Bloodhound Gang

The Bloodhound Gang is a 5-man rap-rock group most notorious for their blunt innuendos, satire and candid humor.  There is nothing they won't make fun of.

The band is originally from Pennsylvania, and was put together by lead singer Jimmy Pop.  They pride themselves on being both immature and uncouth, but with an electric wall-o-sound that has prudently evolved since their band formed in 1991. 

Their songs feature a lot of political and pop-culture satire, with hard rock roots and extensive vamping.  Lead singer  Jimmy Pop explains that it 'makes us feel better' to 'hurt everyone's feelings'.  Columbia Records shared their comedy styling and released their first album 'Use Your Fingers' in 1995.

In 1998 their hit single 'Along Comes Mary' became  the inaugural track to the stoner comedy Half-Baked.  However, their true breakthrough came with their 2000 release of Hooray For Boobies.  With infectious songs like 'Bad Touch' and the 'Ballad of Chasey Lain', they finally started drawing huge audiences and were able to tour Europe with their ever-growing fan base.

Their last album was Hefty Fine, released in 2005 and still continues to evolve their sound.  This band was a huge inspiration for my musical endeavors, and I urge you to listen to them!

Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow

Queens of the Stone Age is a rock group from Palm Desert, California.  Josh Homme is their lead vocalist and guitarist, and started the band in 1996.  Their current line-up features Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, Joey Castillo on drums, and Dean Fertita on keyboard/guitar.

They feature hard rock roots, with blues and grunge influences.  Their subtle use of vocal harmonies and antiphony is a good contrast with their heavy sound. 

On why Homme settled on the name 'Queens' instead of 'Kings', he stated that "...Rock should be heavy enough for the boys and sweet enough for the girls." 

Their popularity peaked when, in 2001, former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl joined to help record their third (and best) album, Songs for the Deaf.   However, other projects required Grohl to leave the band.  He was soon replaced by former Danzig drummer and permanent member Castillo.

Songs for the Deaf reached gold status in 2003 at just under 1 million copies sold, and came very close to the Billboard Top 40.  However, their next album  'Lullabies to Paralyze' debuted at number 6 on the same Billboard Top 40.  Josh Homme also made a guest appearance on Comedy Central's Tosh.O for a web remix with internet sensation Samwell.

P.S.  This is one of my most favorite videos of all time.

Alkaline Trio

The Alkaline Trio is a punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois.  They are a 3-piece, formed in 1996 with their lead guitarist Matt Skiba being the only original member.

For a 3-piece band, they still cover many sounds and continuously refine their tenor.  The band started small with lead guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba, bassist Rob Doran and drummer Glen Porter.  In 1997, Slapstick singer and bassist Dan Andriano replaced Rob Doran in 1997, and the band thereafter began to actuate a sizeable fanbase..

Since Dan's arrival, he has added a complementary voice to Matt's singing.  The two write their own songs and lyrics, for which they both do their own vocals.  Due to their contrast in vocal quality, their songs each have a unique feel to it, yet evoke the same fervent  response.

To date, the band has released seven studio albums, with their newest album - "This Addiction" - having been released in February 2010.

Throughout my time in high school, there was always one band that summed up my wasteful youth with its alluring and magnetic sound.  This band was my biggest inspiration for musical endeavors.  My rebellious, adolescent phase syncopated perfectly with their punk roots and omnipotent vocal harmonies.  They are most renowned for their electric wall-o-sound, rhythmic syncopation and verbose melodic phrasing.

My Muse

The Muse trio is from a sleep town of Teignmouth, Devon.   They started their British rock band experiment at age 13, more popularly known at first as the Rocket Baby Dolls.

Muse - by Warner-Music
By 1997, the band had decided on the name 'Muse', and released their self-titled debut EP with Dangerous Records.

Their first full-length album was called Showbiz, released around New Years of 1999.  The band reached platinum status with the release of their hit album The Origin of Symmetry.

The trio consists of guitarist and vocalist Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme on Bass Guitar, and Dominic Howard on drums.  Their fusion of progressive rock, electronica, and Radiohead-influenced experimentation have lead to an amazingly unique sound.

Knights of Cydonia is by far their best video.  It introduced me to this band, and definitely left a lasting impression.  Check out some of their other videos on Youtube!