The Invisibles vs The Matrix

You've all seen The Matrix. Think about the plot of the film while I describe the storyline of Grant Morrison's kick-ass comic book - The Invisibles.

A band of freedom fighters who are unique in that they know the "truth" of the nature of our reality are racing the "bad guys" to recruit a young man who just might be the future Buddha. Both sides have been watching him for a while now.

The leader of the freedom fighters is a super-cool kung-fu rock-star with a bald head full of Eastern philosophy and a trenchcoat full of guns. Before going off to induct the chosen one into his group, he consults an older lady / mentor who is not what she seems to be. She has information about the future.

These freedom fighters are so bad-ass that one or two of them can easily take out a small army of soldiers. Also, they all have weird nicknames.

The bad guys are conservative authority figures who wear sunglasses and have access to superpowers.

The "chosen one" subconsciously knows that he is destined to challenge authority and does so in petty ways prior to meeting the freedom fighters.

The bad guys get to him first and attempt to make him cooperate by showing him the spooky stuff they can do to people.

The bald guy rescues him and begins his training, both of body and mind. First, he is given a strange drug, causing him to see the true nature of reality. Our physical world is illusory. Behind the scenes are spooky insectoid monsters harvesting our souls and controlling our every thought. Our technology and our cities are a virus that has risen up and claimed us as slaves.

The chosen one's mind is opened and he is taught to fight and to think and to see beyond the illusions of reality. The final step in his initiation is to leap off a tall building and face death without fear.

The bald guy is captured by the bad guys and drugged, tortured and interrogated. They want the information about his fellow freedom fighters but his mind is too strong and he won't crack. His gang rescues him among much fighting and bloodshed. The chosen one has a spiritual awakening and fully realizes his potential. Knowing that his body is just a shell and that there are no rules or boundaries to a truly awakened mind, the bad guys can no longer touch him.

One of his fellow freedom fighters dies from a bullet in the chest. The chosen one gets a magic mirror substance on his hands and performs "psychic surgery" removing the bullet and bringing them back to life.

The Matrix came out in 1999 under Warner Brothers' studio. The Invisibles was published in 1994. Grant Morrison had been in contact with Warner Brothers (who own DC Comics, who published the comic) but he was turned down. Sources on the set of The Matrix report that The Invisibles comic was on the set and was definitely used as a reference point for many aspects. The Wachowski Brothers have never acknowledged this influence.

American Music and the Number Seven

In years ending with '7' American Music tends to make a giant leap forward. I'm still working on this theory and am mainly concerned with the undeniable rock explosions in 1967, 1977 and 1987. Below is a timeline detailing major music changes or influences for the relevant years. I'm also working on a counterpart theory detailing the iminent Backlash Effect which would take place in years ending in '1'. 1991's Grunge movement is the obvious example.

1897 - Ragtime
Buddy Bolden organizes the first band to play the instrumental Blues
Ragtime craze is full speed ahead
New Orleans' red light district - Storyville - opens

1907
nothing yet - gimme time

1917 - American Music
Original Dixieland Jazz Band makes first ever jazz recording - Livery Stable Blues
New Orleans Jazz is a melting pot for the Blues, Ragtime, Marching Band music

1927 - Jazz
Louis Armstrong sets the stage for swing
Josephine Baker - La Revue Negre
Bix Biederbecke & Louis Armstrong - Singin' the Blues
Benny Goodman's first record
Jazz improv (notes from chords vs melody) is created by Coleman Hawkins via Art Tatum
First talking movie - The Jazz Singer - is released

1937 - Swing
Kenny Clark invents new drumbeat paving the way for Bop
Dixieland movement begins
Duke Ellington - Caravan
Swing music is in full swing

1947 - Blues
Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie record important songs for Dial Records
Muddy Waters' debut single
U. Texas offers a jazz degree

1957 - Rock and Roll
American Bandstand goes National
Chuck Berry hits it big
Elvis hits the charts 6 times with 3 #1 songs
Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Suzie
Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue
Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire
Ricky Nelson and Paul Anka become teen idols
Sputnik is launched

1967 - Psychedelic Rock
      Debut Albums by very inluential bands
David Bowie - David Bowie
Doors - The Doors
Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
Janis Joplin - Big Brother and the Holding Company
Pink Floyd - Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico
      Psychadelic Albums by very inluential bands
The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club
The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
Cream - Disreali Gears
Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties' Request
The Who - Sell Out

1977 - Punk Rock
      Debut Albums by very inluential bands
Buzzcocks - Spiral Scratch
The Clash - The Clash
Jam - In The City
Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77
Television - Marquee Moon
Wire - Pink Flag
      Important Albums by very inluential bands
David Bowie - Low
Ramones - Leave Home
Ramones - Rocket to Russia

1987 - Hair Metal
Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (1986 but biggest selling album of 1987)
Def Leppard - Hysteria
Great White - Once Bitten
Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction (toured as opening act for Aerosmith's "Farewell Tour")
Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls
Ozzy Osbourne - Tribute
Whitesnake - Whitesnake

1997 - Electronica
Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
Daft Punk - Homework
Marylin Manson - Antichrist Superstar (Sept 1996)
Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
Portishead - Portishead
Prodigy - Fat of the Land
Radiohead - OK Computer