Bill M.'s definitions
A vague but derogatory term blindly used by music "fans" to describe bands who make (or have managers who make) a new lucrative and/or artistically experimental decision (for example: accepting a product endorsement, a change in the band's expected composition style, switching to a larger record label, dressing with more class, speaking out against mass mp3 piracy, etc.) The word is sometimes also applied to bands who simply get more commercial success through no additional effort.
The anger comes from the false belief that fans "own" their favorite entertainers, that these entertainers are thus not real humans with free will, and the feeling of grief when some CD that the listener previously enjoyed alone is now enjoyed by millions of more people.
(Note that "sellout" ONLY applies to those who make a living in the fine arts. For example, a software engineer who accepts a job promotion and higher salary is never branded as a "sellout". Nor is a professional athlete who appears on a box of Wheaties.)
The anger comes from the false belief that fans "own" their favorite entertainers, that these entertainers are thus not real humans with free will, and the feeling of grief when some CD that the listener previously enjoyed alone is now enjoyed by millions of more people.
(Note that "sellout" ONLY applies to those who make a living in the fine arts. For example, a software engineer who accepts a job promotion and higher salary is never branded as a "sellout". Nor is a professional athlete who appears on a box of Wheaties.)
Actual quotes from an old friend:
(1993) "Damnit, Smashing Pumpkins is such an underrated band. They never get played on the radio!"
(1994) "Damnit, Smashing Pumpkins are always on Mtv and the radio now! They're such sellouts."
(1993) "Damnit, Smashing Pumpkins is such an underrated band. They never get played on the radio!"
(1994) "Damnit, Smashing Pumpkins are always on Mtv and the radio now! They're such sellouts."
by Bill M. July 28, 2004
Get the sellout mug.Short for mathematics - the logical study of quantity (numbers) and abstract structure (geometry), their operations, properties, applications, and how they all interrelate.
Aside from its incredible value in real-world applications (science, engineering, business, etc.), mathematics is also taught in schools because it's the best system to demonstrate and strengthen the vital concepts of deductive reasoning, objectivity, and abstract thinking.
People who are quick to say they hate math are typically those who had horrible math teachers/curricula in school, and never grasped the basic underlying concepts of math. Other reasons for an individual's poor math skills might include having a short attention span, no confidence to question what isn't understood, and the simple reinforcement by peers that it's OK to remain bad at math. But like a sonet or a piece of sheet music, mathematics reveals its beauty to those who speak its language.
Aside from its incredible value in real-world applications (science, engineering, business, etc.), mathematics is also taught in schools because it's the best system to demonstrate and strengthen the vital concepts of deductive reasoning, objectivity, and abstract thinking.
People who are quick to say they hate math are typically those who had horrible math teachers/curricula in school, and never grasped the basic underlying concepts of math. Other reasons for an individual's poor math skills might include having a short attention span, no confidence to question what isn't understood, and the simple reinforcement by peers that it's OK to remain bad at math. But like a sonet or a piece of sheet music, mathematics reveals its beauty to those who speak its language.
by Bill M. July 27, 2004
Get the math mug.The large plastic piece found underneath or below the strings on some guitars, usually covering most of the front of the guitar body.
Fender guitars and basses usually have a black or white pickguard screwed into the top of the guitar.
by Bill M. August 27, 2004
Get the pickguard mug.In music-
1) The repeating part of a rock, pop, or country song that the main verses lead up and return to, usually the section where the title of the song is sung.
2) A common electronic effect used for guitar and other audio which takes a copy of the original audio signal, delays it by a number of milliseconds, and plays it back with the original signal, resulting in a warmer, spacious sound.
3) An organized group of singers
1) The repeating part of a rock, pop, or country song that the main verses lead up and return to, usually the section where the title of the song is sung.
2) A common electronic effect used for guitar and other audio which takes a copy of the original audio signal, delays it by a number of milliseconds, and plays it back with the original signal, resulting in a warmer, spacious sound.
3) An organized group of singers
1) In the Rolling Stones song "Honkey Tonk Women", the chorus goes like this: "It's the honkey tonk women, that give me, give me, give me, the honkey tonk blues."
2) I bought a chorus stompbox at the music store for $50.
3) He missed chorus practice today.
2) I bought a chorus stompbox at the music store for $50.
3) He missed chorus practice today.
by Bill M. August 30, 2004
Get the chorus mug.One or more words created by rearranging all the letters of a given word or phrase. All the letters have to be used, and only used once. The resulting anagram will usually have nothing to do with the original word or phrase, but it's amusing when it does.
Anagrams are not to be confused with palindromes (though "straw" is both a palindrome and anagram of "warts"), spoonerisms, acronyms, or other word plays.
Anagrams are not to be confused with palindromes (though "straw" is both a palindrome and anagram of "warts"), spoonerisms, acronyms, or other word plays.
- "earth" is an anagram of "heart"
- An anagram for "Alice Cooper" is "A cool recipe"
- "General", "enlarge", and "Al Green" are all anagrams of each other
- "Axl Rose" is an anagram of "Oral Sex"
- "Dormitory" becomes "Dirty Room"
- "Santa" becomes "Satan"
- An anagram for "Alice Cooper" is "A cool recipe"
- "General", "enlarge", and "Al Green" are all anagrams of each other
- "Axl Rose" is an anagram of "Oral Sex"
- "Dormitory" becomes "Dirty Room"
- "Santa" becomes "Satan"
by Bill M. August 27, 2004
Get the anagram mug.A band of the hard rock or heavy metal variety associated with the 1980s, even if from the early 90s (as was the case with Damn Yankees, Mr. Big, Nelson) "Hair metal" was a term not coined until well into the 90s, but roughly covers what was known in the 80s as "glam metal".
Self-proclaimed haters of hair metal try to define the genre as music with all focus on image, and contrast it with grunge. Yet in grunge, the lack of aesthetics became a trendy enforced look itself, and the scene never produced any virtuoso "musician's musicians". Many credit Nirvana and grunge with the "death" of hair metal, but this is historically inaccurate, as hair metal's loss of popularity was mainly due to 1) sudden denial by radio stations and Mtv of any airplay or promotion, and 2) unrelated pitfalls of many key bands in a very short time span: Ozzy Osbourne had announced retirement, inner conflict led to Guns n' Roses' break-up, too many years taken off in between some band's albums (Metallica, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard), while other bands lost prominent members (Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Poison).
Most hair metal bands in fact continued to put out albums and play small venues throughout the 1990s, finding promotion via the internet, college radio, and the work of loyal fans. Ironically, it then became a much more anti-corporate, "alternative" form of music than the 90s pop music that was still being called "alternative".
Self-proclaimed haters of hair metal try to define the genre as music with all focus on image, and contrast it with grunge. Yet in grunge, the lack of aesthetics became a trendy enforced look itself, and the scene never produced any virtuoso "musician's musicians". Many credit Nirvana and grunge with the "death" of hair metal, but this is historically inaccurate, as hair metal's loss of popularity was mainly due to 1) sudden denial by radio stations and Mtv of any airplay or promotion, and 2) unrelated pitfalls of many key bands in a very short time span: Ozzy Osbourne had announced retirement, inner conflict led to Guns n' Roses' break-up, too many years taken off in between some band's albums (Metallica, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard), while other bands lost prominent members (Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Poison).
Most hair metal bands in fact continued to put out albums and play small venues throughout the 1990s, finding promotion via the internet, college radio, and the work of loyal fans. Ironically, it then became a much more anti-corporate, "alternative" form of music than the 90s pop music that was still being called "alternative".
"Haha, look at all that hair metal. I hate anything that came out of the 80s."
"Wait a minute, didn't you just buy the latest CDs from Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and Metallica?"
"Yeah, but those bands don't count as hair metal because, um, you know. Er, uhhhh...hey what's on TV tonight?"
"Wait a minute, didn't you just buy the latest CDs from Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and Metallica?"
"Yeah, but those bands don't count as hair metal because, um, you know. Er, uhhhh...hey what's on TV tonight?"
by Bill M. July 23, 2004
Get the hair metal mug.The title of an Ozzy Osbourne album made in 1995, an obvious pun of "osmosis". This came out a mere two or three years after Ozzy had his "absolute final tour" and announced he was going to retire. Many fans felt that Ozzmosis was his worst album, until the release of the next one, "Down to Earth", in 2001 (yes, a full 6 years later). "Ozzmosis" and "No More Tears" (1992) were Ozzy's only albums of new material released in the 1990s.
Ozzmosis features bassist Geezer Butler, who always handled writing the lyrics in Black Sabbath anyway.
by Bill M. July 28, 2004
Get the Ozzmosis mug.