamo, ect.) to any other type of music? For one thing,
the lyrics have so much meaning and have helped and inspired many
people in ways that nothing else has. Most of the music I listen to has
meaningful and important messages.
Of coarse, every now and then we all love to get
down and have a good time and not really care what is being delivered
through the music we listen to, but since music is such a huge
influence on the way we talk, dress, and feel, I would rather be
listening to something I agree with and represents me in the best way
possible. Junior Janel Bravo says that she prefers harder music because
it makes her sway to the music and it sounds great.
Now I am not trying to knock any other type of
music. I would by lying if I said that I didn't put on some hip-hop or
classical music every once in a while. Harder music just tends to hold
more substance and deeper meaning for me but that's just me. "…For the
weakest of the weak, for the lowest of the low, my voice for the
voiceless, my fist for the enemy…"-Heaven Shall Burn.
So it's just my opinion that you find a music that
makes you feel good and that you can get something out of it to make
you feel more like you!
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Music changes through the years mirror our tastes, values
By Sean Durdle
Music is one of the only things in this world that can span the test of
time. Even if the music created didn't do well in it's own time,
there's always the possibility of it fitting in perfectly in
another. Throughout the past 50 years, the face of music has
evolved. This ever-change organism has allowed a multitude of new
acts and fresh ideas to grow. These things have not only grown
out of the artist's imaginations, but have grown into us, the
listeners. These songs have enriched our lives and some of us are
the better for it. (Unfortunately, I wasn't alive before the late 80's
so I don't know everything form the previous generations of music, so
don't get mad at me because I left a lot of stuff out.
In the 60's, rock quickly became a staple of the
music scene. Great artists such as Jimi Hendrix made huge
contributions to the history of music and how people view it. To
be a pioneer in the historical context of music is something that will
guarantee solidity as a legend in the hearts and minds of millions of
people everywhere. Many bands emerged in the 60's that will never
be forgotten. To name a few, The Beatles and The Doors first came
to fruition in this time era.
In the 70's, rock flourished. The music
multiplied with the years, and different musical branches were
born. The birth of hard rock came about in this time with bands
like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The appearance of disco also
came about in the70's. One of the most popular of these 70's disco
bands is the Bee Gees, who had a hit with "Stayin' Alive."
From the aftermath of the 70-'s came the 80's hair
bands and techno. Even though the 80's are usually associated
with neon colors, frizzy hair and bad fashion, many great bands came
out. Personally being a fan of 80's bands Depeche Mode and Tears
For Fears, I find a good amount of great music coming from this
era. Guns n' Roses, Slayer, and Van Halen also started to become
famous in the late 80's. Hip hop and rap also started to make big
moves in the music industry. Groups like Public Enemy paved the
way for artists that would soon come to make their own spot in music
history. Punk also started to garner success in the 80's with bands
like the Sex Pistols and early Bad Brains.
Then the 90's came, and music was shaped in ways
never thought poss8ble. Early 90's came with the sound of Grunge:
Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots. From these bands
came the beginning of new styles of Rock and Metal. By the mid to
late 90's, Metal and the new style of Rap-Metal started to become more
popular with bands like Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Korn, and
Slipknot. Gangster Rap started out strong with Dr. Dre, Snoop
Doggy Dogg (as he was known), Easy-E and all on Death Row
Records. It escalated into a war between east and west coast, and
most of us know where that went. Punk, Rap, R&B, Metal Hardcore,
Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, Grunge, Ska, and Emo are only a few of the genres
that had been created by the 90's. By the new millennium there
were so many new types of music and bands, it would be impossible for
me to list them all.
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Strange Bands, Come From Across The Sea
James Walker
4/15/05
So, those of you who have read the Pepper Bough have probably seen the
various band reviews by reporter Robert Campos, but he always covers
local bands. I'm here to do something different, and introduce
you to some bands you've likely never heard of and never would if I
didn't mention them. And you'll likely forget about it after your
done, but who cares? I'll have done my duty. Today, I'll
bring to you two bands from across the seas: Dir en Grey and Nightwish.
First, I bring to you Dir en Grey, a Japanese metal
band. This is arguably one of my favorite bands for a variety of
reasons. Dir en Grey has a tendency to be as hard as any band
you'll find over here while being much more melodic than them, and if
you add that to the angry and emotionally packed lyrics written and
sung by Kyo, then you've got great music. And they've got a
massive international fan-base, over 10 million fans worldwide, and
roughly 3 million are here in the United States. I've been a fan myself
for about 4 years now, and converted about 5 people to them since
attending this school. They've been around since 1997 first a
Visual Kei group, (that means they actively tried to appear as women)
with a much softer sound, and then in 2000 they evolved their sound to
a much harder one. But this doesn't sound too appealing does
it? Well,. Let me give you a few examples of their songs, and
they have quite a few with five CDs. To get an accurate grip on
their music and history you should hear their songs in this
order. "CAGE", "Myaku", "UMBRELLA", "CHILD PREY", "Kasumi", "THE
FINAL", and lastly "Saku". Most of them you can sample at their
official site.
Next is Nightwish, a Finnish band with a very much
unique sound. This band formed in 1996 with the purpose of
expressing their geekdom through a mix of metal and classical
music/opera. It doesn't seem appealing to wither, but it comes
together rater well. Listen to the song "Tutankhamen" from Angels
fall first, a very hard song with an Egyptian theme with very direct
references to Stargate, though most of is original. And some of
their songs are just funny, such as their most recent single "I Wish I
Had An Angel" from their 2004 album, Once. It sounds like it
would be in a Highlander movie, and listening to it makes you feel like
ripping out your sword, cutting someone's head off, and stealing their
powers through excruciatingly painful means. Great fun, great fun.
The only problem with either of these bands is that
they are in fact foreign, so their CDs can be incredibly expensive if
you don't know where to get them. So, there's not any real legal
way to hear them other than through their websites, but all you have to
do to find them is type in the band name into Google. They pop up
immediately so it wont be hard at all.
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Mars Volta shines with new album
by Jackie Aguilar
The Mars Volta's new album,
Frances
the Mute, is not a sequel to their first album,
De-Loused in the Commatorium. Yes,
it builds a story around the memory of a dear departed friend, but the
similarities end there. The album is 77 minutes long, with a
one-song concept full of epic music and electronic pulses.
The story is inspired by a diary found in the backseat of a car. The
names of each of the songs ar4e named after the people in the diary.
This is a great prog-rock song that shows just how much talent and
creativeness that this band has "L'Via L'Viasquez," a track on the
album, is sung entirely in Spanish, while another is 13 minutes long.
The Mars Volta is different from all of the bands today. They have a
style completely their own. For those of you who don't know, members of
this band were also in bands called Sparta and at the drive in. their
music combines various forms of latin, jazzy interludes, and fierce
progressive rock to form a totally new sound. The good thing is that
the mars volta did not change their sound too much from their previous
cd. Cedric Bixler-Zavala is the lead singer; his voice is impressive
and unique. The vocals integrated with the music creates the perfect
sound.
It will take you a while to listen to all of this cd, but I assure you,
you wont regret it. If you are craving a new sound that sets itself
apart from the rest then go pick up a copy of
Frances the Mute.
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Upcoming films a potpourri of action, comedy, romance, horror
Sandy Chhin
5-19-05
3-Iron (coming
out April 29th Rated R for sexual content) is about a man who is
homeless that lives like a ghost. His daily routine involves
temporarily staying in cacant homes though he never steals or touches
any one's belongings. He eats their food and sleeps in their beds, but
to pay them back, he does nice things for them around the house, like
repairs around the house here and there. One day he breaks into the
house of a beautiful model imprisoned there by her abusive husband.
When he crosses paths with the model, the instantly notice the
similarities in their souls. Later, they find themselves unable to
separate and accept their new destiny.
The Amityville
Horror (Out April 15th, Rated R for violence, sexuality, and
brief drug use) On November 4th, 1974, Police received a frantic call
that led them to a frightening scene in Amityville, Long Island-and
entire family had been slaughtered in their beds. In the days that
followed, Ronald Defeo confessed to shotting the family, claiming that
"voices" in the house drove him mad. One year later, George and Kathy
Lutz and their three children move into the home thinking it would be
their dream home. Shortly after moving in, George was haunted by
unexplainable voices and had nightmarish visions from an evil presence.
Exactly 28 days after moving in, The Lutz family was lucky enough to
escape with their lives.
A Lot Like Love
(April 22nd; Rated PG-13 for sexual content) Some people say they don't
believe in love at first sight. A Lot Like Love is an idealist comedy
about destiny and connection. It traces the relationship of Olive
(Ashton Kutcher) and Emily (Amanda Peet) who met on a flight in Los
Angeles -both declaring that they couldn't be more mistaken for each
other.
The Weather
Man (TBA, Rated R for strong language and sexual content) Famous
Chicago weatherman, Dave Spritz (Nicholas Cage), has an opportunity of
a lifetime to audition for a national morning television show. In his
career, Dave is on top of the world, but his personal life is a huge
mess. Dave's excruciating divorce, his dad's sickness and his troubled
kids who fight him everyday. The more he tries to control events, the
more he discovers life is like the weather-unpredictable.
Bomb The System
(coming out April 8th, rated R for persuasive language, drug use,
sexual content and nudity) Anthony "blest" Campo and his gang are the
best street artist in town, which makes them a prime target for Bobby
and the Vandal Squad. After a lethal accident threatens to break
up the crew and persuades Blest to leave the town for good, a violent
clash is inevitable.
Smile (Out
April 8th, Rated PG 13 for Sexual Maturity) An American teen travels to
China as part of a charitable organization to meet a Chinese
counterpart who is going through corrective facial surgery. The
American teen shows her Chinese counterpart that she is beautiful no
matter what she looks like.
Palindromes (Coming out April 15th , Not yet Rated) Thirteen Year-old
Aviva Victor wants to be a mom. She does all she can to make this
happen, but in the end, her parents ruin her plans; so she decides to
run away. This time she is even more determined to become pregnant, but
she gets lost in this world with all these strange possibilities. In
the end it's hard to say if she'll ever be the same again, or if she
can be anything BUT the same again.
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Veronica Elder
By Shauna Pardo
Born on the 3rd of May and teaching here at Colton high school is
Veronica Elder. Elder is a member of our math department teaching
Algebra II and AVID, but primarily Algebra II. Elder has lived in
Fontana but claims to have grown up in San Bernardino, (now East
Highland) because that's where she went to school: Aquinas High School,
a private Catholic school. She also attended San Bernardino Valley
College, then transferred to Cal State, San Bernardino and achieved a
bachelor's degree in mathematics. She now lives in Redlands with her
husband and her two kids; her daughter, 17, attending Redlands East
Valley High, and her son, 13, attending Clemmons Middle School in
Redlands. Most may wonder, "if living in Redlands and both children
attend Redlands schools, why not teach in Redlands?" Elder simply
approaches these questions with "because my family's from Colton, it
means so much to give back to the community that they are from." She
says she likes the challenge of working here; she wants to make a
difference at this school. Elder has been here for 4 ¼ years and
plans to be here for plenty more.
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Major League Baseball, Juiced
By Paul Heredia
For the past few months' baseball has been under investigation due to
the numerous allegations of steroid use of past and present players.
The credibility of many baseball players and records they set has been
on the line and in some cases has been lost all together. It has driven
baseball officials to hold intensive steroid testing to make sure that
the players are not trying to enhance their abilities in illegal ways.
As Steroid allegations in baseball have come on strong in these last
few month' s, at the forefront of the scandal has been retired Mark
McGwire, who some believe is very legitimate player, while others
believe he did not come through for baseball last month when he was in
front of Congress. McGwire says he is trying to bring positive aspect
to baseball and that the amount of steroids used is not that
significant to any such records or games. McGwire sat in front Congress
in stunned fashion as they asked him a few questions on his use of
steroids, and if it was a factor in his 1998 homerun record that
brought America's past time to a new high. When asked if he used
steroids during this period of time in his career he replied, " I'm not
here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive about this
subject." Then asked whether steroids was cheating, McGwire replied,
"That's not for me to determine." Many American people believe he could
have taken a stand for all of baseball by saying that he had used
steroids, and in this case could have spoken to all others by saying
that is was not right and it should not be used in any case. But, by
him avoiding questions and drifting off to different points he put
himself in the light that he has used steroids and he does not want to
admit it, because his stellar career records could be taken away.
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