badlybent.ca

Okay, I know, it’s September Second already and people are just dying to find out the rules (specs?  parameters? criteria?) for the September Challenge.

Starting next month…that’ll be October for those keeping score, I’ll start releasing the following month’s criteria during the last few days of the previous month - IE expect October’s criteria to come out around Sept. 28 or so.  I guess it turns out some of you guys and gals have lives and stuff to do or something

I deliberately chose something for the first month (country) that I knew could be taken in a bunch of directions - it’s probably one of the most loosely-defined genres, and almost impossible to put a quantifier in front of or behind (country rock, country blues, country western, alt country etc.)

Since August was country, and I am blown away by the directions some of you took, I thought I’d choose a genre this month that is a complete opposite, and yet kind of similar.  The genre I had decided a month ago, the word to include I came up with last week, but the topic…..oh the topic….I just decided about 20 minutes ago.    Thank you television.

Introducing the Criteria for the September 2008 Sieve! Monthly Song Challenge:

1.  GENRE - Punk
2.  TOPIC -  Star Trek
3.  WORD -  Bowling

Details:

Punk - Sure, Punk can be classic punk like the Ramones, (this example has one of the best guitar solos and bridges EVER!)or the Sex Pistols, or Green Day, (on a personal note, not many people since John Lennon have put out a song that really makes you question authority as that Green Day song) but it can be more subtle such as Talking Heads or Blondie.  There is also an entire sub-genre known as Folk Punk for example.  It also doesn’t have to be loud screaming guitars…it’s fun when it IS, but it doesn’t have to be.  One of the best modern-era punk songs going (in my opinion, of course) is Time if Your Life by Green Day, and it’s acoustic.   Take a good listen to that one again, I mean seriously listen to it.  That violin break?  Substitute an overdriven Les Paul and play it note for note…it’s punk all right.  It’s all in the attitude.  It doesn’t have to be mean, or angry (again, it’s fun when it is) as long as it’s self-confident.  I think that out of all the genres, Punk is the most confident and has the most swagger…followed closely by Blues.  Hip Hop on the other hand is mostly bravado and posturing, but I digress.

Topic - I had another idea entirely for the topic for Sept. but I was flipping through the channels while eating dinner and came across Trekkies 2.  It’s a documentary about Star Trek fanatics, and it’s fascinating.  So, therefore and ergo, the tune can be about anything Star Trek - any one of the television series, the movies, individual characters (Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Captain Kirk, Captain Picard etc) any of the aliens, space ships, planets or whatever.  It can be about Star Trek fans, whatever you like….the universe awaits…pardon the pun.

Word - I can’t divulge the exact reason for the word “bowling” to be included, but there IS a reason, and I think it’s a good one, and I’ll give more info as to why in about a week or so.  Trust me.  Or don’t.  But you have to admit, using the word “bowling” in a Punk song about Star Trek will be fun.  It will be fun, won’t it ?

So, once again, there you go.  If anyone needs a refresher of the rules they can be found here.  A special thank you to Bob Goyetche, John Meadows and Mark Blevis for all submitting submissions for the August Challenge - show goes up tomorrow night (Weds. Sept. 3) and I can’t stress how amazed and delighted I was by the 3.  Of course, there’s my song too, but I won’t go into that.  That’ll make 4 for August - not bad for the maiden voyage.  I’m really pimping things out to the songwriting community now as well, so here’s hoping that we double the entries for September.

The deadline will be midnight (Eastern Standard Time), September  30, and please send all submissions, questions, etc. to badlybentpub@yahoo.ca

Good Luck to one and all!

Stevie Z

PS - Much maligned because of their bullshit antics, the Sex Pistols actually had some decent songs.  Here’s one of their classics redone in a way that kind of lets you appreciate the song itself.

Ummm, PPS - Speaking of Green Day and laying it all out, I just had to include this one….

PPSPPSP? - Speaking of John Lennon and Green Day, I believe that ole’ John himself would’ve approved this.