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R.A.T. v 2.0

Badass Boss Battles - Aug '09 BRR Monthly Mix Brigade

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VBZ4A02Y

The idea for this mix came suddenly. Here I was polishing off what was originally intended to be August’s mix, and then – BAM! It was an itch that wouldn’t subside until I indulged in scratching it. When promptings are this strong and this sudden you run with it!

“Badass Boss Battles” is the soundtrack to the hypothetical METROID: The Movie – the greatest movie never created. Oh yes!! I’ve ALWAYS - always always always - thought that the Metroid series would prove to be a solid foundation for a slammin movie. And thanks to modern advancements in cinematic production the feasaability for a movie this huge and this awesome is now all too real. Think about it:

- A foxy protagonist who is like a cross between Laura Croft and Lt. Ripley. Indeed! An interstellar amazon warrior woman sealed within a wicked cool space suit fitted with all the fixins to capture her bounty.

- Flying neon energy-sucking parasites that, once they’ve latched on, only get angrier and more vicious the more you struggle to shake them loose;

- Teams of technologically advanced space pirates who are addicted to a rare radioactive mineral and will do anything necessary to obtain it;

- Huge, ominous caverns, lit by winged luminescent octopods, that undoubtedly house little alcoves and nooks in where powerups are attained;

- Ruins of an extinct noble alien civilization situated in a snowy canyon under a sapphire sky

- Haunted spaceships, eons after crash landing, that are home to indigenous creatures and flora both beautiful and deadly…

Basically, the game has an overall perfect melding of futuristic technology, extraterrestrial geography, and alien biology. Put in the right hands, the cinematic production of these locations and characters would catch the attention of anybody with a set of eyeballs and even a rudimentary understanding of what makes stuff awesome.

But, to get to the main point: I adore the musical element in all of the Metorid titles. They convey space and atmosphere in each of the massive levels like the ones described above – Hence, the overall goal of this mix.

It’s critical to acknowledge that Metroid is not just a shoot-‘em-up-with-everything-you’ve-got type of game; There are rarely waves upon waves of cracked out aliens fuming to get at you. NAY! 75% of the game is spent EXPLORING! And through it all, the music is appropriately composed and non-intrusive. These locations are included in this months mix.

On the flip side: I’ve played other games with a constant trancey/techno soundtrack and after a while it just sounds repetitive; totally ineffective when the time calls for a hard, driving beat… Like during a Badass Boss Battle!

The bosses in Metroid are awesome! They come in all shapes and sizes. From a single massive spherical entity with pustules that birth tentacles intended to whip around and knock you off into the pool of acidic excrement, to the mother of all mother brains who will eventually morph into a slobbering 50 ft. steel skeletal figure. I love the initial panic that’s felt when the boss battle begins because chances are you’re not exactly sure how to take this monstrosity down; what is it’s head and what is it’s rear end? What are these swooping flashing neon rings spewing out of that one orifice on it’s… I guess it’s abdomen??? Why are my super-missles completely ineffective?!!? AND IS THERE SERIOUSLY NO WAY OUT OF THE BATTLE ARENA?! Ah, well then… It’s time to jump in headfirst! Indeed. And during it all, a pulsating 140BPM track is much needed to enhance the experience of fighting a Badass Boss Battle. These tracks are also included in this month’s mix.

So, to bring this back around to the legitimacy of becoming a movie… Taking all of this into consideration how awesome would this be in a fully equipped cinematic environment? Yeah, that’s what I thought. To deny the movie’s plausible awesomeness is to deny the very existence of the universe itself.

The tracks in this month’s mix CD would be mixed in surround, with more a little more emphasis on volume in the side and rear speakers. A cinematic production can get as CGI-intensive and 3D as it frikkin wants, but it is bupkis – BUPKIS! B-U-P-K-I-S- without surround sound.

But, until then (if ever) trip to these tracks and create your own Metroid experience.

My new desktop wallpaper...

And will remain so for a great while:

New banner

Ewww.

It's comical how abruptly I realized that the old ManCalledSun banner was butt-ugly. It shot down my spine like a jolt of electricity. I'm almost embarrassed that it stayed there to so long. So, I made another one. It's serving more as a place setter right now and is an idea that may get built upon. Something, anything than that previous atrocity. I'm currently going for a different look; something that doesn't scream, "HEY CHECK IT OUT I'M USING PHOTOSHOP WEEEEEEEEE!!!!! DISTORT IMAGE DISTORT TEXT DISTORT DISTORT DISTORT"

In all honesty one of the main motives behind creating this blog was to give me a reason to finally learn Photoshop. The covers for the Monthly Mix Brigade are also good practice. It's all in good fun.

p.s. I cannot get enough of the new MELVINS album.

Emily Post - Shmemily Post

I like to think of myself as a civilized fellow. I make eye contact, have a hearty handshake, say please, say thank you, strive to keep my elbows off the dinner table... that sorta stuff. But this lady, and her influence on innocent women - like my poor wife - make me want to revert back to barbarianism. Say hello to "Miss Manners" herself - Emily Post:

Emily Post lived a million years ago. She was born into affluence which apparently gave her the notion and ambition to dedicate her life to being annoying about etiquette. At some point in MIZZ Post's life (Her husband left. Take a wild guess why) she basically crowned herself the world's leading authority in what is and what is not frikkin PROPER!

In One Trillion Million B.C. she even created the "Emily Post Institute" intended to draw other people (mostly WOMEN who nag their husbands about not blowing snot rockets at the dinner table) into the fold of etiquette snobbery. Within the walls of this sanction they came up with a gaggle of other ideas and concepts for other modern uptight socialites to live by. Like this:

A proper place setting? PROPER? says who? YOU!? HA! Gimmie a wooden bowl, a cork on a fork, a Stein of Grog and sit me at the kiddie table, thank you. We'll bark Clutch songs in unison, toast to our barbarianism, and start a totally awesome food fight while you folks, with raised pinky fingers, sip your dainty little tea cups and discuss fancy ornamental bureau's and dog breeding or whatever.

Then Emily Post died. Her followers took it upon themselves to continue her legacy. Part of the curriculum is learning how best to badger and nag people who don't walk on egg shells wishing to be proper during every passing second of every passing day. Modern-day outlets of high-brow education and naggery include podcasts, seminars, college classes, the central hub of a universe full of hassle and frustration: Emilypost.com, and a newly-completed biography on the evil one herself:

Oh good, a paper weight for all the research I'm doing on the Crusades - something way awesomer than salad forks and doilies...

HELLS YEAH!!!!!!

Hey, look what I found

Pictures! I took these during the course of the summer about three years ago - or was it four? Whichever. My pappy was generous enough to lend me his Cannon yadda-yadda-yadda and gave me a brief run through on camera mechanics. I was using standard 400-speed film and shot three or four rolls. The pics I have posted here are a few of my favorites.

I really enjoyed going out with a keen eye. It wasn't my intent to capture romantic settings but more so get crazy with shutter speed and aperture width. With film there's always the thrill and hope that the picture will come out as you intended. Sometimes it doesn't develop how you wanted, it turns out better!

The Nebula/Dozer split on a 12" LP convincingly dyed to mimic flames. With this I was more interested in how the drawing in the center would turn out with a slower, but not too slow, shutter speed. Good tunes. Oh man, good tunes!

Don't remember what I was going for in this one. Still cool, I think.

This was shot downtown on Superior. My intent was a flat still life but at the last second the camera autofocused on the reflection in the puddle.

Outside the Rock Hall. This was towards the end of my afternoon and I was weary of walking around so much. I basically took this just for the heck of it.

Cruising down lake road approaching a group of trees. I really like how this turned out - very... Pastel, whispy... or blurry if you wanna be a prick about it.

Totally just messing around

At the Old Field in the Chagrin Metro Parks. I love it back there. Why not bring a camera and see what catches my eye?

I forgot what I did here

A personal favorite. I don't know what it is about this one but it just tickles me.