On this day in history Quarterback Matt Barkley of the University of Southern California was to announce his decision whether to enter the NFL Draft or return to USC to play for the Trojans one last year as a senior in 2012. There are several pros and cons for each possible scenario and while every individual has the right to their own opinion, the truth of the matter is that Barkley would relish in a massive volume of success no matter what his decision is. Many of you understand the tremendous importance of this decision and all of the implications that go along with it, but if you want an in depth analysis on the decision, and the main factors contributing to said decision, no one can explain it better than Arrogant Nation's own Zach Jerome of 'Lost Angeles':
My Opinion? I'm a Trojan! Of course I want Barkley to return! While it is obvious that going to the NFL has its financial benefits (could you pass that up?) there is something about USC that is special. I am not an athlete at USC nor do I represent any prestigious stature here but I can tell you from experience that being a Trojan is an enticing and captivating experience and no one should ever run away from that experience.
Well, he didn't run...
...instead...
MATT BARKLEY ANNOUNCED
HIS RETURN TO USC IN 2012!!!
"My Own Personal Cell Phone Footage"
The quality of the video is sketchy (had to prove I was there though right) but there is a high quality video posted to the USC Football website here: http://www.usctrojans.com/allaccess/?media=289618
Matt Barkley's Announcement came with these words:
"I will earn my degree, the bonds have been forged, but I know in my heart that I have not yet finished my journey as a Trojan football player. Our USC football team has been through some tough times and we have persevered, but the 2012 team has some serious unfinished business to attend to, and I intend to play a part in it."
This was one of the most exciting experiences of my young life and although I have been to a lot of concerts, sporting events, etc. I have never felt an electrifying presence as strong as I did today when the press sat and stood within the confines of Heritage Hall and applauded the announcement that Matt Barkley would return next season.
2012 may now become one of the most successful season in USC Football History. The National Championship is the Trojans' to lose. The Heisman Trophy is already being engraved with Barkley's name. The anticipation is tremendous and if anyone has the athletic ability and mental capacity to take advantage of this opportunity it is Matt Barkley.
Matt Barkley WILL BE the greatest USC Trojan in the history of the institution. Barkley represents everything that goes along with being a student-athlete of the University of Southern California. I am overjoyed with the decision he has made and I wish him good luck in 2012.
In 2011 the most polarizing figure in sports is unarguably Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (But all his friends call him ‘Timbow’). The same love-hate relationship has surrounded the best/worst album of 2011 depending on who you ask. I speak of Korn’s latest album release. My point is that many of you are likely to close this article as soon as you see the mention of Korn because they accidentally created the 2nd most generally hated genre that exists under the ‘metal’ umbrella (let’s face it, glam rock is still #1). However, on this album they have explored the electronic music world as they collaborated with a multitude of today’s top DJ’s in the world! Dubstep and Metal!?! Oh yeah…it just happened.
It was thrust upon the world all the way back on April 11th, 2011 at the Coachella Music Festival. Skrillex, who many consider to be the ‘Prince of Dubstep,’ was tearing through his set when he invited “a couple of friends out” to join him for a couple tunes. Jonathan Davis and Munky of Korn hit the scene and the crowd went fucking crazy!!! 8 months later Korn released their 10th Studio album The Path of Totality through Roadrunner records to sell 55,000 copies in its first week and hit #10 on the billboard charts.
Coachella 2011 - Skrillex Welcomes Korn to the Stage
(Korn introduced at 1:05)
I think the fusion of dubstep and metal is a match made in heaven. They are both genres that inspire a lot of emotional release and physical displays of primitive debauchery. Korn’s music follows a lot of the basic principles that dubstep music typically follows as well as far as the tempo and pitch are concerned. Bass up the ass is the name of the game and no one knows how to play it better than Korn of the ‘90s and Skrillex of today’s new electronic uprising. I LOVE the album. Is this is an ‘experiment’ as they say than consider it a raving success (ha, ‘rave’…see what I did there?). It is certainly a Korn album and all Korn haters will likely continue to hate but they truly executed on a great collection of tunes that weave in and out of guitars, drums, and computers, seamless and with impeccable fervor. While some of the songs seem to kind of run together, there are others like “Narcissistic Cannibal” and “Get Up” that are stand out anthems! Skrillex had the biggest impact on the record and quite frankly the quality of his tracks is far superior to the others. Jonathan Davis pushes his vocal range past his limits which is nice to see as we did on a few tracks from their 2007 ‘Untitled’ album.
The opening notes of this track are particularly curious as it is seemingly a harmony of guitars and computer-based high pitched sound waves. It is in this song’s explosive riffs and the head-bang worthy chorus that we discover the massive brute force that results in the synthesis of electronic, dubstep, and heavy metal music. These first two tracks are undoubtedly not ‘hit singles,’ they manage to project a powerful message and I think that message is: “Metal and Dubstep were made to be together!”
3. “My Wall” (feat. Excision)
Black Sludge. Two words that together describe this third track perfectly. Bass driven, slow-paced, electro-sludge metal. Hahaha I love genre identifiers…so worthless. Anyways, by this time in the album I feel like I’ve heard three songs that sound nearly the same and I’m anxious to move on and hopefully find something a bit more exciting.
4. “Narcissistic Cannibal” (feat. Skrillex & Kill The Noise)
BINGGOOOO!!!! I wanted exciting and this track here is just that! If you have ever wondered what kind of heavy metal music the high-intelligent aliens of a distant universe are listening to (which we all wonder from time to time) than you should probably take a listen to this song! The chorus is catchy and powerful but, it is a bit too perfect and for some reason it sounds a little cheesy (or Korny). Nonetheless this song is another perfect example of a seamless relationship between today’s Dubstep DJ phenomena and the crunching sounds of metal!
Official Music Video
5. “Illuminati” (feat. Excision & Downlink)
In this tune, similar to “My Wall,” the production skills of Excision are obvious and intentional. Barreling bass trudges around like the depressed white ball in the Zoloft commercials. Davis plays with some interesting vocals during the verse that is rather penetrating but the lyrical content on the whole feels bland. Overall this song is forgettable and only the purest of Korn fans will see anything to smile about here.
6. “Burn the Obedient” (feat. Noisia)
A lot of people reviewing this album make claims that much of the album reflects the sound of Korn’s 2002 offering ‘Untouchables.’ For the most part I think this is an exaggeration however “Burn the Obedient” really does sound like something off the previous effort. It fits in somewhere between “Make Believe” and “Blame”….right? Anyways, good tune for the number six slot on an album.
7. “Sanctuary” (feat. Downlink)
This has to be the most interesting recording on the album. I don’t quite know how to put my finger on it but “Sanctuary” is an extremely compelling and overwhelming track. I feel like I’m being hypnotized with what sounds like an attempt at a ‘dubstep-ballad. Altogether I think it is a lovely little gothic number that left me wanting more however I feel like I am in the minority here. Not many that I have talked to seemed to get too excited over this song so maybe there’s some subliminally personal connection for me. One last thought…take Robert Smith and The Cure and slam them together with the sounds of Brock Lesnar pounding on the back of a an immobilized and hallowed out beached whale crying out for help and you get… “Sanctuary.”
8. “Let’s Go” (feat. Noisia)
There are a lot of things about this song that are ‘vintage Korn’ (are they old enough to be vintage yet?). A little repetitious groveling that sounds like that of an adolescent teen who just got picked on for the first time in high school. However, that is what a lot of people appreciate about Korn; their emotional vulnerability. Anyways, this song is great but certainly nothing new added to the music world.
9. “Get Up!” (feat. Skrillex)
The Prince of Dubstep returns for his last track of the album! BOOOOOM WAAAH WAAH WAAH WAAH WAAAH SHUT THE FUCK UP GET UP!!!! There ya go haha my typed impression of this song. In all seriousness this is by far one of the best songs on the album and I hope this shows the world that mosh pits can have fists, glow sticks, leather, lace, weed, and ecstasy in it all at the same time and not only survive harmoniously, but thrive vigorously!
Official Music Video
10. “Way Too Far” (feat. 12th Planet)
Listen up folks because this track gets my official certification for best song on the album! “Way Too Far” just edges out “Narcissistic Cannibal” and “Get Up” for best track on The Path of Totality. What won me over about this track is its perfect storm of heart-thumping power, intimate melodies, and the aura it creates during a live performance. Davis clearly enjoys growling over the electronic bass waves of fury and soon his demonic freak outs turn to lighter-burning sing-a-longs with the crowd! 12th Planet is the featured producer on this one and although it is his only appearance on the album, the American Father of Dubstep leaves no doubt who the master is. I believe this will be the third single off the album and if people could put aside their preconceived notions about Korn and their ‘nu-metal’ stereotype than it could be quite the hit.
11. “Bleeding Out” (feat. Feed Me)
Keyboard intro feels a little out of place here as we quickly jump into the crunching guitar riffs we’ve come so familiar with. All you really need to know about this track is that Jonathan Davis explains that the song is about a rat that lived in a tree at his house where he and his friends would smoke. He got tired of the rat pestering the area so he shot that motherfucker with a gun! Hahaha hence the “…bleeding out” reference….derp. The best part of this song, and one of the most exciting/surprising moments of the album, was the bagpipe solo that enters un-introduced in the bridge. The sustained bagpipe notes lead into a funky collaboration of choppy bagpipe flutters and ‘drum n bass’ rhythm that is to die for (or dance for!).
12. “Fuels the Comedy” (feat. Kill The Noise)
I love the intentions of this song but the execution is just not quite there. It feels like an attempt at a spontaneous and frantic free-styling through a stream-of-consciousness lens that comes off as a bit immature and whiny. However, it is certainly corrected by having a completely addicting and catchy chorus. It’s a track that certainly has its ups and downs and it is understandable as to why this was only released on deluxe albums.
13. “Tension” (feat. Excision, Datsik & Downlink)
This is an all dubstep track with Jonathan Davis performing vocals over a swarm of Datsik and Downlink infused dubstep. Again, it only appears on deluxe versions of the album and it actually seems like it might have been more deserving of a slot of a JDevil EP or LP (cross your fingers). The freak-out that begins around 2:43 completely caught me off guard and if I was at first intrigued; I was quickly thrown back against the wall with amazement. Davis scats harder and crazier than I have ever heard! The violent vocal menagerie is combined with appropriately time ‘drum ‘n’ bass’ thumps that create an exorcist like surrealism.
As I'm sure most of you have heard, football is coming back to Los Angeles. There are a lot of mixed emotions regarding the yet to be announced Los Angeles team franchise and I'm as skeptical as the next guy. I've been a Green Bay Packers fan since the mid-1990s and regardless of what team becomes the Los Angeles team, I'm not so sure I'm willing to transfer my loyalty (Oh and Yes! I'm a bandwagon fan, I hopped on the Brett Favre bandwagon when I was 7 haha). 5 major candidates for the new Los Angeles franchise include the Vikings, Chargers, Jaguars, and our old friends the Raiders and Rams.
Who do you want to come to LA???
Will you become a die-hard Los Angeles Football fan immediately???
Is it considered 'band-wagoning' to be loyal to a brand new team???
These are the questions us SoCal natives must address in the very near future (I'll be staring at myself in the mirror with the lights off for 24 hrs straight waiting for a revelation.....it's the proper way to do things).
However there is 1 thing that everyone in SoCal can be certain about.....The Los Angeles Football Stadium is going to be the greatest stadium ever built!!!
Depending on your age and your level of intelligence you may be asking yourself a few of the above questions. And quite frankly, we all have questions about this "SQS" project because it's relatively secret and the details of the device (if it even is a device) are unknown to most.
What we do know is that Neil Young is creating a 'music listening device' that is supposed to put out incredible sound quality as well as integrating this into the music world we've come to enjoy such as downloading content, web access, etc.
Some Tweety Tweets about it:
Just an FYI, the original tweet that broke this story is pictured above. Mr. Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers mentioned it once and people are already going nuts with curiosity.
So keep your eyes and ears open for more info about this and hit me up on the comments or Facebook....let's break the news right here on The Source!!!
P.S. Neil Young is a LEGEND
(If you don't know....research his work on the internet so you don't look like a fool haha)
Caleb Followill, the front man for Kings of Leon, has really fucked up this time. During a recent show in Dallas Followill ended the show early because his voice was "100% gone" and he was far too exhausted to continue. Rather than explain the details of how lame this is, just watch for yourself:
I'm well acquainted with a lot of musicians and have spoken to a plethora of professional musical performers of all shapes and sizes and I truly cannot fathom how this guy thinks it's okay to do this. This stunt will surely cost the band a lot of fans, money, respect, etc. In all my years of going to 12-Hour long Metal festivals every Summer I completely understand heat exhaustion and performing in tough conditions. However, nothing excuses ending a show early like he did and absolutely NOTHING excuses the cancellation of their entire U.S. tour!!!!
I was never a huge fan of the band but I respected their story and their ability to write great songs. Now??? I hope the whole act goes down in flames. People are busting their asses every fucking day to keep the Kings of Leon Enterprise successful and how does Followill repay them? Take it a step further....the music industry is in a rough patch and it's near impossible to make a living as a musician today. Baby bands are dedicating their lives and all their blood sweat and tears to their music just to survive from day to day and then this asshole just walks off stage because he's too "Dog-Gone Hot" !!!! It's awful and even on my level of involvement I'm offended.
A statement from the group chalked up Friday's meltdown to "heat exhaustion and dehydration… causing [Followill's] vocal chords to seize." However, the rest of the group's reaction to the incident has hinted at the band's internal problems: drummer Nathan Followill called the show a "fiasco" on Twitter, and bassist Jared Followill wrote, "I know you guys aren't stupid. I can't lie. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade."
Approximately 60,000 people packed into the Coliseum on Saturday Evening as the energy within the arena grew stronger the closer time approached the Rage Against the Machine set. Perfect Weather for an outdoor concert combined with the legendary atmosphere of USC's current home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to set the stage for the concert of the summer!
El Gran Silencio kicked things off at 3pm with an authentic and fun set they have become known for. Immortal Technique was up next and it was fucking powerful. Freestyle raps, Revolutionary rants, and Acapella flows defined the set and made for a great pre-lude to the rest of the bands. Ms. Lauryn Hill was the outcast of the line-up however this did not stop her from rockin out hard! The crowd really seemed to enjoy all of these opening acts but Lauryn Hill had all of us jammin! Especially to some of her reggae covers!
The sun began to set and the crowd continued to work up a buzz @ $9 a beer and well, who knows what they paid for the weed! haha Time for Rise Against!!! I was completely satisfied with Rise Against's set. The production value was not on par with the headliners but they played all their hits and their live rendition of "Hero of War" really touched the diverse audience. After their set it became very clear to me why Rise Against has become such a great sensation; high energy show and catchy ass tunes!!!
Then came Muse! One word sums up the Muse set, WOW! These 3 dudes really know how to put on a show! Amazing light effects and a multi-dimensional visual experience combined with the powerful songs of the Muse catalog to present a truly headlining performance. Each song inspired sing-alongs as well as some psychedelic trippin and to top it offMathew Bellamy would crank out some classic rock guitar riffs in between songs including favorites from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC. I must admit that some songs were a bit boring, especially considering the audiences tastes and the whole set seemed to run a bit long but overall Muse proved that they are worthy of playing in front of anyone!
Approximately 10:30PM....
Warm, Summer Evening in Los Angeles, CA....
The Scent of Marijuana and stale beer fills the air....
After an intense intro that including an intense video collaboration that depicted Rage Against the Machine controversies from the past and a complete tranformation from the LA Colisuem into a Red and Black Rage Fest!!! The arches turned red, the black flags and mysterious darkness of the arena was exposed and just as the famous torch went ablaze....so did Rage. "Testify" rang out with furry!!! Despite some early technical difficulties the set grew quickly into an all out party! Party....or riot?? Not sure. Fact is, people were going fucking crazy!!! Rage powered through some of their best including "People of the Sun" and "Township Rebellion"! The encore including a spine chilling speech by Zach De La Rocha and an over the top performance of "Freedom" and "Killing in the Name of". The resounding opinion of the audience was 'We Want More!' While the four members bowed at the front of the stage it almost killed me to realize this may be the greatest band of my generation! It was amazing in all Ways!!
They released their full length LP Megalithic Symphony back in March of 2011 and it has been quite a success! The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard Heat seekers chart as well as #45 on Billboard's Independent Charts. This tremendous success is partly due to the popularity of the hit single "Sail".
"Sail" has a fantastic tone with an innovative smattering of style that has launched it directly upward on the charts. Not to mention, the music video has done much to help create the spacey aura around the song and the band in general. All of this success with the record only compliments Awolnation's ability to perform strongly on stage.
Awolnation is currently travelling across the U.S. promoting Megalithic Symphony on the Nationwide Summer Tour. With the first leg of the tour already capped, Awolnation is picking up momentum for the rest of the tour!
Nationwide Summer Tour Dates
July 2011
July 8 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
July 10 - Milwaukee Summerfest - U.S. Cellular Stage (w/ The Bravery)
July 11 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue *
July 13 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
July 14 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club *
July 15 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground *
July 16 - West Chester, PA - The Note *
July 18 - Washington, DC - Red Palace *
July 19 - Richmond, VA - The Canal Club *
July 20 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa *
July 22 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall **
July 23 - Columbia, SC - Jillian's **
July 24 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues **
August 2011
Aug 3 - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge #
Aug 4 - Dallas, TX - The Prophet Bar #
Aug 5 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Studio #
Aug 6 - Tulsa, OK - Brady District Block Party (Flaming Lips, Primus, Mutemath)
Aug 8 - Tuscon, AZ - The Rock #
Aug 10 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades #
Aug 11 - Portland, OR - Roseland #
Aug 12 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory Concert House #
Aug 14 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House #
Aug 17 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex | The Rockwell #
Aug 18 - Denver, CO - The Summit Music Hall #
Aug 19 - Kansas City, MO - KRBZ's Buzz Beach Ball (Jane's Addiction, Incubus, Bush, Middle Class Rut)
Aug 20 - Calgary, AB - X-FEST (Jane's Addiction, Weezer, Social Distortion)
September 2011
Sept 2 - Seattle, WA - The End's Summer Camp
Sept 18 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
October 2011
Oct 14 - Pensacola, FL - DeLuna Fest
* (w/ Bear Hands, Redlight King)
** (w/ The Constellations, Redlight King)
# (w/ Wallpaper, New Regime)
^ (w/ Lights Resolve, Redlight King)
Also, Don't forget to download a free copy of "Sail" from Fuse.tv here!!!
Campus Crusade Intern Lauren Egbert is doing her part!
In order to raise support this summer Ms. Egbert is telling her story and spreading the good word to the world! Read her preview and show support in anyway possible and that definitely includes re-posting her info on Facebook!
"When I entered UCSD three years ago my goal was to finish in three years as a psychology major, attend graduate school at Point Loma, and start my career as a school counselor. However, something unexpected happened my second year of college that placed me on a different path.
I met a group of students and staff members from Campus Crusade for Christ and through them I came to understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with Christ.
Growing up I identified as agnostic, and although I had a very loving family and generally great childhood, in high school I was involved in an abusive relationship, and as a result I had a very low self-esteem and began to find my worth in what men said about me. This view of myself still existed when I entered college, but in my first year at UCSD I had a close friend who encouraged me to get involved with a Christian group on campus.
I met a group of people from Campus Crusade for Christ and began going to all of their events and one night during my second year, I attended church with a suitemate and heard a service on God’s unconditional love and grace. Up to this point, I had only experienced a love that was based on my looks or my abilities, but He loved me simply because I am His and was made in Him. I had been so focused on finding my worth in men, who constantly failed in providing me love that I was blinded by the fact that I had a God who loved me unfailingly. That night I gave my life to Christ and every moment since then I have been surrounded with the Campus Crusade community who has consistently encouraged me to grow in my relationship with Christ, giving me a deeper understanding and love of who He is.
Beginning to understand the love he has for me has given me a huge desire to share my relationship with Christ with others and I have been given an amazing opportunity to do this by serving with Campus Crusade at UCSD for an entire year! My team and I will devote this next year to building relationships with students, sharing the love of Christ, and presenting the opportunity to respond to the gift of salvation. I have already started a bible study with a group of freshmen girls and have seen immense growth in their relationship with Christ and it has been a blessed and humble experience allowing God to use my life to accomplish his work.
Because Campus Crusade is a non-profit organization I must raise all of my support this summer. Therefore, I'll be meeting with people and telling them this story, answering their questions regarding the internship, and asking for support in three ways:
- Financial support (either monthly or one-time gifts)
- Prayer
- Referrals (of people you may know who would be able to support me)
Thank you so much for reading my story and if you would like to set up an appointment with me or support me in any way call (951) 961-7807 or email at: lauren.egbert@uscm.org
