The ModBlog

Pics From Hopscotch 2011

2011-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

4 Years, 3 Bass Players

2011-05-23T01:20:00.001-07:00

Here we have all the bass players for The Moderate, current and past, in a beautiful bass embrace. Let's leave it at that.

Hopscotch Line up Announced: The Moderate, Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices, Drive-By Truckers and More...

2011-04-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Independent Weekly’s Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh, N.C. will feature the likes of The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, Drive-By Truckers, Superchunk, The Dodos, John Vanderslice, Swans, Yelawolf, Black Lips, Cold Cave, Empress Hotel, The Love Language, Lost in the Trees, Twin Shadow and tons more.

The festival will run from Sept. 8-10 in downtown Raleigh.

For more information about the event, including ticket prices, hotel and venue information and maps, check out hopscotchmusicfest.com.

The Moderate is playing at my house...my house.

2011-02-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is why you invite The Moderate to rock your crib:

and this...

Uh, hold on baby.

The: Moderate

2010-10-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

adjective |ˈmäd(ə)rət|
average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree : we walked at a moderate pace.
• (of a person, party, or policy); not radical or excessively right- or left-wing : a moderate reform program.
noun |ˈmäd(ə)rət| |ˈmɑd(ə)rət| |ˈmɒd(ə)rət| |ˈmɒd(ə)rət|
a person who holds moderate views, esp. in politics.
verb |ˈmädəˌrāt| |ˈmɑdəˈreɪt| |ˈmɒdəreɪt|
1 make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent : [ trans. ] I shall not moderate my criticism | [as adj. ] ( moderating) his moderating influence in the army was now needed more than ever | [ intrans. ] the weather has moderated considerably.
2 [ trans. ] (in academic and ecclesiastical contexts) preside over (a deliberative body) or at (a debate) : a panel moderated by a Harvard University law professor.
• [ intrans. ] preside; act as a moderator.
3 [ trans. ] Physics retard (neutrons) with a moderator.
DERIVATIVES
moderatism |-ˌtizəm| |ˈmɑd(ə)rəˈtɪzəm| |ˈmɒd(ə)rətɪz(ə)m| noun
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin moderat- ‘reduced, controlled,’ from the verb moderare; related to modest .

My Top 10: Ian

2010-09-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

Damn, where do I start?

Here goes, in no particular order:

Rush - Moving Pictures
Even though it sounds 80's as fuk, I was all about Alex Lifeson's playing on this album. The rhythm section isn't that bad either.

The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta/Synchronicity
Great playing and songwriting. A couple bad ones along the way but overall awesome.

Bad Brains - Quickness
Dr. Know's style of playing gets me so stoked. I love that man.

Aswad - Live and Direct
My friend Tyler burned this for me in college and it changed the way I looked at playing music live. They set the standard of how to bring it. The drums and bass always blow me away.

Enter the Wu-Tang - 36 Chambers
A classic. Kind of like The Chronic, Doggystyle or Appetite For Destruction. I listen to this album when I'm out in the woods camping.

Fugazi - Repeater
I include all the Minor Threat albums in this choice as well. Growing up in the DC area as a teenager playing guitar, this shit made me want to kick ass.

Yes - Fragile/The Yes Album
Uh, yeah. I don't even know what to say. Some people like Phish, I like Yes.

Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
F'ing awesome. It was like Black Sabbath but Seattle-ey.

Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood
Mick Mars is totally underrated as a guitar player. He's like the Billy Gibbons of glam/hair metal.

Sepultura - Chaos AD
Holy shit this album is heavy.

Blur - Parklife
Brit-pop at it's finest. Graham Coxon on guitar is amazing.

Pics from the Road

2010-09-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

Some random pics from the road. Hence the title:

charlotte, nc

the stanky leg

swollen ass foot after 2 wasp stings.

nyc

boone, nc

Moderate Fun Fact #214 - The Steel Magnolias Connection!

2010-05-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

= MIND BLOWING

Moderate Fun Fact #214: Maybe you've heard of the Pink Floyd/Wizard of Oz connection? Well this one blows that away - If you start up the Moderate CD on the 3rd lion roar at the beginning of "Steel Magnolias", it syncs up perfectly...It will blow your mind.

Our Top Ten Influential Albums - Drew

2010-04-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

I guess when looking at my Top 10 Influential Albums, I have to think back on what I was listening to when I was in 6th and 7th grade that made me want to play music. This also made me think about the albums or musicians that make me still want to play music or the stuff that excites me now. I have put together my 10 Most Influential Albums That Made Me Pick Up Music and 10 Most Influential Albums That Make Me Pick Up Music Everyday. Enjoy, bitches.

MADE ME PICK UP MUSIC

10. Foo Fighters - S/T

9. Phish - Just about all their albums. Fishman was so weird but spot on and never missed a beat. Pretty innovative work.

8. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple

7. Pearl Jam - VS.

6. Dave Matthews Band - All that shit. Say what you will, but Carter Beauford is a sick, sick man.

5. Everclear - Sparkle and Fade

4. Led Zeppelin - IV

3. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

2. Weezer - Pinkerton

1. Nirvana - Nevermind

MAKE ME PICK UP MUSIC TODAY

10. Secret Machines - He is heavy but stays in the pocket and his grooves dig really deep.

9. The Whigs - The drummer is technically proficient and plays pretty cool parts.

8. Wax Fang - Good God can this guy play. He is like a love child of Dave Grohl and John Bonham. Makes me want to practice more.

7. Radiohead - No one ever talks about the drummer for this band and I haven't figured out why not.

6. Built to Spill - The drummer lays it down for the best guitar work since Television.

5. Raconteurs - I have never thought anyone could show up a showman like Jack White, but the drummer just about steals the show.

4. My Morning Jacket - I really like this drummer. Super solid, aggressive drummer with chops and style.

3. Dave Grohl - I don't care if it is Nirvana or Foo Fighters or Them Crooked Vultures or his work with Queens of the Stone Age, he is my all time favorite.

2. Wilco - Glenn Kotche is ridiculous. He is powerful when he wants to be powerful, subtle when it calls for it, and consistently makes Wilco what they are today. Notice the sky rocket in popularity and credibility after he joined the band? From Yankee Hotel Foxtrot on, he has set the tone for that band.

1. The Beatles - Ringo is completely underrated. He has serious style and great timing and feel.

Black Cat 4/15 and NC State 4/17 Shows - Recap

2010-04-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Recorded another live Black Cat Show. Waiting to hear if there are any keepers in there. Backyard Tire Fire rocked out a nice version of "Cinnamon Girl".
NC State Campus Jam was what you would expect from a campus concert with no beer on a Saturday night. We still killed it anyway. Fuk it.
Jim and Drew had some leftover energy so they decided to dual-mount the random lion statue at the safari inspired gas station. All in all a good night.

Our Top 10 Influential Albums - Jim

2010-04-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

1. Television: Marquee Moon
2. Otis Redding: Otis Blue
3. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
4. Grateful Dead: Blues for Allah
5. Pink Floyd: DSOTM
6. Billie Holiday: Solitude
7. The Beatles: Revolver
8. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde
9. The Replacements: Let It Be
10. Quicksilver Messenger Service: S/T

Our Top 10 Influential Albums

2010-04-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

This week I'll be posting a list of albums that inspired each of us to pick up an instrument and play. These are not them:

Edit: I've been informed Tracy actually was inspired by one of The Brothers Johnson. When they started doing separate ventures; Louis Johnson played bass on Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Random Pictures from the Road

2010-03-22T16:59:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while I'll put up some random photos from Moderate shows gone by. Good times.

Tracy cuddling up with one of his bitches.

"You're the man now dog"

2010-03-21T22:09:00.001-07:00

Black Cat show 3/18/10

2010-03-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Good show at The Black Cat. DK recorded it. My burger was delivered with a BBQ sauce pentagram which is always cool.