Circuit Jerk

Having a Zune pass is a liberating experience. I can download music without the worry of “Damn it, did I really just buy a Nickleback album?” buyers remorse. (This happened to me when Nickleback first hit the scene and I would buy new music without discretion from Target. I sold this album to a friend at a $10 loss less than a week later.)

Zune has been trying to push a few albums on me for the past couple months based on what I listen to. For the most part I ignored these, but now that I have a Zune Pass, what the hell?, I’ll take a listen.

The one that has been bothering me the most and also popping up the most is a band called the Hollywood Undead.

I don’t know what I expected because the album cover has six dudes in masks and hardass T-shirts. Even with it being a free download, I should’ve known something was wrong. History repeats itself though. I went through a very very short Slipknot phase when I thought the masks were cool. I was fifteen and didn’t know any better. Knowing what I know now, I would never pick up a Slipknot record. Somehow the Hollywood Undead slipped through my censor.

My second alarm should’ve gone off looking at some of the other Zune recommendations. Since I like Against Me!, Anti-Flag, and Rancid, Zune recommends Fallout Boy. Since I listen to early 90s rock music, they constantly try to shove Nickleback down my throat.

Somehow Hollywood Undead got past my censor again.

Then it went live. I decided to go for a run, crank my Zune full blast, and hear some Hollywood Undead.

Remember Hed (P.E.), Crazytown, or at least Limp Bizkit? Hollywood Undead would’ve sold some records if only they were on that insanity train in the late 90s were everyone thought the rap rock thing was a great alternative to the boy bands. Yes my faithful readers, the Hollywood Undead are trying to bring back rap rock.

The good news is, their hardcore persona will probably implode on itself. After researching I found out that these badasses (named: Duece, J-Dog, Johnny 3 Tears, Charlie Scene, Funny Mann, and Da Kurlzz) formed on MySpace and got a record contract for having the most plays of any unsigned MySpace band.

Not only has MySpace given us porn spam, seizure inducing profiles, and thousands of error messages, but they have also produced the gem known as Hollywood Undead. I listened to about four songs thinking that there had to be something deeper, but alas there wasn’t. It was all about ho’s shaking their booty and loving L.A. I unlocked the Zune and immediately rectified the situation by putting on Wu Tang Clan and Wyclef Jean to finish out my run.

Even though I’m an untouchable download god with a 1,000 lotted songs a month, I’m going to be more careful next time. My first rule for the Zune Pass: Do not download anything that involves the band wearing masks.