The most overrated mainstream groups > Artists that just don’t make the mark Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor listen to a lot of classic rock. I appreciate a variety of genres, but the 19608-19905 era will forever be the best time in music for me. I grew up on a lot of the essential groups, and on rock radio. A lot of great bands filled my ears from a young age. Today, I continue to appreciate these groups, but there are some that really do not deserve the amount of attention they get. Every time they come on the radio, I die a little on the inside. AC/DC Let's be honest, guys: All of their songs sound pretty much the same. Bon Scott’s legacy and untimely death can be remembered, but it’s been 35 years of unfiltered noise since then. I can appreciate dirty deeds being done dirt cheap, but if I have to listen to angry screechy vocals from Brian Johnson (or as of recently, Axl Rose, of all people) for more than five minutes... well, I thought torture was illegal. KISS If they didn’t have the makeup, they would've faded out 40 years ago. KISS’ live shows and entire band image focus on them being the kings of glam (now el ii a r r | |_| Z | rs a that Bowie is gone, at least). The makeup is pretty cool, but it doesn’t make up for cookie-cutter vocals and forgettable tracks. Not to mention their egos based on being the makeup guys—their live shows introduce them as “the best band in the world.” You used to drive us wild in the ’7os, but now you just drive us crazy. U2 Somehow these guys have remained youthful activists being pretty much worshipped for three decades. They've got a few lovely songs, but they're really not cutting-edge or innovative Sa | v 7 ay a anymore. They're playing the same poppy, oversaturated rhythm they played 30 years ago, but continue to have bigger egos than the massive stadiums they somehow sell out. But hey, Bono, you can’t be a charity and environmental activist unless you're worth hundreds of millions and set a major carbon footprint through international tours every year, right? Metallica They had one or two good albums 25 years ago, but how they remain relevant is beyond me. Their new music What are the limits and rules of marijuana legalization? > Regulation in a post-prohibition era Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor arijuana will (likely) become legal in Canada in just a few months. As walking down any street in Vancouver can demonstrate, many already choose to light up in public. Should this kind of behaviour be condoned once it’s no longer technically illegal to smoke the green stuff? Smoking cigarettes in public is perfectly legal, if only in dedicated areas and away from prohibited zones, which vary constantly from city to city. When weed becomes legal, one assumes the same rules as cigarettes will apply. Perhaps they should be stricter. Is it all right to smoke marijuana ina public smoking area, or should it be limited to private property? The regulation of marijuana is a heavy debate. Once legal, who should be allowed to sell it? Should it be treated like liquor and only sold in designated substance stores? Should it be like cigarettes, and freely available in retailers, yet still regulated? Or should simply any store willing to carry the product be allowed access? The top priorities in legalizing pot include limiting and preventing access of it by minors, as well as controlling the illegal drug trafficking trade that profits heavily from pot sales. Many opponents of unrestricted legalization rightfully argue that safety is a prime factor in regulation. If there are no restrictions on weed entering the public, it’s easy for unethical sources and dealers to get involved, and youd better believe the feds want their tax cut. Generally, marijuana advocates encourage little regulation when dealing with legality. They believe that, as a plant, marijuana should be possessed and exchanged by anyone who wants to own it, without government regulation. Having the state control who’s allowed to possess it, or limit how much weed they can have with them, is seen as an unethical “New Prohibition” For my own part, I support unregulated marijuana legalization for logistical and red tape reasons, if nothing else. It’s not true to say that marijuana has zero side effects or potential risks, but it’s definitely safer than alcohol and cigarettes. Marijuana grows naturally, and anyone with seeds and the right lighting can technically grow it (though not legally). People get rich and screw others over due to weed being illegal and its connection to the black market. In many cases, they’ll even spike it with other, incredibly dangerous substances, even fentanyl. 1 suppose there must be some regulation to prevent that kind of thing from happening, but I would hope to see it be as limited as possible. The government regulating the price or THC content of marijuana only serves to strengthen the black market... and that’s before taxes come into the picture. Image via Kiss via gazettereview.com consistently fails, even to diehard fans, and their off-stage behaviour (such as suing fans for downloading their music) doesn’t help. They were recently named ambassadors for Record Store Day—because today’s vinyl-playing youth just love spinning Metallica. They might be light metal pioneers, but they don’t have a place in metal today. Adele She has a beautiful singing voice. That’s about it. Literally all of her songs sound the same and don’t take any risks whatsoever. On one of her three nearly identical albums, she could’ve had a jazz band or something slightly upbeat playing behind her. Adele squanders her singing voice on 50 songs all about some kind of breakup. She’s talented, but she’s not some sort of game changer. Queen OK, I actually dig Queen a lot. A Night at the Opera is one of the greatest albums of the era, ever. But I’m putting them on the list solely for the fact that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is overplayed as hell. When you start hearing it in things like Suicide Squad, maybe it’s time to reign the wheels in a bit. It is a great song. Let’s not ruin it by putting it literally everywhere. I heard it at a club ona Friday night. J don’t think it’s what Freddie would've wanted. As anyone in Vancouver knows, a lot of people already use marijuana. Legalization will help to stabilize and make the market more accessible, while also encouraging safety and responsible use. Many marijuana advocates specifically encourage proper knowledge of the drug and tips for safer usage, such as being careful with edible dosages. Marijuana has many recreational and medical benefits, and many who work in the (semi-illegal) market have already been learning about it for years, or even decades. ce Overtly controlling the So >, weed market only serves ®, to further discourage % theuseless legal battle. % Legalization means & legalization, not “strictly controlled and regulated.” If you want to have a whole pound of pot with you ata time, that’s your business. If you have a store, or just want to sell a bit to a friend, that’s your business. It’s just a plant, and it’s already widely available. Plus, if possession is legal, it can be almost guaranteed that marijuana crime will virtually disappear.