Zack's Website

Music

Everybody loves at least some type of music. It could be classical, jazz, rock, whatever. My preference is pretty much anything except Opera or Classical, but my mood kinda dictates what I want to listen too. I like Southern Rock, and anything from the 1970's-1990's. Today's "Rap/HipHop" or "Pop" really sucks. There is no originality there at all. It's just garbage in my opinion.

There are some artists that I think were cutting edge, but unfortunately, just due to circumstances just missed the boat for some strange reason. I've listed what I like, hate, some fun facts, my opinions, etc below. (And yes, I've left the list open for more future losers!)

A lot of the times I'll listen to the same music playlist over and over....it kinda helps me just zone out and focus on work (programming) or just messing around in the garage, etc.

I like country, but it's gotta be upbeat and have a "twang" to it, but most of the other people around me can't stand country - so it's usually when it's just me by myself when it gets played. I like the classics like Kenny Rogers or Willie Nelson, but don't mind guys/gals like Dolly Parton, Randy Houser, Alabamba, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap. Sometimes I can't even tell you who the artist is...I just like the "twang"....must be my extended family's Missouri roots.

Yes, I like Mowtown too...I grew up listening to that as that's all Dad's car would play - God help you if Mom and Dad started singing together going down the road!

In 2023, I started listening to SiriusXM since I got it free with a new car and you could also get it free on iOS, etc. It's nice, because I can just let it play while I'm coding. I pretty much stick to these stations...

• '70's on 7
• '80's on 8
• '90's on 9
• The Blend on 16
• The Bridge on 17
• Classic Rewind on 25
• Classic Vinyl on 26
• The Spectrum on 28
• Lithium on 34
• Ozzy's Boneyard on 38
• Hair Nation on 39
• LL Cool J's Rock the Bells on 43
• The Highway on 56
• Y2Kountry on 57
• Prime Country on 58
• Carrie's Country on 60
• Willie's Country on 61
• Watercolors on 66
• ESPN Radio on 80
• Doctor Radio on 110
• Fox News Simulcast on 114
• Zack's Live Sports Alerts

If I like the music I'll usually add it to my Apple Playlists, so if I'm on a plane or need to take my music with me I can.

Some of My Apple Music Playlists
Testing My Speaker Setup	Apple Music Link
Motorcycle Riding Music	Apple Music Link
Country	Apple Music Link
Country - Up Beat (Still Have My Dog) :-)	Apple Music Link
Zack's Riff List	Apple Music Link
80's Soft Rock	Apple Music Link
80's Hard Rock	Apple Music Link
80's Hair Bands	Apple Music Link

Artists I Love

• Huey Lewis and the News
• Kool Moe Dee
  Real Name: Mohandas Dewese
  LL Cool J - pretty much ripped off Kool Moe Dee's music style.
  Read about Kool Moe Here
• The Cars
• Phil Collins
• Fleetwood Mac
• The Who
• Rush
  Neil Peart - One of the best drummers ever!
• Metallica
Cassette Tapes Gallore in my first car (before CD's)
• AC/DC
• Van Halen
  I liked Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth when they were with the band!
• ZZ Top
• Ozzy Osbourne
• 1980's Hair Bands
  (Yes there's some relatively unknowns in here that were great!)
  Yes, I've heard of Journey, Motley Crue, etc, etc - they are just way overplayed
  My dream is for a Hair Band to start and sing now-a-days - that would ROCK! The only real group close to that is Steel Panther - but if you have a problem with sex and swearing you're gonna have a problem with it.
  Aerosmith
  Alice N' Chains
  Bad Company
  Bon Jovi
  Cinderella
  Alice Cooper
  Def Leppard
  Dokken
  Great White
  Guns N' Roses
  Sammy Hagar
  Heart
  Kiss
  Kix
  Motley Crue
  Vince Neil
  Night Ranger
  Ted Nugent
  Ozzy Osbourne
  Pantera
  Poison
  Queensryche
  Quiet Riot
  Ratt
  David Lee Roth
  Scorpions
  Skid Row
  Slaughter
  Spinal Tap
  Steel Panther
  Tesla
  Twisted Sister
  Ugly Kid Joe
  Van Halen
  Warrant
  Whitesnake
  White Lion
  Winger

Artists I Don't Mind - But They are Mostly One Hit Wonders or Way Over Played

• Ratt
• Twisted Sister
• Megadeath
• Black Sabbath
• Journey
  They are way over played!

Artists I Hate and Hope Would Die in A Horrific Plane Crash!

• Dave Matthews Band
  I walked out of a concert at Tigers Stadium they sucked so bad!
  We went for the opening act (Macy Gray)
• The Doors
• The Rolling Stones
• Paul McCartney
  He was ok with the Beatles
  But I'm not a big Beatles fan
• Bryan Adams
• Elvis
• Dexys Midnight Runners (Come on Eileen)
• Rednex (Cotton Eye Joe)
• The Eagles (Hotel California)
• INSERT FUTURE CRAPPY ARTIST HERE!

Movies

I love movies! My preference is for Sci-Fi, Comedy, True-Life Drama, Action, etc, but if the story is good and it can catch my attention in the first 15 minutes, it's got a chance of me sticking around to finish it. If you can't get to the point in 15 minutes, I'll walk out of the theatre, fall asleep, or find something else. I'm that picky!

I'm not going to create a list for movies I like - there are just too many with more being added all the time (at least pre-2019 or so). If you really, really, really know me however, I have one all-time favorite movie (I'll let you ask me!) otherwise, I'm pretty easy to please.

The actor and/or actress also makes a huge difference too. If you are on the following list, I will flat out not watch the movie, no matter what!

Actors/Actresses That Suck - they should also die in a horrific plane crash, too!

• Matthew McConaughey
• Nicole Kidman
• Bette Midler
• Cher (she was ok in Mask)
• INSERT FUTURE CRAPPY ACTOR HERE!

Television

Television used to be good in the 1970's and 1980's as there was some good writing, good action, and no such thing as "Reality TV" - which in my opinion was the downfall of TV.

Some of my favorite television shows/series (yes, I watched a lot as a kid!)

• CHiPs
• Dukes of Hazzard
• Knight Rider
• Bionic Woman
• The Six Million Dollar Man
• Fall Guy
• Buck Rogers
• Planet of the Apes
• MacGyver
• Airwolf
• The A-Team
• Star Trek - The Next Generation
• The Greatest American Hero
• V - The Mini-Series

Sure, there was the typical stuff that everybody watched like Cheers, Moonlighting, etc, etc, etc, but about 1986 or so I was mostly on the computer spending my free time on BBS's etc. So that got a lot of attention during prime-time.