centerfield maz

Metallica is back with a new album "Death Magnetic". Released last week September 10 th, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard album charts. It was the 5th album of Metallica's to debut at #1. No other band has ever accomplished this. But the process of charting albums has changed through the years so that doesn't really mean much. More importantly it sounds like the old, real Metallica. It's getting great reviews and is definitely worth checking out.It's tough for a band like Metallica to capture the raw power that they had at a time when they were completely new & different on the scene. Totally noncommercial, and setting the standard for Heavy Metal style of the late 1980's. I still remember the 1st time I heard "Master of Puppets" at Lamore East in Queens, saying to myself what the hell is this, Its awesome. It was the soundtrack to many great moments in the Summer of '86. They broke through to the mainstream with the "Black Album...

Legendery Pink Floyd co-founder, keyboard, piano player, & vocalist Richard Wright passed away on Monday September 15, from a battle with cancer. He was 65. We all have our Pink Floyd memories. For me it began with the "Animals" album when old pal Darren turned me on to WPLJ in 1977. Then by the time "the Wall" came out I was a die hard. Drawing all the pictures and studying the lyrics. I was a regular at the Pink Floyd Lazer shows at the Hayden Planetarium and at the Ziegfeld in the smoking section of the balcony for sometimes two showings of movie "The Wall". I saw them 4 times through the years & of course tripped with them many times. Unfortunately there will now never be a reunion tour. At least they had one last Hurrah at last years Live Eight shows- "Shine On Rick to that Great Gig in the Sky".......... Richard William Wright was born in Middlesex England July 28, 1943. He taught himself how to play the p iano & keyboards. In...

Keith Moon was best known as drummer & soul of the Who, considered one of the greatest drummers of all time. His manic, lunatic side, and his life of excessive drinking, partying, and other indulgences, probably represented the crazy side of rock & roll, as well as its self-destructive side, better than anyone else. His drumming technique was a rolling across the tom toms & cymbal crashing style, as opposed to just keeping a back beat like most drummers of the time did. In 1965 he put two kits together and played them as a whole, using the double bass drum sound at his feet. He used the kit as a lead instrument and gave the Who their hard backing sound. Keith was born August 23, 1946 in London England. He dropped out of school and began playing drums at age 14. In 1964 at a WHO show, Moon looked up to Roger Daltrey and said "I hear you're looking for a drummer. Well, I'm much better than the one you've got." The band hired Moon after seeing him pract...

It was a beautiful day on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx on Sunday afternoon for the Ferragosto 2008 Festival. Ferragosto is an Italian holiday usually celebrated on August 15 in Italy. Its origins date back to ancient Rome as a celebration of the middle of the summer and the end of the hard labour in the fields. In time, the Catholic Church adopted this date to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Italian name of the holiday derives from its original Latin name, Feriae Augusti (Fairs of the Emperor Augustus). In present days, Ferragosto is mainly a short holiday where Italian people have short vacations. It's is a festival of great food, Italian music and good people celebrated on the second Sunday in September in the Bronx. The parking was an absolute nightmare and spots were ver y tough to get within a good walking distance. But after that was said & done, Ferragosto did not disappoint. The streets on Arthur Ave. were packed from 187th St up to Crescent Ave...

Here is a tribute & guide to my favorite Little Italy's around the country that I have been to. #1 -Boston's North End Little Italy in Boston has been settled since the 16oo's, & is rich in both history and Italian cuisine. Surrounded by water on three sides, it is picturesque from Christopher Columbus Park, to its luxury Condos & the ancient 17th Century Copps Hill Cemetery. Today the North End is best known for its American Revolution historic sites & its Italian Heritage. The area is home to more than 80 different Restaurants, Trattoria's, Cafes, Pizzeria's & grocery stores . Once separated from the main city because of elevated highways, it is now connected to the heart of Boston with the removal of the el's & completion of the "Big Dig". The neighborhood is great to walk around, not only for the food but the historical sites. Parking is horrible so walk, cab it or take the trolley. The streets are narrow and safe to strol...