Third Eye Blind Launches New Website - Live Chat With The Band

After shifting operations from 3eb.com to their official myspace page for the release of their new EP, Red Star, it was unclear when and if we would see a new official website. That all changed a few days ago when www.thirdeyeblind.com was officially revealed to the public: a completely fan friendly website. This is a major upgrade from 3eb.com and has everything you would want in a band's website. The new site's best features include: lyrics and commentary on the new songs from the Red Star EP, individual blogs from 3 of the band members, and blogging capabilities for fans as well as a fan forum. It has only been a few days since the site was launched and already 882 fans have registered as members.

This news is just one event in a string of initiatives to connect with the fans that have stuck with them through the thick and the thin. There were some very long stretches with no news from the band and now it seems Stephan Jenkins is specifically going out of the way to connect with his fans in ways that was never before possible. He is very much in tune to how technology has impacted the landscape of the internet and has taken these new opportunities to reconnect with fans. You can hear his thoughts on this internet revolution here: Stephan Jenkins on Music and Technology. He seems very passionate about all of these new opportunities and has proved it through the indaba.com contests and his new twitter account among other things.

The big news from the launch of the new website is that they will be hosting a Live Q&A tonight for fans to come and ask all the lingering questions that have been unanswered in the six years since their last full-length album. I am going to try to get a couple questions in tonight and will be sure to post an update if I get a question answered.

Get excited 3eb fans!


"Red Star", "Why Can't You Be", & "NonDairy Creamer" Posted on Third Eye Blind's Myspace Page!

As you may of heard, Third Eye Blind's new EP, entitled Red Star, is set to hit a digital music store near you November 18th, 2008. Much to my delight, all 3 of the songs on the EP are currently up on their myspace page. They even put of a teaser video for their new full length album, entitled Ursa Major. Watch it below.

Ursa Major teaser

I would have to say that the title track is my favorite. "Red Star" has that classic Third Eye Blind sound that you come to expect. It really blew me away the first time I heard it. It sucks you in from the beginning and doesn't let go. Everything fits together perfectly and musically it's the best of the three.

"Why Can't You Be" is actually a live version and is the version that will be put on the EP. It is a song that a lot of people can relate to: a song about being frustrated in relationships.

"NonDairy Creamer" is really growing on me. My initial reaction to the song was more of excitement that the contest had started and that there was new Third Eye Blind material out there, than anything. It has that catchy element that "Semi-Charmed Life" had back over 10 years ago. I don't know if it will have that kind of mass appeal, but its definitely catchy.

Enjoy the new Third Eye Blind while it's still there.


90s Post-Grunge Playlist

After last week's 90s Pop Music playlist, I decided to get back to my real roots and create a playlist with a collection of some of the best rock songs of the late 90s. This playlist has some of my favorite artists from the 90s, and these bands are the reason I first became interested in music in general.

I tried to go with more of these band's more popular and familiar songs but I plan on creating a few more of these playlists, where I dig a little deeper into the genre.

My favorite from this playlist has to be "Push" by Matchbox Twenty, one of the best songs of any genre from the 90s. The opening to "Push" never fails to bring chills down my spine.

Fortunately, this is not the only great song on this playlist. All of these artists have proved their worth over the years, and these songs only sample their excellence.

Enjoy.

90s Post-Grunge Playlist:

1. "Heavy" by Collective Soul
2. "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
3. "Everything Zen" by Bush
4. "Old Apartment" by Barenaked Ladies
5. "How's It Going To Be" by Third Eye Blind
6. "I Alone" by Live
7. "Inside Out" by Eve 6
8. "Good" by Better Than Ezra
9. "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
10. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers

Here's the link for the whole playlist: 90s Post-Grunge Playlist

Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.


"Non Dairy Creamer" by Third Eye Blind - Song Of The Week

This is a brand new one from one of my favorite bands, Third Eye Blind. It is called, "Non Dairy Creamer" and it currently being used as part of a new contest for fans. Third Eye Blind is urging fans to log on to indabamusic.com and create a mix or remix of their new songs. Currently only "Non Dairy Creamer" is available, but other new songs are sure to follow. They are planning on picking the best mixes and creating a fan made album. I am going to try my best to create an entry in the weeks to come. If you end up submitting an entry, be sure to make a comment or email us at web at rizzomusic.com and I'll try my best to give it a listen. You can start mixing today just by creating an account at www.indabamusic.com and then by entering the contest here.

The song itself is very catchy and while it has some more politically charged lyrics than Third Eye Blind fans are used to, it is hard to not like this song. While I hope that this song is not the first single of "Ursa Major" due to its polarizing lyrics, it is a great musical arrangement. I would have personally preferred Mr. Jenkins to stay away from politics on this album, but can understand his need for his voice to be heard and he has earned the right to speak his mind on all subjects. I have always considered him to be a lyrical genius and I don't envision the new album changing my mind.

I will try to keep you updated on the contest and the new album as more details are revealed. You can listen to the studio version of the song on their Facebook page here and you can listen to all of the contest entries here.

That is all for this week's song.

For those interested in the lyrics,
here is how I heard them when listening to the song:

Lyrics

"They call it KFC,
Cause its not really chicken.
Hot Cheetos for breakfast,
Make a young student sickened.
Did you ever think someones tricking you?

And the guy in the pulpit,
Is a bigot and a liar,
Some kid walks into my school,
And opens fire.
Heard any good jokes lately?
Cause we sure do need them.
My punk band's called Operation Iraqi Freedom.

So whats it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?

A new love,
Is burning up in me,
Cause one in four American girls has an STD.
And you can buy yourself some implants,
But you can't buy soul threat level orange.

With your chest pumped out,
What are you so afraid about?
With your chest pumped out,
What are you so afraid about?
What are you so afraid of?
What are you so afraid of?

Whats it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?

And two gay guys got married,
Brought the family to its knees.
How did they blow us to smithereens?
Just a couple of queens.
How did they do it?
I'm telling you now,
Brought marriage to an end,
And I found myself some culprits,
It's two young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.

So what's it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?
So what's it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?

Mission Accomplished.
Mission Accomplished.
Mission Accomplished.

Some, someone we let murder,
Some, some we let go.
Some, someone we let murder,
Some, some we let go.
(not real sure on this stanza)

I sincerely want to thank you all for listening,
I thank you all."
Edit: Lyrics Updated November 21st.

If you have any changes to these lyrics, feel free to make a comment below.

Thanks for listening.


Popular Rock Music Of The 90s - The Songs That Defined A Decade

Rizzo Music is back with a new article from the "Popular Music of the 90s" series. Last week I made a list of some of the best pop music of the decade and today I am going to share with you my list for the most popular rock music of the 90s. Out of all the lists and playlists I have created in the past, this was by far the hardest to come up with. There are so many great artists and songs that originated in the 90s and deciding on just 5 songs for every year was tough. I tried to get representation out of all the key rock artists and hopefully I didn't forget anyone.

After much debate I was able to compile this list of 90s rock music. There are so many songs that I really enjoy that could not be included due restrictions on space but there are 50 great singles here for your enjoyment.

How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.

Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.

Interested in 90s Pop and Rap as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Pop Music
90s Rock Music

Starting with the year 1999:
1. "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit
2. "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind
3. "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. "The Chemicals Between Us" by Bush
5. "Heavy" by Collective Soul

1998:
1. "Inside Out" by Eve 6
2. "The Way" by Fastball
3. "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground
4. "Shimmer" by Fuel
5. "Closing Time" by Semisonic

1997:
1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve
2. "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
3. "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
4. "The Freshman" by The Verve Pipe
5. "Everything to Everyone" by Everclear

1996:
1. "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins
2. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
3. "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla
4. "What I Got" by Sublime
5. "In the Meantime" by Spacehog

1995:
1. "Lightning Crashes" by Live
2. "Wonderwall" by Oasis
3. "Glycerine" by Bush
4. "Name" by Goo Goo Dolls
5. "Good" by Better Than Ezra

1994:
1. "When I Come Around" by Green Day
2. "Shine" by Collective Soul
3. "I Alone" by Live
4. "Self Esteem" by The Offspring
5. "About a Girl" by Nirvana

1993:
1. "Rooster" by Alice in Chains
2. "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows
3. "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms
4. "No Rain" by Blind Melon
5. "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine

1992:
1. "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam
2. "In Bloom" by Nirvana
3. "Drive" by R.E.M.
4. "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica
5. "Creep" by Radiohead

1991:
1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
2. "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains
3. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
4. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
5. "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones

1990:
1. "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog
2. "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth
3. "Head Like A Hole" by Nine Inch Nails
4. "Stop!" by Jane's Addicton
5. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC

Well there you have it. The top 5 songs from each year of the 90s. Thanks for listening and enjoy.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.


90s Music Playlist - A Variety of Hits

It has been a long time since I made a playlist so I decided what better way to make a playlist then to have one with a little variety. '90s music is a topic that covers all genres and hopefully I got a good sample of the 1990s in this playlist. This playlist doesn't feature any hits that were that big in the '90s but does offer some pretty good songs and a couple of my favorites. No matter what type of music you enjoy, this should take you down memory lane, as there is sure to be at least one song you recognize. I hope you enjoy this selection of '90s music and be sure to tell me what you think of it. Feel free to check out my other playlists at the bottom of the post and I'll see you next time.

90s Music Variety Playlist

1. "Pardon Me" by Incubus
2. "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" by Spin Doctors
3. "Interglatic" by Beastie Boys
4. "A Sorta Fairytale" by Tori Amos
5. "I'm Going Home" by Hootie And The Blowfish
6. "Pony" by Ginuwine
7. "Linger" by The Cranberries
8. "Down In A Hole" by Alice in Chains
9. "Otherside" by Red Hot Chilli Pepppers
10. "10 Days Late" by Third Eye Blind

Here's the link for the whole playlist: 90s Variety Hits

Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.


Summer Hits Playlists

The summer is just around the corner and I will be posting a lot more often, updating you with music news, reviews and more playlists. For this playlist I wanted to give you a little taste of summer as the school year is almost over and hopefully this cold April weather is going to heat up this week. These ten songs might seem very random but they are some of my favorite songs and either have something to do with summer or just remind me of the season. I would just like to point out one song in particular, "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" by Jason Mraz. This song really has nothing to do with summer but I can remember listening to it constantly just a few summers ago and it seems that it is a song that might have been forgotten. I thought I would bring to light some classics like OMC and some songs you might not of heard of like "Just watch the Fireworks". Thanks for listening and I'm looking forward to a productive summer.

Top 10 Songs You Should Know
1. Steal my Sunshine - LEN
2. How Bizarre - OMC
3. Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies
4. Run-Around - Blues Traveler
5. American Girls - Counting Crows
6. Summer Skin - Death Cab for Cutie
7. The Remedy (I Won't Worry) - Jason Mraz
8. Just Watch the Fireworks - Jimmy Eat World
9. Sunshine - Keane
10. Blinded (When I See You) - Third Eye Blind

Here's the link for the whole playlist: Summer Hits Playlist Part II

Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.


Top 10 Songs You Should Know Playlist: My Favorite Artists (Week 13)

For this playlist I thought that I would treat you with some of my favorite music from bands that I really enjoy. Chances are that you might not of heard these before. These will be from familiar bands but nothing that was ever played on the radio. I tried to put my them in descending order according to how much I like each artist, my favorite being on top and tenth favorite as number ten. This doesn't necessarily mean that the particular songs are in that order though. I had a really tough time narrowing it down to ten artists but I think that this will really give you a sense of my musical taste. This is probably my favorite playlist to date and it contains some of my all time favorite songs. Anyways, here it is and hope you enjoy it.

Top 10 Songs You Should Know - Week 13 - Feb. 12-18 2007
1. Third Eye Blind - God of Wine
2. Lifehouse - Six Cycle Carousel
3. Better than Ezra - Special
4. Barenaked Ladies - Light Up My Room
5. Jimmy Eat World - Kill
6. Eve 6 - Amphetamines
7. Switchfoot - Redemption
8. Goo Goo Dolls - Hate this Place
9. Duncan Sheik - For You
10. The Wallflowers - Closer to You

Here's the link for the whole playlist: Top Ten Unknown Songs From My Favorite Artists

Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.


Music News: Third Eye Blind Announces Tenth Anniversary Show and New Tour Dates!

One of my favorite bands, Third Eye Blind, announced today that they will be playing their tenth anniversary show at the Filmore in San Francisco March 13 & 14. There will be a pre-sale for these tickets starting today, February 6th at 5pm pacific time. Please visit 3eb.com for more details. They also put up some other venues that they will be playing in April.

Here's the list:

Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 in Easton, Pennslyvania at Lafayette College in the Kirby Field House
Thursday, April 19th, 2007 in Providence, Rhode Island at Lupo's Heatbreak Hotel
Friday, April 20th, 2007 in Schenectady, New York at Union College in Memorial Fieldhouse
Saturday, April 21st, 2007 in Babson Park, Massachusetts at Babson College in PepsiCo Pavillion
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007 in Johnson City, New York at Magic City Hall
Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 in New York City, New York at Nokia Theatre
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 in Poughkeepsie, New York at The Chance
Friday, April 27th, 2007 in Sayreville, New Jersey at Starland Ballroom
Sunday, April 29th, 2007 in Baltimore, Maryland at Rams Head Live!

All dates and locations are subject to change as with all concerts but check often at ticketmaster.com for more information.

Hopefully they are coming to a city near you soon. Can't wait!


Summer Hits - Top 10 Songs You Should Know Playlist

It is the first Monday in February and a great time to imagine what the summer months will bring. With negative temperatures all over the US, you can't help but think of the warm weather to come. This playlist will feature some of the music that I love to blast in my car's speakers. I enjoy listening to a little rap when in the car but I will keep this playlist with the normal theme of alternative rock. This week I think I am going to go back to the normal format of the playlist but provide a link to the imeem playlist. I think this will accommodate everyone's needs. RSS readers can see the playlist and follow the links, and if they choose, follow the link to listen to the playlist in full. If you have a better idea or just general comments about this procedure just send me an email or write a comment down below.

Top 10 Songs You Should Know - Week 12 - Feb. 5-11 2007
1. Finger Eleven - First Time
2. Tonic - You Wanted More
3. The Offspring - The Kid's Aren't Alright
4. Trapt - Headstrong
5. P.O.D. - Youth of the Nation
6. Third Eye Blind - Graduate
7. Stone Temple Pilots - Wicked Garden
8. SR-71 - Right Now
9. Pearl Jam - Even Flow
10. Incubus - When It Comes

Here's the link for the whole playlist: Summer Hits

Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.