Soundtrack of My Life

Song: Use Somebody
Artist: Kings of Leon
Album: Only by the Night (2008)

I have to admit that I was slow on the uptake with these guys. I have friends who have been rabid about this band since they first came out and I was always preoccupied with some other act or some other song.

My bad.

This is easily my favorite rock track going and one of the best I've heard in a long time. Whereas most current rock tracks get very annoying after about the third listen - I call it UNS: Universal Nickelback Syndrome - "Use Somebody" still rips and still gets turned up, just like the previous single "Sex on Fire" did.

I think what made me get into these guys is their back story. I mean, their dad was (is) a Pentecostal minister, but he'd play classic rock in the car when their mother wasn't around. The religious kids eventually decided they'd rather pick up a guitar and rock than a bible and thump and the result is sonic awesomeness.

Don't make the same mistake I did. If you're not into Kings of Leon right now, go get started. If you are, congratulations, you're smarter than me... at least on this one.

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The Rundown: I Love Arguing

Watching TV the other night, I realized that I've become that guy who yells at the TV, as if the people talking through the picture tube can hear me or would even care what I was saying if they could.

Monday night it was the UFC 91 Preview Show that got me going. The sixty minute show served as a 45 minute build up of Randy Couture with 15 minutes given to Brock Lesnar and since I've on Team Lesnar Saturday night, I tried to argue with the pre-taped show that was on my screen.

After I laughed at myself, I got to thinking: I really do like to argue. As Newt said in a comment last week, one of the things he remembers from one of the two times we've hung out was getting into a "discussion" about the merits of a certain Seattle Grunge band I dislike.

Hung out with him twice, he remembers an argument. Sounds about right for me.

And so the topic for today's Rundown was born...

Five Favourite Arguments

5. Nirvana Was Overrated
This is the one Newt remembers and one that I also mentioned again on the Foo Fighters Soundtrack piece Friday. To be honest, I just don't get it. It's not like they were the only band coming out of that area at the time and for my money, Pearl Jam was better from Day One, not to mention the whole longevity issue... To me, Nirvana was that band that the media held up as Grunge because Kurt Cobain was always in the spotlight, dating Courtney Love, marrying Courtney Love, OD'ing in Rome, etc. etc. etc.

4. Greatest Movies Ever
We can do it by genre, we can do it by era, we can do it by actors, whatever. I love this argument because I'm also a bit of an asshole and am willing to be the guy who says things like, "No way! Summer Catch is easily the Greatest Sports Movie Ever!" Note: it's important to remember in this argument that your favourite movie and greatest movie ever are two totally different things, unless your favourite movie is Godfather Part II.

3. Pick A Sport...
I'll argue with you about it. Even if it's soccer. Whatever you want to fight about in the world of sports, I'm game. It doesn't hurt that I really am a walking encyclopedia of random sports knowledge and trivia. I'm like a thinner, less ESPN-employed version of The Schwab.

2. Those Taboo Issues
Religion. Politics. Race. Sexuality. You name it, I'm up for it because I think that we live in a time when we shouldn't be afraid to talk intelligently about these issues and no matter what position you take on any of them, you can always learn something from another person's views. We may not agree, but I guarantee we'll each walk away having learned something and that is the important part.

1. Anything to do with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Leafs fans are awesome to me; so loyal, so faithful, so intense and so passionate about such a crappy team. Every year is the year and no matter how much evidence you have to prove Mats Sundin isn't one of the Top 25 players in the NHL, they don't want to hear it. It doesn't hurt that I'm a Red Wings fan either...

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