The EU Referendum

Now, I have on the whole refused to be overly critical of the government since the coalition was formed. After all, Britain faces a huge economic mire caused by a multitude of factors, but one which was exascerbated by the previous Labour government's shocking overspend in pursuit of wars in the gulf and... *ahem* the Millenium Dome.


But one thing that has been clear for a long, long time is that the people of the UK want, nay, DEMAND a Referendum on the UK's involvement within the European Union. It's stripping of sovereignity has angered many, and Gordon Brown's refusal to bow to public pressure and sign away yet more sovereignity in the Lisbon Treaty of 2007 was for many the final straw. The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) gained hugely in the EU Elections two years later as a result, the second biggest party representing the UK in Europe behind the Conservatives, also seen as "eurosceptic."

Polls are regularly taken across the UK which show that around half of the UK want to leave the EU. The calls for a Referendum on membership of the Union have been thrown aside by successive governments, but this year an official online petition for a referendum reached 100,000 signatures which legally binds Parliament to discuss it.

Now let me make this clear - Both members of the coalition, the Tories AND the pro-europe Liberal Democrats supported a referendum in their manifestos. Labour fully oppose it, but then they would; after all, at the rate they like to waste public money, they would soon have to rely on the IMF Bailout funds which are centred in Europe. That said, even some rebel Labour MP's support a referendum.

So surely, with a majority government formed from the Coalition partners, the Referendum is sure to go ahead?

Uh, no. The party leaders have gone back on themselves and now oppose the motion. They are threatening their party members that do vote in favour of the motion with demotions and sacking from their parties altogether.

So, the bottom line is that all three main parties are refusing to give the people a say on an issue that strikes a chord across the country. As much as I despise Labour, at least they're keeping to party policy - whereas the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are shutting out the millions who voted them into power, and denying them a say on one of the very few manifesto policies they actually agreed on!

Expect UKIP to gain massively again.

Youtube's ACDC Fans

Looking around youtube, there are a couple of big bands who have covered ACDC's songs from time to time. Green Day play Highway To Hell and there's an old clip of the Chili Peppers shredding Back In Black.

What makes me laugh is the slew of negative comments from "fans" of ACDC.

Take the RHCP Back in Black vid for example. Yes, theyre clearly taking the piss, which makes the angry comments even funnier, but even good covers get dozens of "OMG U FAGZORZ CAENT CUVA AYSEEDEESEE DEY AR IMMORTAL DA BEST!"



They were trolling 17 years before trolling even began. Well played Peppers.

Music's free, assholes. Get used to it.

Six Months On - My Views on the 3DS

The following is a piece i wrote for the ONM Forums a few days ago:

"So guys, I've now had my 3DS for half a year (6 months and 12 days to be precise) and i thought i'd give my tuppence on my experiences and thoughts of the system and the games I've played and am anticipating.

Release and First Impressions
I was one of those who refused to have a go on demo units and instead opt to discover it straight out of the box. After college that March afternoon, I opened it up, booted the system up and turned the depth slider up. I was blown away from that first glance - nothing more than a menu screen, yet even here you could see the clarity and depth of the 3D. Most exciting to me was knowing that if the menu screens were mind-blowing, the games must look even more so.

So I worked my way through the in-built software, and was impressed with the depth of entertainment one could get without even owning a 3DS game. Face Raiders was hilarious and is still great in short bursts, the AR games were on a par with the 3D effect for their initial "wow factor" and i garnered a lot of joy from getting my friends to make a mii, and seeing the look on their faces when i turned the slider up.

The first games
I got my system with Samurai Warriors: Chronicles, which I had decided to purchase long in advance after seeing the impressive graphics and having enjoyed the few fleeting glimpses I had had of playing Dynasty Warriors. Again, the 3D effect was mindblowing, not least the first time I saw the expanses of the battlefield stretch out with such depth - to me, a moment comparable to the first time one runs out onto hyrule field in a new Zelda game. The cut scenes were graphically superb, great for silencing the 3DS' detractors, though admittedly they got dull after a while. However, overall the game was a decent starting title and one I reccomend if you can find it for £20.

I had soon bought Pilotwings Resort and Street Fighter too. While many slated the shortness of the former, I truly fell in love with it from the first play, and it is another title I come back to whenever I want to chill out. Street Fighter was snapped up to have a go online, but I found myself frustrated by too much spamming, and so it probably ranks as my least favourite 3DS title.

eShop, New Channels and Zelda
Once the eShop became available, it finally felt like the system was becoming a complete entertainment experience. A criticism of nintendo was that they had rushed the system out - pretty much true, but now we could download all manner of games and channels at will. Excitebike 3D was a great blast of nostalgia, and the introduction of a save feature (one that works, that is) for custom tracks was most welcome! I downloaded some Gameboy games, and was soon playing 3DS in some way or another for many hours a day.

Here was where I thought it would be neccessary to look into the complaints about battery life. The reports were that the system could only bottle 3 hours of juice in it's normal running state, so I thought I'd have a go at proving the critics wrong. My results spawned the "3DS Battery Marathon Thread" and I managed to squeeze 7 hours out of my console before the red light came on - not bad at all to be honest, and way better than a lot of tech on the market now - my HTC phone needs charging every day for crying out loud!

Then I got Ocarina Of Time. It was very good. Though I still hate Jabu Jabu's belly. Stupid Ruto...

A quiet summer...

To be honest, i didn't play my 3DS much during summer at all. I was too busy doing other things - namely, getting out and about and, when at home, playing the Gamecube version of Animal Crossing like a wired up heroin addict. The times that i did play were largely characterised by a few weeks spent playing Photo Dojo at parties, and rolling around laughing at the stupid recordings my friends had made. Nintendo Video came, and i got some joy out of it, but wasn't too fussed. The OK GO videos were a refreshing break from crap magic tricks and Oscars Oasis, though.

The Ambassador Program got me back into playing my 3DS in a big way - now that I have 10 NES games sitting on my menu, i've got plenty of content to keep me occupied. Once again, I found myself playing it every day, and still i'm in awe when I turn the slider up.

Current impressions and the future...
The 3DS has been Jekyll and Hyde for me so far. I've had moments of pure joy, yet other features have left me underwhelmed. The library of 3DS physical software so far has been very limited, but the games I have bought have been very good. Add to this a great selection of downloadable games, most of which I didn't have to pay for, and I'm pretty content for now.

It is in these next few months that I really picture things picking up for the 3DS. I for one am most psyched about Animal Crossing, but that isn't out until next spring. Not that it's a problem - before then we're expecting plenty of good games. With christmas season coming, I firmly believe sales will increase. I'm looking forward to 2012 now - despite the launch of the Vita, it'll be the 3DS i'll be playing for many seasons to come."

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You Review

The following is a review I posted to Amazon a few weeks back for the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, I'm With You.

"Well, after the underwhelming, drawn out filler-fest that was Stadium Arcadium, fans were left wondering what to expect from the new album. John Frusciante's fan club were distraught to see him depart (again) and it was left to backing guitarist from the band's last tour, Josh Klinghoffer, to fill the void. The result is a more subtle guitar performance, but one that truly lets flea kick loose, making this a much better balanced album than their last and a joy from start to finish.

Things kick off in spectacular fashion with Monarchy Of Roses, a barnstorming rocker, half Warped, half disco rock. No sooner have you had chance to catch your breath that Kiedis' spoken rap melds perfectly with Flea's funky bass on Factory Of Faith, which includes an infectiously funky outro that conjures memories of the late Hillel Slovak and reminds listeners that Klinghoffer can lead from the front too.

Next comes Brendan's Death Song, the first ballad on the album. Fans have drawn comparisons with perhaps the band's most famous track, Under The Bridge. And they would be right, with the swelling guitar licks and acoustic rhythm building into a powerful chorus. By the end of the track, it's a goosebump-triggering stadium classic remeniscant of King's Of Leon's Use Somebody - and Kiedis gives a stunning vocal performance with the chorus of "yeahs" in the track's conclusion. In my opinion, this is the most powerful 5 minutes and 40 seconds of music RHCP have ever recorded - it's simply breathtaking.

No sooner have we regained our composure and wiped the tears than we're propelled back into the funk rollercoaster with Ethiopia. Flea once again drops a great bassline, and Chad Smith's inspired 7/8 beat keeps the listener on the edge. Anthony's lyrics are so-so at first, but as the groove builds they fit the jam perfectly. Midway through, we're treated to some chorus-heavy guitar washes from Klinghoffer that once again signal that he is open to the styles of Slovak as well as Frusciante, but we're soon back into farmiliar territory for the Peppers with Annie Wants A Baby, with a bassline reminiscant of "This Is The Place" but little else to get excited about. It's perhaps the weakest track on the album, but even this is a good song, if slightly underwhelming.

Of course, the Chili Peppers are at their best catching you off guard, and the album is then abruptly thrown into an explosion of uptempo funk rock with Look Around. This is sure to be a crowd favourite - Kiedis returns to his Rhythmic rapping for the second time while Klinghoffer's mixture of power and melody in the opening creates one of the best combinations between Flea and his guitarist since the Uplift Mofo Party Plan album. The chorus, for all it' simplicity, will be stuck in your head from the first listen.

Next up is lead single The Adventures Of Raindance Maggie. Again, Flea is in fine fettle, and Klinghoffer's guitar washes and Claptonesque soars in the chorus work well and suit the minimalist style that the Chili's sound best when exercising - something lost in the guitar heavy Stadium Arcadium. Kiedis is in his comfort zone, but again the chorus is catchy - "hey now, we've got to make it rain somehow" - and his scat singing in the outro is infectious. Plus, massive kudos for Chad Smith having the nerve to add cowbell after all his comparisons to Will Ferrell!

Did I Let You Know lets Flea loose with his french horn again, something we've heard sadly very little of since the Mothers Milk and Freaky Styley albums. It's subtle, and does mean we have an understated bass track here - perhaps so we can see flea play the former in live shows? Klinghoffer puts in a haunting and solid backing vocal here; forums were awash asking questions over who was singing, and even what gender they were - perhaps a slightly embarrasing testimonial for his powerful vocal range! But Klinghoffer is back to his forté in the next track, the uptempo Goodbye Hooray, which sees powerful instrumental performances from all 3 musicians. There's even room for a barrelhouse piano in the backing, and the psychedelic, trancey bridge midway through is an interesting dynamic which serves to make the closing minute, which culminates in a mindblowing rock-out ending, even more powerful.

Next is Happiness Loves Company, which is sure to be marmite to RHCP fans in the same way Cabron and the Zephyr Song were on By The Way. It's infectiously upbeat, and the prominent piano and Flea's rare appearence on backing vocals with bop-de-bop singing make it truly unlike any Pepper's song to date. It's reminiscant of Britpop, but executed much better than the butchering indie of the past decade. If ever there was a second single from the album, this would be it, and I for one really dig it.

Police Station is another Ballad, and another good performance from Klinghoffer. The piano stabs later on are strangely haunting, perhaps because it's not expected of the Peppers to use such an instrument so heavily. Not that it's a bad thing, and they meld nicely with Josh's soaring, minimalist style. Then there's Even You Brutus?, the last burst of rap on the album and a new direction for Kiedis, with him ditching the rhythmic flows for an almost-yelling contemporary 21st century style. I was unsure of it at first - worried, even, that the rap style which made Kiedis unique was going to be lost in favour of the mainstream. But on closer inspection, it's pulled off effortlessly and combines so well with the piano backing that what starts as a suprising departure from convention becomes farmiliar and impressive very quickly.

Into the album's closing strait, and first there's Meet Me At The Corner. It's very minimal stuff, with Kiedis again leading from the front. The lyrics are suprisingly introspective. It will never be a fan's first choice, but it's solid with another pleasant Guitar and backing vocal performance from Klinghoffer. Finally, there's Dance Dance Dance, which perhaps makes the most of the much-touted but little-exploited claims of an afro-pop influence on the album. The drum beat chugs along nicely, with Flea putting in one final shift before the close of the Album. Kiedis' initially grating orders of "Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!" become more and more infectious as more and more people join in with the song's progression. There's even room for one more sweet bridge from Klinghoffer, although it's over too soon. It's one of those "end of a party songs" - not too taxing for tired revellers, but upbeat enough to convince folks to keep on going. And with that the album recedes into the mist, and you're left feeling like the Peppers are truly starting fresh.

In conclusion, this album is, musically, flawless. Flea has perhaps not been as prominent on a RHCP album perhaps since at least Californication, perhaps Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Josh Klinghoffer, for all the gripes and disguisting scapegoating of a sizable number of so called "fans" who can't accept the departure of John Frusciante, proves himself time and time again, and yet is still subtle enough to let his band members shine instead of stealing the spotlight. Even so, he finds the space to put in a performance on Brendan's Death Song which could push Under The Bridge as one of the most iconic tracks RHCP have ever produced. Chad Smith is incredibly technical on the album, perhaps it's unsung hero who keeps everything rolling and has enough flourishes to grab the listener's attention throughout. Kiedis is the cherry on top, with a vocal ability that continually improves with each new album - again, listen to the stunning high notes at the end of Brendan's Death Song for proof that he is becoming a truly powerful singer. We also see an increased prominence of his famous spoken rap, as well as a new take in Even You Brutus?, which wraps up a solid performance all round from the band.

So I for one am comfortable to declare this the best Red Hot Chili Peppers album since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. There isn't a track on here that truly dissapoints, and you'll soon have your own favourites. Early fans will love Factory Of Faith, Goodbye Hooray and Look Around, while those who admire their contemporary work will love Police Station, Happiness Loves Company and Brendan's Death Song. Experimenters will dig Ethiopia, The Adventures Of Raindance Maggie and Monarchy Of Roses. So sit back and enjoy. The artwork is most certainly apt - you'll be left wanting a repeat prescription when the bug bites you. "

I gave it 5 stars. Hope you can see why. :)

Lets find an old photo - Episode 1.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you this photograph.

I think I speak for all when i say -

"BOOM - Headshot!"

Animal Crossing - Y U NO GRASS?

Well, first embarrasing confession - I love animal crossing on Gamecube. Can't get enough of it. Not really regular gaming fodder for a grown man, but here I am pushing 19 and I'm still a daily player. It speaks volumes that I've been playing it, more or less, since it came out 7 years and 11 days ago today.

But of course, the charm of the game is exemplified by the verdant surroundings, and the changing of the seasons. There's nothing more magical in gaming, I feel, than those first snowflakes and the changed music in early november in your town. That for me is the Gamecube version's secret to it's longevity - the DS and Wii versions may be bursting with content, but both suffer in the aesthetics department, which for me is the joy of playing. Here's why. Compare the following 3 screenshots.

Gamecube

DS

Wii













Now, what can you gather from these three images? Well, the most obvious difference is the almost complete lack of grass on the DS and Wii screenshots. As soon as I bought the DS version, having been psyched from my original love of the GC version, I was downright disappointed when I found that the whole town just looked - well, ugly. More dirt than grass, not helped by the DS' uninspiring graphical capabilities. The characters were jagged, the music was a trainwreck and nothing was a scratch on it's predecessor. The last straw was finding out that all the seasonal holidays had been replaced with wishy-washy "inclusive" crap like the unbearable "Yay Day." I persavered for a few months, before giving up on a game I got no joy out of and going back to the much more appealing graphics and year-round playability of the 'cube version.

Then the Wii version was announced. "Finally" I thought; "A proper update to the game I love! They can't possibly screw this up!" And for a few glorious weeks after launch, it was just that. The town was beautiful. Seasonal holidays were back. There was even more to collect. But then, something odd began to happen.

I logged in one morning to find the little patch of dirt outside my house was slightly bigger. The grass around it was darker, too. This was my introduction to the "Animal Tracks" feature, and a scout around town revealed that all the little patches of dirt that had been present since the beginning were, indeed, growing. "Well this is odd," I thought, but carried on as if nothing had happened.

Move forward a few weeks and I had planted some flowers over the patches to hide them - ungainly things - but with winter approaching and wanting my town to look realistic, I removed them again and prepared for the snow.

Well, that winter became one of pure anger, as I watched my town slowly turn into a desert without me really doing anything. The grass death radiated from paths around buildings - the Town Hall and Bus Stop being the worst offenders - and pretty soon it was not like winter at all - there was even more dirt than in the DS game!

I couldn't make snowmen, I couldn't walk in the snow, and I couldn't enjoy the game. I absolutely hate time travelling in AC - it defeats the point of the game - but as it turned out, if I was to fix my desert, that was the only way besides hacking my Wii.

So once spring came around, cue many hours of painstakingly moving day by day to fix the grass. It took many days to fix, but I managed it. I planted huge corridors of flowers to prevent it happening again. My town looked like a bloody garden centre, and It was a very high maintainence one.

Then one morning, I switched on, and came out my door.

A patch of dirt, right where it had been before.

Back to the Town Hall, and the Bus Stop.

Dirt.

I calmly removed the disc from the Wii and threw it against the wall.

I haven't bothered to check if it still works; i'm too busy playing the Gamecube version. Y'know, the only one that actually looks nice without being a f**king chore.

So a kind word to Nintendo... I LOVE Animal Crossing, and the 3DS version seems to be shaping up nicely. The screenshots are looking lush and verdant, and I for one am psyched to see the Train back! The Taxi and bus just don't have the same magic.

But PLEASE, GOD, do NOT put Animal Tracks into this latest installment. I'm not convinced it will ever "work" and if it's present, I'm straight up not going to buy the new game.

Welcome To The Mind Dump...

Well guys, I'm Mushroomchow and this is my new blog. I've been a hoverer and ranter on the Official Nintendo Magazine forums for a good while now, and have come to the conclusion that my ramblings warrant a blog. So here I am! In this blog, we're going to primarily cover the world of Nintendo, but we'll also touch on all sorts of other subjects from Music to Politics. It just depends if there's something that's managed to really get me excited / p*ss me off.

In the meantime, lets start with the one thing all Britons can relate to - the weather. This week has seen the hottest October temperatures ever recorded in the UK, and yet by the end of the week the Scots are going to be knee deep in snow! Funny old country, this.

Picture related - had a BBQ at the weekend with similar results.