Chad VanGaalen - Peace on the Rise

Chad VanGaalen - "Peace on the Rise"
From Diaper Island (2011)

Chad VanGaalen is a brilliant musician, animator, and illustrator. He animated the video below as well as many others, including songs by other recording artists.

Watch "Peace on the Rise" carefully; there's a question at the end. Feel free to leave your answer in the comments if you want.

Blind Melon - No Rain

Blind Melon - "No Rain"
From Blind Melon (1992)
Starring Heather DeLoach as the "Bee Girl"

Band members:

Shannon Hoon – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Rogers Stevens – lead guitar, piano/keyboards
Christopher Thorn – rhythm guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, harmonica
Brad Smith – bass, flute, backing vocals
Glen Graham – drums, percussion

Follow the story of the "Bee Girl," a young tap dancer who just wants to find her place in the world and be accepted for who she is. She even inspired Pearl Jam's "Bee Girl." "No Rain" is included on VH1's list of the 100 greatest videos of all time.

AWOLNATION - Not Your Fault

AWOLNATION - "Not Your Fault"
From Megalithic Symphony (2011)

Band members:
Aaron Bruno - vocals
Christopher Thorn - lead guitar
Kenny Carkeet - rhythm guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals
David Amezcua - bass guitar and backing vocals
Hayden Scott - drums

In this entertaining video, the singer is having a dream in which he has to keep rescuing the same damsel in distress from one bad situation after another. His band buddies are always there to back him up, no matter how scary the situation is. Everyone in the dream is depicted as a Claymation-type figure.



There's even a game based on the video; play Megalithic Mayhem online or download the App.

Another SOAPnet Update

In my last post, I mentioned that SOAPnet was going to continue airing same-day episodes of Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and General Hospital. At the time, I didn't know the status of the next-day repeats and weekend marathons since they weren't specifically mentioned in what I'd read.

As of today, I haven't noticed any change in the lineup. There was a Make It or Break It marathon on Sunday, but there are often marathons of other shows anyway. I'm sure this one was because ABC Family is now in charge, since that's one of their shows. The same-day and next-day airings of the soaps are still being done, as are the weekend marathons of Y&R and GH.

SOAPnet's Status

SOAPnet viewers may be wondering what's going on with the network. I know I've been wondering. I've read plenty of different versions of when SOAPnet's last day would be. Things are still pretty much up in the air, although there is some news.

According to ABC Soaps in Depth, SOAPnet's transition to Disney Junior will begin on March 24, with ABC Family running things for a while. This means that ABC Family shows will become part of the lineup. I hope it will include airing Pretty Little Liars from the beginning, but so far, I haven't seen anything to indicate that will happen.

The rebroadcasts of General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless will continue. Technically, the article says that the same-day rebroadcasts will continue, with no mention of the following morning or weekend marathons. I'll be monitoring the situation to see what happens.

Theme for Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2012

For this year's Blogging from A to Z Challenge, the theme here at Ellie's Couch will be music videos.

Posts will be arranged alphabetically by recording artist. Those using a first and last name will be alphabetized according to first name so that the titles will be completely alphabetical.

Several musical styles and decades will be represented, including classic hard rock and modern alternative rock. Many of the videos tell some type of story and can even be watched with no sound if desired. I won't be including any that are simply a musical performance; there has to be something more to each video for additional entertainment value.

I'll also give a few comments about each one, such as the background or what to look for.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2012

This blog will be participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Beginning Sunday, April 1, I'll be posting topics in alphabetical order all month. Other than the kickoff day, posts will be Monday through Saturday, with Sundays off.

Last year, I posted random entertainment-related topics. For this year's challenge, I've chosen a theme, and it's a really good one (if I do say so myself). Stay tuned for more information!

TheCoolTV

A while back, I was scanning my cable guide and saw something I hadn't noticed before: a channel called TheCoolTV. Taking a quick look, I saw that it was airing music videos. In fact, the whole channel seemed to be dedicated to music. Even the infomercials were for CD collections.

Later, I went online to look it up, and I learned a few things. TheCoolTV is a digital substation that's been around for about two years now. I have no idea when it came to my area. In fact, it's not everywhere, but more affiliates are signing on all the time. Right now, the channel guide lists affiliates in 34 states.

Programming blocks include Indie Cred, Nineties Nectar, The Underground, and Retro Rewind, to name just a few. The website also states that programming is customized to each area's demographic and local music scene.

If you're into music videos, take a look at the channel guide and see whether TheCoolTV is in your area yet.