Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
January songs
Songs I have had in my head in the past couple of weeks
- "Bamboo banga", MIA
- "Tattva", Kula Shaker
- "My Guernica", Manic Street Preachers
- "The gift that keeps giving", Super Furry Animals
- "What kind of girl", APB
- "Ended with the night", Caravan Palace
- "Starlover", Manic Street Preachers
- "The Hindu Times", Oasis
- "Journal for plague lovers", Manic Street Preachers --- James Dean Bradfield's voice on this one makes me feel all ASDFGHJKL inside.
- "When my boy walks down the street", Magnetic Fields
By the way, Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. According to various Indian schools of philosophy, a tattva is an element or aspect of reality conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of tattvas varies depending on the philosophical school, together they are thought to form the basis of all our experience.
- "Bamboo banga", MIA
- "Tattva", Kula Shaker
- "My Guernica", Manic Street Preachers
- "The gift that keeps giving", Super Furry Animals
- "What kind of girl", APB
- "Ended with the night", Caravan Palace
- "Starlover", Manic Street Preachers
- "The Hindu Times", Oasis
- "Journal for plague lovers", Manic Street Preachers --- James Dean Bradfield's voice on this one makes me feel all ASDFGHJKL inside.
- "When my boy walks down the street", Magnetic Fields
By the way, Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. According to various Indian schools of philosophy, a tattva is an element or aspect of reality conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of tattvas varies depending on the philosophical school, together they are thought to form the basis of all our experience.
Miracles happen
The bands (Oasis & Blur) met again this January at the NME Brat Awards. Liam baited Damon backstage when the duo were asked to pose for a photograph. Damon readily agreed but Liam refused, stood toe to toe with Damon and said: “I’ll tell ya. To your face. Your band’s full of shit. Right. So I’m not going to do a photo with ya.” Damon remained commendably cool as Liam again tried to wind him up saying, “You don’t honestly want a picture with me, do you? Well, I don’t really want one with you. I’m gonna have the ares and balls to say so.” But then, with impeccable timing and in front of two NME photographers, Graham Coxon planted a kiss on the cheek of a stunned Liam Gallagher. Source.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Use the force
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...
- “A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles”, Marianne Williamson
Friday, January 28, 2011
Chrissy put on some lipstick
On a bus stop bench sat an ancient lady
It was clear she was dead, yeah, we all could agree
& that death had arrived quite unexpectedly
Because the poor wretch died with a book on her knee
Chrissy kiss the corpse
Chrissy kiss the corpse
David drew a mustache under her nose
Nick put a burning match between her toes
I put a cockroach in her pantyhose
Chrissy put on some lipstick & struck a dramatic pose
Chrissy's such a pretty lass
As benign as broken glass
No one in her family knows
The vile hobby that she chose
Some cops came by so we hid behind a tree
I peeked out & they noticed me
& said fondling the dead is a felony
But you got nothing to fear because we only came to see
Chrissy's such a pretty thing
Gentle as a scorpion sting
No one ever would suspect
That her mind's completely wrecked
- Chrissy kiss the corpse , Of Montreal
It was clear she was dead, yeah, we all could agree
& that death had arrived quite unexpectedly
Because the poor wretch died with a book on her knee
Chrissy kiss the corpse
Chrissy kiss the corpse
David drew a mustache under her nose
Nick put a burning match between her toes
I put a cockroach in her pantyhose
Chrissy put on some lipstick & struck a dramatic pose
Chrissy's such a pretty lass
As benign as broken glass
No one in her family knows
The vile hobby that she chose
Some cops came by so we hid behind a tree
I peeked out & they noticed me
& said fondling the dead is a felony
But you got nothing to fear because we only came to see
Chrissy's such a pretty thing
Gentle as a scorpion sting
No one ever would suspect
That her mind's completely wrecked
- Chrissy kiss the corpse , Of Montreal
Yeah, a song about necrophilia! Many people would be like "WTF?" but hey, this is Of Montreal we're talking about. You can never know what to expect. The music is really fresh, upbeat, catchy & happy although the subject matter is not so much : P I like when there's this dissociation between music & lyrics. The artist tricks you into believing a song is all cheerful until you stop to listen to the words. Although in this case maybe the music isn't really mismatched with the lyrics since it's not a SERIOUS, DRAMATIC song, you know? It's just a humorous look at morbidity. All in good fun.
Obviously I love that it's got my name : D
& while I'm not into kissing dead people, there is some stuff that sounds like me!
BTW this song is off "Satanic Panic in the Attic", my fav album by Of Montreal.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Photo by Oliverio Torre
Thursday, January 27, 2011
January Albums
- Still lots of Girl Talk... MAN, HE'S SO GOOD.
- “We can’t fly”, Aeroplane (recommended by Maggie)
- “Ring”, Glasser (recommended by Grant)
- “Au rêve”, Cassius
- Fever Ray self-titled. This band TOTALLY reminds me of Kelley Wise. Martin LBT, too.
- “Demon days”, Gorillaz
- The pains of being pure at heart self-titled
- “Hey venus!” & “Love kraft”, Super Furry Animals
- Michel Camilo: recommended by Guillaume
- “We can’t fly”, Aeroplane (recommended by Maggie)
- “Ring”, Glasser (recommended by Grant)
- “Au rêve”, Cassius
- Fever Ray self-titled. This band TOTALLY reminds me of Kelley Wise. Martin LBT, too.
- “Demon days”, Gorillaz
- The pains of being pure at heart self-titled
- “Hey venus!” & “Love kraft”, Super Furry Animals
- Michel Camilo: recommended by Guillaume
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Summer days driftin’ away to uh-oh! Those summer nights
3AM, sleepless, the middle of the night, the middle of the summer. This season’s been both “Gimme endless summer” (From some song by Robbie Williams, LOL, but the phrase always stuck in my head. I like Robbie BTW) & “I lost my faith in the summertime” (“The importance of being idle”, Oasis).
It’s been “Summertime & the living is easy” (classic number by George Gershwin), at other times a LIVING hell. For one, it’s literally that way outside. Like “Summer’s cauldron”, by XTC.
Stepping onto the street, the heat hits you immediately, all over, smothering you. We’ve had record high temperatures. Many days I don’t want to go outside at all. I’d prefer to stay in my room with the AC on full blast, sipping drinks brimming with ice cubes. The only downside to living in my own little Siberia is that my cat won’t set foot into my room. She prefers the heat, I guess.
“The air conditioned nightmare”. I’ve always liked that title. It’s a song by Mr Bungle. Don’t get me wrong, I do leave my room & the house. There have only been a couple of Sundays when I haven’t. I just don’t get along with extreme temperatures. Although I prefer summer over winter. I just feel something in the air. Light-hearted, free-spirited, more cheerful, youthful. When it’s not an oven outside, of course. In that case everyone’s grouchy. But otherwise you wander around & there are other people taking walks, kids sitting on front stoops, tables outside cafés completely crowded. I like it. When it’s warm out I love to walk around at night with my iPod. To walk home from places, even if it’s far.
- “Violence of summer”, Duran Duran
- “Summer swim”, George Clinton
- “Die in the summertime”, Manic Street Preachers
- "Celebrate summer", T-Rex
- “Summertime blues”, Eddie Cochran
- I miss the sweet boys in the summer of their youth - "Petals", Hole
- Oh yeah she was taking me over, oh yeah it was the start of the summer - “Oh yeah”, Ash -- what a nice feeling, that start of the summer sensation
A song I immediately link with the season is “Summer lovin” from Grease, a favorite film of mine growing up. I still count it among my favs, actually. At one point in high school I watched it every night, or had it playing in the background. & I wanted my life to be like that.
It’s been “Summertime & the living is easy” (classic number by George Gershwin), at other times a LIVING hell. For one, it’s literally that way outside. Like “Summer’s cauldron”, by XTC.
Stepping onto the street, the heat hits you immediately, all over, smothering you. We’ve had record high temperatures. Many days I don’t want to go outside at all. I’d prefer to stay in my room with the AC on full blast, sipping drinks brimming with ice cubes. The only downside to living in my own little Siberia is that my cat won’t set foot into my room. She prefers the heat, I guess.
“The air conditioned nightmare”. I’ve always liked that title. It’s a song by Mr Bungle. Don’t get me wrong, I do leave my room & the house. There have only been a couple of Sundays when I haven’t. I just don’t get along with extreme temperatures. Although I prefer summer over winter. I just feel something in the air. Light-hearted, free-spirited, more cheerful, youthful. When it’s not an oven outside, of course. In that case everyone’s grouchy. But otherwise you wander around & there are other people taking walks, kids sitting on front stoops, tables outside cafés completely crowded. I like it. When it’s warm out I love to walk around at night with my iPod. To walk home from places, even if it’s far.
- “Violence of summer”, Duran Duran
- “Summer swim”, George Clinton
- “Die in the summertime”, Manic Street Preachers
- "Celebrate summer", T-Rex
- “Summertime blues”, Eddie Cochran
- I miss the sweet boys in the summer of their youth - "Petals", Hole
- Oh yeah she was taking me over, oh yeah it was the start of the summer - “Oh yeah”, Ash -- what a nice feeling, that start of the summer sensation
A song I immediately link with the season is “Summer lovin” from Grease, a favorite film of mine growing up. I still count it among my favs, actually. At one point in high school I watched it every night, or had it playing in the background. & I wanted my life to be like that.
Little Guernica
♫ Little someone in my own little Guernica ... ♫
- "My guernica", Manic Street Preachers
Wake up & pour yourself another ice breaker...
Constantly in my head since October.
Keep it together, hold it together, keep it together, hold it together...
You think you know, but you have no idea
On the song “Preaching the end of the world”, Chris Cornell begins by singing ♫ Hello? I know there’s someone out there who can understand & who’s feeling the same way as me ♫
Someone who can understand. “Misunderstood” is a very lonely feeling. Especially when it comes to things that are a big part of you/ your life/ your reality: interests, emotions, points of view, etc. This may be extremist, but there’s the question of whether it’s actually possible for 2 ppl to feel exactly the same or see something the same way. Situations, even objects. Have you ever been w/ a friend & wondered if that lamp looked the same to them as it did to you? Of course you can both describe it & your descriptions can be similar. But you’ll never REALLY know how it looks from their eyes. You’ll never be able to get into someone else’s head a la “Being John Malkovich”.
Either way it’s comforting to find you share things w/ others, isn’t it? Makes you feel less alone. This totally relates to a recent post I did called Music & Lyrics. When you find an artist has already felt what you’re feeling & put it into words. Alas the music we listen to is not usually made by the ppl we see every day. & it sucks when those around you “just don’t get it”. Perhaps this sounds like an adolescent discourse. But I think it can be a lifelong situation. Just that it’s more intense during teen years.
Often ppl tell you what to do, not to think so much, not to overreact, not to take this/that personally. Relax, it’s not a big deal, forget about it. But they don’t know what you’re feeling inside, which makes it easy to talk. Don’t get me wrong, I do these things: I tell my friends to chill out, I give opinions & advice. What else can a friend do? Just being there & listening is of UTMOST importance but it’s not always enough. Although I’ve also doubted the legitimacy of advice as a concept. What does the other person know? Who are they to give their view on a situation they aren’t a part of -or @ least not in the same way you are-, involving other people they sometimes haven’t even met? (1) Then again, sometimes it’s helpful to have an outsider’s unbiased point of view. To hear from someone not involved, whose emotions don’t interfere w/ their judgment.
This comes up in my mind linked to the idea of “Boy/ girl advice”. If you stop & think, it’s based on stereotypes, generalizations, the assumption that all boys/ girls are the same. Which is total bullshit. Yet boys/ girls/ ppl do have some common traits & behaviors. Otherwise Sociology & Psychology could not exist. But many ppl don’t believe going to sit w/ someone who will analyse them & talk about how they (the patient) feel.
However I believe in therapy. I do it, I enjoy it. Mostly bc it’s an outlet & it’s interesting. But yeah, I’m pro-therapy. & I often ask for boy advice. Sigh, so many contradictory ideas. It’s maddening sometimes. As though everything is true & makes sense, but so does the opposite notion.
What I originally wanted 2 say is that there are certain things where if the other person hasn’t gone through the same (although it’s never EXACTLY the same...), they just don’t understand. & if the other person can't make sense of your feelings or behaviors, this can create an impenetrable barrier. It can be painful, frustrating & sometimes powerful enough to tear the two of you apart.
A thought crossed my mind the other morning: maybe those of us who feel something really strong inside (2)...go through life looking for ppl w/ whom to share it...in hopes of being understood.
& -when the feeling is bad-, in some cases in hopes of finding someone who can take the pain away (or tell them how 2 do it (3)
& in hopes of being loved (regardless)? Or in addition. I don’t know.
There is a lot more where this came from & which I hope to expand upon in the near future.
But this is all for now. I hope it made sense
- You’ll never feel the heat that’s in this soul - “Never is a promise”, Fiona Apple
- Maybe you’re the same as me we see things they’ll never see - “Live forever”, Oasis
- Have you felt it? have you? I've felt it too... & so have you - “Poughkeepsie”, Devendra Banhart
- "This is my truth tell me yours", Manic Street Preachers
- "Do you feel the same?" - Silverchair
- "How does it make you feel?" - Air
- “It ain’t easy”, David Bowie
- “Walking in my shoes”, Depeche Mode
- "No one knows what it's like to be me", Manics (LOL THIS TITLE IS SO FULL OF EMO)
- I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets - "Crucify", Tori Amos
PS.
Based upon all this, it blows my mind that bands exist. That ppl can make art together. But since music is my thing I think of bands 1st. That a group of people can want to express the same thing & manage to agree on how to express it. Which of course means that first, they had to open up about what they wanted to express. Which is often based on their ideas, experiences, feelings. I THINK IT’S KIND OF MIRACULOUS, ACTUALLY.
(1) You can tell everyone about a fight you had w/ a friend & ask for advice. But nobody else knows what the relationship is like. You can explain, but it’s not the same. Am I making sense? I think this is why I tend to give many details (sometimes going overboard) when asking for advice. So ppl can get as clear a picture of the situation as possible.
(2) does everyone? It’s easy to say some people are one-dimensional & stupid or whatever, but are they really? I like to give them the benefit of doubt
(3) OR, WORST CASE SCENARIO: JUST SHARE IT & LIVE THE SAYING "MISERY LOVES COMPANY" LOL
Someone who can understand. “Misunderstood” is a very lonely feeling. Especially when it comes to things that are a big part of you/ your life/ your reality: interests, emotions, points of view, etc. This may be extremist, but there’s the question of whether it’s actually possible for 2 ppl to feel exactly the same or see something the same way. Situations, even objects. Have you ever been w/ a friend & wondered if that lamp looked the same to them as it did to you? Of course you can both describe it & your descriptions can be similar. But you’ll never REALLY know how it looks from their eyes. You’ll never be able to get into someone else’s head a la “Being John Malkovich”.
Either way it’s comforting to find you share things w/ others, isn’t it? Makes you feel less alone. This totally relates to a recent post I did called Music & Lyrics. When you find an artist has already felt what you’re feeling & put it into words. Alas the music we listen to is not usually made by the ppl we see every day. & it sucks when those around you “just don’t get it”. Perhaps this sounds like an adolescent discourse. But I think it can be a lifelong situation. Just that it’s more intense during teen years.
Often ppl tell you what to do, not to think so much, not to overreact, not to take this/that personally. Relax, it’s not a big deal, forget about it. But they don’t know what you’re feeling inside, which makes it easy to talk. Don’t get me wrong, I do these things: I tell my friends to chill out, I give opinions & advice. What else can a friend do? Just being there & listening is of UTMOST importance but it’s not always enough. Although I’ve also doubted the legitimacy of advice as a concept. What does the other person know? Who are they to give their view on a situation they aren’t a part of -or @ least not in the same way you are-, involving other people they sometimes haven’t even met? (1) Then again, sometimes it’s helpful to have an outsider’s unbiased point of view. To hear from someone not involved, whose emotions don’t interfere w/ their judgment.
This comes up in my mind linked to the idea of “Boy/ girl advice”. If you stop & think, it’s based on stereotypes, generalizations, the assumption that all boys/ girls are the same. Which is total bullshit. Yet boys/ girls/ ppl do have some common traits & behaviors. Otherwise Sociology & Psychology could not exist. But many ppl don’t believe going to sit w/ someone who will analyse them & talk about how they (the patient) feel.
However I believe in therapy. I do it, I enjoy it. Mostly bc it’s an outlet & it’s interesting. But yeah, I’m pro-therapy. & I often ask for boy advice. Sigh, so many contradictory ideas. It’s maddening sometimes. As though everything is true & makes sense, but so does the opposite notion.
What I originally wanted 2 say is that there are certain things where if the other person hasn’t gone through the same (although it’s never EXACTLY the same...), they just don’t understand. & if the other person can't make sense of your feelings or behaviors, this can create an impenetrable barrier. It can be painful, frustrating & sometimes powerful enough to tear the two of you apart.
A thought crossed my mind the other morning: maybe those of us who feel something really strong inside (2)...go through life looking for ppl w/ whom to share it...in hopes of being understood.
& -when the feeling is bad-, in some cases in hopes of finding someone who can take the pain away (or tell them how 2 do it (3)
& in hopes of being loved (regardless)? Or in addition. I don’t know.
There is a lot more where this came from & which I hope to expand upon in the near future.
But this is all for now. I hope it made sense
- You’ll never feel the heat that’s in this soul - “Never is a promise”, Fiona Apple
- Maybe you’re the same as me we see things they’ll never see - “Live forever”, Oasis
- Have you felt it? have you? I've felt it too... & so have you - “Poughkeepsie”, Devendra Banhart
- "This is my truth tell me yours", Manic Street Preachers
- "Do you feel the same?" - Silverchair
- "How does it make you feel?" - Air
- “It ain’t easy”, David Bowie
- “Walking in my shoes”, Depeche Mode
- "No one knows what it's like to be me", Manics (LOL THIS TITLE IS SO FULL OF EMO)
- I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets - "Crucify", Tori Amos
PS.
Based upon all this, it blows my mind that bands exist. That ppl can make art together. But since music is my thing I think of bands 1st. That a group of people can want to express the same thing & manage to agree on how to express it. Which of course means that first, they had to open up about what they wanted to express. Which is often based on their ideas, experiences, feelings. I THINK IT’S KIND OF MIRACULOUS, ACTUALLY.
(1) You can tell everyone about a fight you had w/ a friend & ask for advice. But nobody else knows what the relationship is like. You can explain, but it’s not the same. Am I making sense? I think this is why I tend to give many details (sometimes going overboard) when asking for advice. So ppl can get as clear a picture of the situation as possible.
(2) does everyone? It’s easy to say some people are one-dimensional & stupid or whatever, but are they really? I like to give them the benefit of doubt
(3) OR, WORST CASE SCENARIO: JUST SHARE IT & LIVE THE SAYING "MISERY LOVES COMPANY" LOL
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Hay algo en vos que nunca muere
For the past few days, I've kept hearing this voice in my head over & over again. It says: "Hay algo en vos que nunca muere (There's something in you that never dies)". Not everyone believes this, of course...but I do. The voice belongs to an instructor from the Art of Living. They give course where you learn breathing techniques, yoga, meditation, relaxation. I've always been into that stuff. I've taken many courses there & I have favorite teachers. The voice I keep hearing does not belong to one of them, so I wonder why it stuck...
The band N.E.R.D...did you know that's an acronym for "No one ever really dies"? I love.
When I was 8 or 9, a film called "Little Buddha" came out. It's about a monk who travels to the US in search of his dead teacher & believes to find him reincarnated in a blonde haired little boy. Think baby Anakin Skywalker. That's probably where I learnt what reincarnation was. I had my mom take me to see it twice.
Yesterday I was talking with a guy who is also into spirituality. Moreso than me. He heard that the state you're in when you die matters somehow. As in mental state, emotional state. & that every time you go to sleep it's like a death & then waking up is like a rebirth (LOL LIKE THE NAME OF THE EVANGELION MOVIE "DEATH & REBIRTH"). Anyways the point was that it's good to fall asleep feeling serene & calm. I also thought to myself that going to bed feeling all nice & peaceful could be a precaution in case you die in your sleep. Like..once I heard someone say that they never parted ways with anyone while on bad terms (ex: you argued with a friend, want to tell them to fuck off & you want to leave immediately)...because...what if you never saw them again? I can't say I live by this principle, but it's one way of going about things...
Well...something really nice is happening in my life, something that seemed impossible. I still can't believe it. This afternoon I lay down to take a nap, & I had all the aforementioned stuff on my mind. I thought "What if I die in my sleep?" Thank god I'm not a hypochondriac or paranoid about dying...maybe even I'm the opposite, ha. But sometimes it happens, you know. Young people dying randomly. Like Brittany Murphy or Romina Yan. & you know...I felt that if I did die in my sleep, it would be ok. Because I would be departing...in peace? It was so weird. I have a LONG way to go before reaching inner peace...like most people. But I felt it. I had never felt that before. It was so nice.
This was one of my favorite songs during High School. Although I was a hell of a lot further from inner peace than I am now.
& if i die today
i'll be the happy phantom
and i'll go chasin'
the nuns out in the yard
& i'll run naked
through the streets without my mask on
and i will never need
umbrellas in the rain
i'll wake up in
strawberry fields every day
& the atrocities of school
i can forgive
the HAPPY phantom
has no right to bitch
woo hoo the time is getting closer
woo hoo to be a ghost
woo hoo every day we're getting closer
the sun is getting dim
will we pay for who we been
so if i die today
i'll be the happy phantom
& i'll go wearin'
my naughties like a jewel
they'll be my ticket
to the universal opera
there's judy garland
taking buddha by the hand
& then these seven little men
get up to dance
they say confucius
does his crossword with a pen
i'm still the angel
to a girl who hates to sin
woo hoo the time is getting closer
woo hoo to be a ghost
woo hoo every day we're getting closer
the sun is getting dim
will i pay? for who i been
or will i see you dear
& wish i could come back
you found a girl
that you could truly love again
will you still call for me
when she falls asleep
or do we soon forget the things
we cannot see?
- "Happy Phantom", Tori Amos
PS: It was impossible to write this entry without also hearing the classic line ♫ To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die ♫ from "There is a light that never goes out" by The Smiths.
Also
- "Little ghost", White Stripes
- "Miranda, that ghost just isn't holy anymore", The Mars Volta
- "To repel ghosts", Manic St Preachers
- Ghostland Observatory
- "Spirit they've gone, spirit they've vanished", Animal collective
- "The spirit is near", Devendra Banhart
The band N.E.R.D...did you know that's an acronym for "No one ever really dies"? I love.
When I was 8 or 9, a film called "Little Buddha" came out. It's about a monk who travels to the US in search of his dead teacher & believes to find him reincarnated in a blonde haired little boy. Think baby Anakin Skywalker. That's probably where I learnt what reincarnation was. I had my mom take me to see it twice.
Yesterday I was talking with a guy who is also into spirituality. Moreso than me. He heard that the state you're in when you die matters somehow. As in mental state, emotional state. & that every time you go to sleep it's like a death & then waking up is like a rebirth (LOL LIKE THE NAME OF THE EVANGELION MOVIE "DEATH & REBIRTH"). Anyways the point was that it's good to fall asleep feeling serene & calm. I also thought to myself that going to bed feeling all nice & peaceful could be a precaution in case you die in your sleep. Like..once I heard someone say that they never parted ways with anyone while on bad terms (ex: you argued with a friend, want to tell them to fuck off & you want to leave immediately)...because...what if you never saw them again? I can't say I live by this principle, but it's one way of going about things...
Well...something really nice is happening in my life, something that seemed impossible. I still can't believe it. This afternoon I lay down to take a nap, & I had all the aforementioned stuff on my mind. I thought "What if I die in my sleep?" Thank god I'm not a hypochondriac or paranoid about dying...maybe even I'm the opposite, ha. But sometimes it happens, you know. Young people dying randomly. Like Brittany Murphy or Romina Yan. & you know...I felt that if I did die in my sleep, it would be ok. Because I would be departing...in peace? It was so weird. I have a LONG way to go before reaching inner peace...like most people. But I felt it. I had never felt that before. It was so nice.
This was one of my favorite songs during High School. Although I was a hell of a lot further from inner peace than I am now.
& if i die today
i'll be the happy phantom
and i'll go chasin'
the nuns out in the yard
& i'll run naked
through the streets without my mask on
and i will never need
umbrellas in the rain
i'll wake up in
strawberry fields every day
& the atrocities of school
i can forgive
the HAPPY phantom
has no right to bitch
woo hoo the time is getting closer
woo hoo to be a ghost
woo hoo every day we're getting closer
the sun is getting dim
will we pay for who we been
so if i die today
i'll be the happy phantom
& i'll go wearin'
my naughties like a jewel
they'll be my ticket
to the universal opera
there's judy garland
taking buddha by the hand
& then these seven little men
get up to dance
they say confucius
does his crossword with a pen
i'm still the angel
to a girl who hates to sin
woo hoo the time is getting closer
woo hoo to be a ghost
woo hoo every day we're getting closer
the sun is getting dim
will i pay? for who i been
or will i see you dear
& wish i could come back
you found a girl
that you could truly love again
will you still call for me
when she falls asleep
or do we soon forget the things
we cannot see?
- "Happy Phantom", Tori Amos
PS: It was impossible to write this entry without also hearing the classic line ♫ To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die ♫ from "There is a light that never goes out" by The Smiths.
Also
- "Little ghost", White Stripes
- "Miranda, that ghost just isn't holy anymore", The Mars Volta
- "To repel ghosts", Manic St Preachers
- Ghostland Observatory
- "Spirit they've gone, spirit they've vanished", Animal collective
- "The spirit is near", Devendra Banhart
Friday, January 21, 2011
Breakfast w/ Hunter S Thompson
“Breakfast is the only meal of the day that I tend to view with the same kind of traditionalized reverence that most people associate with Lunch & Dinner. I like to eat breakfast alone, & almost never before noon; anybody with a terminally jangled lifestyle needs at least one psychic anchor every twenty-four hours, & mine is breakfast. In Hong Kong, Dallas or at home — & regardless of whether or not I have been to bed — breakfast is a personal ritual that can only be properly observed alone, & in a spirit of GENUINE EXCESS. The food factor should always be massive: 4 Bloody Marys, 2 grapefruits, a pot of coffee, Rangoon crepes, a half-pound of either sausage, bacon, or corned beef hash with diced chiles, a Spanish omelette or eggs Benedict, a quart of milk, a chopped lemon for random seasoning, & something like a slice of Key lime pie, 2 margaritas, & 6 lines of the best cocaine for dessert… Right, & there should also be 2-3 newspapers, all mail & messages, a telephone, a notebook for planning the next 24 hours and at least one source of good music… All of which should be dealt with outside, in the warmth of a hot sun, & preferably stone naked.”
- Hunter S. Thompson
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Air
So earlier today I sent my friend Guilllaume (he’s French & lives in Paris, OMG) a short list of songs by Air, since he didn’t really know them. Regardless, he is completely full of awesome (& cute : ). Some people are just into other types of music, other types of things. I won’t write about him too much bc I get the feeling he wouldn’t like that, but I’ll say that he’s one of the top people I met while I was in Paris. He's a friend I made. & I think the person that I kept in touch with the most afterwards. Anyways I figured I’d do a post on Air, who NME Magazine hold responsible for reinforcing "international stereotypes of Frenchmen as nothing more than muss-haired playboys stroking a woman with one hand & an analog synth with the other". THAT'S HOT.
Back in high school I had the idea (prejudice) that electronic music totally sucked. I’d only really heard it @ clubs, & I did not really like clubs or going out. In fact, in 2001, I went dancing a grand total of twice, while everyone else I knew went every bloody weekend & seemed to enjoy. I didn’t have much fun in general that year, & the circle of people I knew was quite small, yes, but...moving right along.
Things changed one night in 2002 when my cousin Sebastian came over. He’s a musician & also full of awesome. I remember clearly: my dad had ordered Armenian food for dinner. @ some point, my dad disappeared & the two of us had a long & deep conversation about many things. He’s one of those people who can wow you with their knowledge of bands/ artists/ producers. I remember sitting there with a scrap of paper & a pen, taking note of all the artists he mentioned & recommended. I later became a huge fan of many of them.
That night, I learnt that electronic music was not just the awful shit they played at clubs. It was an ENTIRE UNIVERSE full of subgenres. There was electronic music not even meant for dancing! I still don’t know much about genres in general, but...once I downloaded what he’d recommended (via Soulseek, which I still use)... my perception of "electronica" changed completely & forever. This happened mainly @ the hand of three artists: Air, Cornelius & Underworld. Three artists I now list among my favorites. DJ Shadow too, actually.
I knew Air, I’d seen their “Sexy boy” video on MTV & I hated the song. I STILL DO. But then I heard the album Moon Safari & it blew my mind. It took me places, it made me feel things. I recall listening to it while primping 4 the Creamfields Festival that November...an event that revolved around electronic music. Maybe that night changed my life, that Creamfields. The theme song that year was by Underworld, who I was also heavily getting in2.
Without further adue, a list of my fav songs by Air, whose sound is described as “a variant of the classic disco sound coaxed into a relaxing Prozac vision of the late '70s, looked back to a variety of phenomena from the period -- synthesizer maestros Tomita, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Vangelis, new wave music of the non-spiky variety, and obscure Italian film soundtracks” (allmusic.com).
- REMEMBER I was lucky enough to see the band last November & when they played this song, I got THAT FEELING, bc I really like it. Maybe bc I’m a very nostalgic person.
- ALL I NEED - This one reminds me of two friends I made around the end of high school & kept for a couple of years. Sitting on one of their balconies in Caballito during summer nights, looking up at the sky. Good times.
- Mer du Japon – Not all Air songs have vocals, I’d say only 50% of them do. This one is among that 50%. Often the vocals are kind of roboty, computerized. Which again, I’d say is the case 50% of the time : P The lyrics don’t say much, but they’re hypnotic & catchy... J’en perds la raison dans le mer du Japon. I lose my mind in the sea of Japan.
- You make it easy – Ditto. When the vocals aren’t as I described before, they’re a strong but soft feminine voice...like on this track.
- Sing Sang Sung – From their most recent album
- Be a Bee – From their most recent album. I can totally imagine a groovy bee speedily flying among flowers with this music playing : P
- Eat My Beat – From their most recent album
- So light is her footfall – Also from their most recent album, which I REALLY loved. They played a bit of this song once on “Gossip Girl” xD
- Left Bank – It’s sad & reminds me of a sunset. But life is like this sometimes. For me, anyways.
- Cherry Blossom Girl – Very dreamy. A good friend did modeling for some time & once I went to watch her walk in a fashion show. This song played & all the models were wearing pink, white, super flowy, feminine clothes, & there were flower petals all over the catwalk. It also makes me think of someone on a swing, swinging slowly. Where I grew up, in Washington DC, there were lots of cherry blossoms.
- Modular Mix – This one is totally outer-spacey. In Uni we had Public Speaking class & had to do presentations. I did one on Astrology & played this as background music.
- LE VOYAGE DE PENELOPE - from their debut Moon Safari. Totally trippy. Makes me think of laying down & sliding through the sky like the letters at the beginning of Star Wars.
- LE FEMME D'ARGENT- also from their debut Moon Safari
- ALONE IN KYOTO I thought Guillaume might dig this one since he’s into Japan
- PLAYGROUND LOVE From The Virgin Suicides, a movie I’m always trying to get Guillaume to watch.
- CE MATIN LA Also from The Virgin Suicides, although it doesn’t seem that way to me...I perceive it differently from the rest of the soundtrack, for some reason. I can’t quite explain it for the moment though.
- Dirty Trip – also from The Virgin Suicides. A very haunting track.
Wow, that’s a lot. Anyways I only sent Guillaume the ones in capital letters. In general I tried to send him tracks that were the most representative of the band. I’m too lazy to link all the rest, sorry. But surely they can be found on YouTube, Grooveshark or Deezer.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
When "High school musical" songs are full of truth
It was late 2006 when one Thursday night @ a place called KiMiA (which doesn't exist anymore), someone told me I looked like the girl from High School Musical. I had no idea who she was talking about although the name HSM sounded familiar. I didn't know whether it was an animated series, TV show, movie, what. But of course I looked into it. Growing up, I watched a lot of musicals. We have a collection of tapes. The Sound of Music, Singin in the Rain (I can't decide which one of those two is my #1 favorite...maybe Singin), South Pacific, 7 brides for 7 brothers (LOL), Oklahoma. Not to mention all the Disney ones. They don't really make musicals very often anymore, do they? I recall Woody Allen's "Everyone says I love you", which left me with an overwhelming desire to live in NYC...
Anyways I think a couple of years went by before I actually saw HSM. I liked. I tend to enjoy & relate to films/series/etc about high school kids bc I generally feel like I'm still one of them. In many ways, I haven't changed one bit.
There's this one song from the first film that I really like, "Stick to the status quo". It speaks an obvious but irrefutable truth that surely most ppl have had one-on-one experience with --> if you are or do something different, you will be discriminated. Ok, maybe it's not TOTALLY irrefutable...as time progresses, the world generally becomes more open minded, right? Although this varies greatly according to specific geographic location, cultural group, etc. On another hand @ some point it also became cool to be uncool. An infinite number of artists/ actors/ musicians claim to have never fit in @ school. Now some are proud to be outcasts, to have no friends, to "hate everybody"...etc. Dare to be different, I guess.
Blah blah, this topic has been done to death. I just wanted to say I enjoy the song, along with "Getcha head in the game". They are catchy, fun & upbeat. Plus there is stuff I can totally relate to...as I'm sure you can to, if you've ever messed with the status quo ; )
♫ No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo...
(...) No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo...♫
PS: ♫ You can bet
There's nothin' but net
When I am in a zone and on a roll
But I've got a confession
My own secret obsession
It's making me lose control ... ♫
TOTALLY ;_; FML.
Anyways I think a couple of years went by before I actually saw HSM. I liked. I tend to enjoy & relate to films/series/etc about high school kids bc I generally feel like I'm still one of them. In many ways, I haven't changed one bit.
There's this one song from the first film that I really like, "Stick to the status quo". It speaks an obvious but irrefutable truth that surely most ppl have had one-on-one experience with --> if you are or do something different, you will be discriminated. Ok, maybe it's not TOTALLY irrefutable...as time progresses, the world generally becomes more open minded, right? Although this varies greatly according to specific geographic location, cultural group, etc. On another hand @ some point it also became cool to be uncool. An infinite number of artists/ actors/ musicians claim to have never fit in @ school. Now some are proud to be outcasts, to have no friends, to "hate everybody"...etc. Dare to be different, I guess.
Blah blah, this topic has been done to death. I just wanted to say I enjoy the song, along with "Getcha head in the game". They are catchy, fun & upbeat. Plus there is stuff I can totally relate to...as I'm sure you can to, if you've ever messed with the status quo ; )
♫ No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo...
(...) No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo...♫
PS: ♫ You can bet
There's nothin' but net
When I am in a zone and on a roll
But I've got a confession
My own secret obsession
It's making me lose control ... ♫
TOTALLY ;_; FML.
"Protection" by Massive Attack
This song is big to a lot of people, isn't it? In Spanish, it would be referred to with a superlative suffix... "es un temazo". I have no doubt it's on several "Best songs of the 90s" (or maybe even Best Songs Ever?) lists. I always knew the chorus & had a general idea what it was about, but now I'm reading the lyrics &...it would be an understatement to say that the story they tell remind me of something. So I'll just say this: WOW.
---
This girl I know needs some shelter
She don't believe anyone can help her
She's doing so much harm, doing so much damage
But you don't want to get involved
You tell her she can manage
& you can't change the way she feels
But you could put your arms around her
I know you want to live yourself
But could you forgive yourself
If you left her just the way
You found her?
I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
You're a boy and I'm a girl
But you know you can lean on me
& I don't have no fear
I'll take on any man here
Who says that's not the way it should be
Protection
She's a girl and you're a boy
Sometimes you look so small, look so small
You've got a baby of your own
When your baby's grown, she'll be the one
To catch you when you fall
Sometimes you look so small, need some shelter
Just runnin' round & round, helter skelter
& I've leaned on you
Now you can lean on me
& that's more than love, that's the way
It should be
Now I can't change the way you think
But I can put my arms around you
That's just part of the deal
That's the way I feel
I put my arms around you
Ok, I will add that when posting lyrics I usually bold the most relevant parts but in this case I'd be marking 90% of the song : P Also it's 9am on a Wednesday morning & it just started storming outside, there's a forecast for hail & it's totally fitting. In Spanish when it's really raining, when it's pouring, you say "se cae el cielo", or something like that. The sky is falling.
- "Stormy weather", The Pixies
- "Stormy weather", Billie Holiday
- "Tokyo storm warning", Elvis Costello
- "Rainy day, dream way", Jimi Hendrix
---
This girl I know needs some shelter
She don't believe anyone can help her
She's doing so much harm, doing so much damage
But you don't want to get involved
You tell her she can manage
& you can't change the way she feels
But you could put your arms around her
I know you want to live yourself
But could you forgive yourself
If you left her just the way
You found her?
I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
You're a boy and I'm a girl
But you know you can lean on me
& I don't have no fear
I'll take on any man here
Who says that's not the way it should be
Protection
She's a girl and you're a boy
Sometimes you look so small, look so small
You've got a baby of your own
When your baby's grown, she'll be the one
To catch you when you fall
Sometimes you look so small, need some shelter
Just runnin' round & round, helter skelter
& I've leaned on you
Now you can lean on me
& that's more than love, that's the way
It should be
Now I can't change the way you think
But I can put my arms around you
That's just part of the deal
That's the way I feel
I put my arms around you
Ok, I will add that when posting lyrics I usually bold the most relevant parts but in this case I'd be marking 90% of the song : P Also it's 9am on a Wednesday morning & it just started storming outside, there's a forecast for hail & it's totally fitting. In Spanish when it's really raining, when it's pouring, you say "se cae el cielo", or something like that. The sky is falling.
- "Stormy weather", The Pixies
- "Stormy weather", Billie Holiday
- "Tokyo storm warning", Elvis Costello
- "Rainy day, dream way", Jimi Hendrix
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
"One Love" by The Stone Roses
Usually when I’m walking or riding the bus with my iPod, I’ve got it on Song Shuffle. I think that when walking down the street while listening to music, I experience some of the nicest feelings in all the day. Often I get ideas, I’m reminded of people, images, happy occasions. I experience enjoyment, enthusiasm, “Everything’s gonna be ok”, etc. If that sensation lasted longer, life would be better...
On Facebook you can “Like” a page (or join a group?) called something like “Feeling like you’re in a music video while walking down the street”. Ha, that happens sometimes! Maybe it was the idea behind the video for The Verve’s “Bittersweet symphony”. I bet many people have recalled this video while walking down crowded city streets.
On Facebook you can “Like” a page (or join a group?) called something like “Feeling like you’re in a music video while walking down the street”. Ha, that happens sometimes! Maybe it was the idea behind the video for The Verve’s “Bittersweet symphony”. I bet many people have recalled this video while walking down crowded city streets.
By the way I dig coming across stuff like this...finding out that 100000 other people do/feel the same thing. Example: the page called “Pretending to send text messages in awkward situations”. There are less serious ones for example “That awkward moment when you & Lady Gaga show up to a party wearing the same outfit”. Or “I hate it when I want to look back in anger but Oasis won’t let me”. In case you don’t understand this, Oasis has a hit song called “Don’t look back in anger” : D
Today I was walking down the street with my iPod & “One love” by the Stone Roses came on. BTW The Stone Roses give me a SEVERE case of That Faraway Feeling. Anyways, I remembered how the last time I went to Bahrein (a club downtown) , I took a cellphone pic of the inside of a bathroom stall where this was written.
Sometimes I take photos of things I see on the street on the street. Who doesn’t though, right? Certain bits of street art, graffiti, signs, random writing, etc...they catch my attention. The same occurrs with people’s tshirts. I have a collection of photos of tshirts.
I think my favorite thing I’ve seen on the street was some writing that said “A veces pienso que lo mejor de la vida esta en mis sueños” which means “Sometimes I think the best part of life is in my dreams”. Read about that here. That phrase stayed in my head for so long.
It totally reminds me of “Judy & the dream of horses” by Belle & Sebastian. I’ve been hearing a line from that in my head a lot lately: Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping. They played it, you know... In November, during the encore of their show @ Luna Park. I couldn’t believe it. I really like that song...
Possibly maybe
Your flirt finds me out
Teases the crack in me
Smittens me with hope
Possibly maybe possibly maybe
possibly maybe
As much as I definitely enjoy solitude
I wouldn't mind perhaps
Spending little time with you
Sometimes
Sometimes
Possibly maybe probably love
Possibly maybe probably love
Uncertainty excites me
babe
Who knows what's going to happen?
Lottery or car crash
Or you'll join a cult
Mon petit vulcan
You're eruptions and disasters
I keep calm admiring your lava
I keep calm
Electric shocks?
I LOVE THEM
With you --> dozen a day
But after a while I wonder
Where's that love you promised me?
Where is it?
How can you offer me love like that?
My heart's burned
How can you offer me love like that?
I'm exhausted
LEAVE ME ALONE
Since we broke up
I'm using lipstick again
I suck my tongue
In remembrance of you
- "Possibly maybe", Bjork
I LOVE THEM
With you --> dozen a day
But after a while I wonder
Where's that love you promised me?
Where is it?
How can you offer me love like that?
My heart's burned
How can you offer me love like that?
I'm exhausted
LEAVE ME ALONE
Since we broke up
I'm using lipstick again
I suck my tongue
In remembrance of you
- "Possibly maybe", Bjork
Monday, January 17, 2011
"Hit to death in the future head", The Flaming Lips
or Songs that describe my Akashic Record part 2, continued from this entry.
Walking down the street this afternoon, it hit me: “Ando meio desligado” by Os Mutantes. TOTALLY, COMPLETELY, 100%. It's an epic song by one of the most important bands to ever come out of Brazil, also an emblem of the Tropicalia movement. There is a version in English called “I feel a little spaced out”, but desligado does NOT translate to “spaced out” (1)! It means more like cut off, separated, disconnected, dissociated, disjoined. & THAT is what’s going on with me. It’s kinda like when in “Fell in love with a girl”, Jack White sings “These two sides of my brain need to have a meeting”. THAT X 100. Except it's my spirit that needs to have a meeting with the rest of me. Anyways, this song by Os Mutantes is relevant on both a musical & lyrical level. It has an eerie windiness & emptiness to it, just like the song by Pescado Rabioso I mentioned last time.
Furthermore...
- "Goldfinger" by Ash. Yet another song that was SUPER IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE throughout high school. The parts that go The world seemed so alive plus I lie back & drift away (3'12) always gave me THAT KIND OF BURNING INSIDE, you know. Especially the second one. This may have been my 1st experience of That faraway feeling ... a sensation which makes a lot more sense now. Anyways, this song is totally for rainy & lonely nights.
- “Destiny street”, Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Yet another that has been extremely significant to me. If my life had a soundtrack, this would have to be included. I'll expand upon it another time, but basically it's about time tripping, ie: ♫ Pretending we could hide inside the past & future to avoid our present self ♫
- “Fuera del mundo”, Turf – It basically says "Help me get out of this world", LOL. Turf was also huge to me in high school.
- “(I can’t get no) satisfaction”, The Rolling Stones - All I have to say about this is FML
- “Subterranean homesick alien”, Radiohead - ♫ Of all these weird creatures who lock up their spirits drill holes in themselves & live for their secrets ♫
- “A pain that I’m used to”, Depeche Mode - I HATE TO ADMIT THIS ONE HAHA : (
- “Marie floating over the backyard”, Eels - THIS ONE EVEN HAS MY NAME IN IT
- “Fear of the future”, Shitdisco - self explanatory. But then again, everyone is afraid of the future, right?
Speaking of generalities, something else that I relate to Akashic Records is this
& out again I curve & flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come & men may go,
But I go on forever
– "The Brook", Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
Which applies to everyone. At least that's what I belive...
(1) Although the lyrics in English say "I can hardly see my feet on the ground" & well, this is true.
Walking down the street this afternoon, it hit me: “Ando meio desligado” by Os Mutantes. TOTALLY, COMPLETELY, 100%. It's an epic song by one of the most important bands to ever come out of Brazil, also an emblem of the Tropicalia movement. There is a version in English called “I feel a little spaced out”, but desligado does NOT translate to “spaced out” (1)! It means more like cut off, separated, disconnected, dissociated, disjoined. & THAT is what’s going on with me. It’s kinda like when in “Fell in love with a girl”, Jack White sings “These two sides of my brain need to have a meeting”. THAT X 100. Except it's my spirit that needs to have a meeting with the rest of me. Anyways, this song by Os Mutantes is relevant on both a musical & lyrical level. It has an eerie windiness & emptiness to it, just like the song by Pescado Rabioso I mentioned last time.
Furthermore...
- "Goldfinger" by Ash. Yet another song that was SUPER IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE throughout high school. The parts that go The world seemed so alive plus I lie back & drift away (3'12) always gave me THAT KIND OF BURNING INSIDE, you know. Especially the second one. This may have been my 1st experience of That faraway feeling ... a sensation which makes a lot more sense now. Anyways, this song is totally for rainy & lonely nights.
- “Destiny street”, Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Yet another that has been extremely significant to me. If my life had a soundtrack, this would have to be included. I'll expand upon it another time, but basically it's about time tripping, ie: ♫ Pretending we could hide inside the past & future to avoid our present self ♫
- “Fuera del mundo”, Turf – It basically says "Help me get out of this world", LOL. Turf was also huge to me in high school.
- “(I can’t get no) satisfaction”, The Rolling Stones - All I have to say about this is FML
- “Subterranean homesick alien”, Radiohead - ♫ Of all these weird creatures who lock up their spirits drill holes in themselves & live for their secrets ♫
- “A pain that I’m used to”, Depeche Mode - I HATE TO ADMIT THIS ONE HAHA : (
- “Marie floating over the backyard”, Eels - THIS ONE EVEN HAS MY NAME IN IT
- “Fear of the future”, Shitdisco - self explanatory. But then again, everyone is afraid of the future, right?
Speaking of generalities, something else that I relate to Akashic Records is this
& out again I curve & flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come & men may go,
But I go on forever
– "The Brook", Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
Which applies to everyone. At least that's what I belive...
(1) Although the lyrics in English say "I can hardly see my feet on the ground" & well, this is true.
iPod Shuffle & A Happy Monday morning
WOW, IT’S MONDAY MORNING & I’M IN A GR8 MOOD. If I always felt this way, life would be awesome. In the song “Flashing Lights”, Kanye West says “The weather’s so breezy, man, why can’t life always be this easy?” Ok, so, I am exhausted bc I only slept like 2 ½ hours (my sleeping patterns are completely fucked), but apart from that, I feel gr8t. & I wanna register this feeling since lately I’ve been kind of doom & gloom. Robert Smith of The Cure once said “The press try to categorize me as a ‘doom-&-gloom’ singer. But take a look at Morrissey! That man’s a professional moaner!” Ha. Some good things have happened lately & I acknowledge them. ALAS a few BIG & ALL-ENCOMPASSING aspects of my life have been DISASTROUS...which explains things like my last post.
So, things went down like this. 1st I checked my email & read one from my friend Ceci. She’s currently living in Singapore & we email lots. Anyways she said Olivia, her 1 year old baby daughter, had DANCED to The Slits song I posted about. THAT FILLED ME WITH GLEE. Olivia’s gonna be a rock n roller, if you ask me. BTW I don’t really like kids but Olivia is adorable. I guess I like kids if I really love their parents. I also adore Violeta, my friend Maria’s bambina. So I got dressed while listening 2 the same song & actually dancing around my room a little.
THEN I put on my iPod, stepped outside & headed to the grocery story. I LOVE LIFE when I put Song Shuffle & the first song is by the Manic Street Preachers. Today it was “Hanging on”, which you can totally dance to. I heard the line “I’m not real but I’d like to get a chance to feel” & thought HMM THIS REMINDS ME OF MY AKASHIC RECORDS.
YOU KNOW, LIFE RULES when iPod Song Shuffle plays songs in a sequence where each track is more awesome than the last. It’s like, a progression of awesomeness. THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
- “Hanging on”, Manic Street Preachers
- “Young & wasted”, Kiss – To be honest I still have a lot to learn about this band, I am not familiar with so many of their songs, but I have the album “Exciter” on my iPod & usually when one of their songs comes up I recognize it immediately & think “ROCK”. & it makes me wanna be drinking beer on a Friday night.
- “Generator”, Foo Fighters – This song was MAJORLY important 2 me when I was like 15. I had this website & the lyrics to this song were on the main page. Ha! They were true for me then, they’re much truer for me now.
- “Optimistic”, Radiohead – One of my fav songs by this band & precisely how I was feeling at the moment.
- “Tas de tole”, Stereo Total – I have posted about it before, but in short, it’s COMPLETELY UPBEAT & danceable in spite of being full of verbal aggression, insults & swear words...in French. BTW whoever uploaded the song to YouTube decided to make the image a photo of a grandmother with a gigantic bottle of whiskey & a bong. Just so you know.
- “The right profile”, The Clash – One of my fav songs by The Clash, you could dance to it if you wanted, & it was also really important in my life at one point, & reminds me of a silly boy I loved.
- “Tattva”, Kula Shaker – I run a Facebook called Yesplus Rockers which is related to Art of Living & spirituality, & I recently posted this song there. The singer from Kula Shaker got into Hinduism @ 1 point & this influence can be perceived in some of their songs, like this one. Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. According to various Indian schools of philosophy, a TATTVA is an element or aspect of reality conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of tattvas varies depending on the philosophical school, together they are thought to form the basis of all our experience.
In short, I felt all LIFE IS AWESOME, THIS WEEK IS GONNA ROCK ETC. Now I’ll try to sleep some more so I don’t spend the day feeling about to pass out BYE.
So, things went down like this. 1st I checked my email & read one from my friend Ceci. She’s currently living in Singapore & we email lots. Anyways she said Olivia, her 1 year old baby daughter, had DANCED to The Slits song I posted about. THAT FILLED ME WITH GLEE. Olivia’s gonna be a rock n roller, if you ask me. BTW I don’t really like kids but Olivia is adorable. I guess I like kids if I really love their parents. I also adore Violeta, my friend Maria’s bambina. So I got dressed while listening 2 the same song & actually dancing around my room a little.
THEN I put on my iPod, stepped outside & headed to the grocery story. I LOVE LIFE when I put Song Shuffle & the first song is by the Manic Street Preachers. Today it was “Hanging on”, which you can totally dance to. I heard the line “I’m not real but I’d like to get a chance to feel” & thought HMM THIS REMINDS ME OF MY AKASHIC RECORDS.
YOU KNOW, LIFE RULES when iPod Song Shuffle plays songs in a sequence where each track is more awesome than the last. It’s like, a progression of awesomeness. THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
- “Hanging on”, Manic Street Preachers
- “Young & wasted”, Kiss – To be honest I still have a lot to learn about this band, I am not familiar with so many of their songs, but I have the album “Exciter” on my iPod & usually when one of their songs comes up I recognize it immediately & think “ROCK”. & it makes me wanna be drinking beer on a Friday night.
- “Generator”, Foo Fighters – This song was MAJORLY important 2 me when I was like 15. I had this website & the lyrics to this song were on the main page. Ha! They were true for me then, they’re much truer for me now.
- “Optimistic”, Radiohead – One of my fav songs by this band & precisely how I was feeling at the moment.
- “Tas de tole”, Stereo Total – I have posted about it before, but in short, it’s COMPLETELY UPBEAT & danceable in spite of being full of verbal aggression, insults & swear words...in French. BTW whoever uploaded the song to YouTube decided to make the image a photo of a grandmother with a gigantic bottle of whiskey & a bong. Just so you know.
- “The right profile”, The Clash – One of my fav songs by The Clash, you could dance to it if you wanted, & it was also really important in my life at one point, & reminds me of a silly boy I loved.
- “Tattva”, Kula Shaker – I run a Facebook called Yesplus Rockers which is related to Art of Living & spirituality, & I recently posted this song there. The singer from Kula Shaker got into Hinduism @ 1 point & this influence can be perceived in some of their songs, like this one. Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. According to various Indian schools of philosophy, a TATTVA is an element or aspect of reality conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of tattvas varies depending on the philosophical school, together they are thought to form the basis of all our experience.
In short, I felt all LIFE IS AWESOME, THIS WEEK IS GONNA ROCK ETC. Now I’ll try to sleep some more so I don’t spend the day feeling about to pass out BYE.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
That joke isn't funny anymore
I think in general I'm a pretty good sport when it comes to being able to laugh @ my problems, but sooner or later a time arrives when things aren't so funny anymore.
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore", The Smiths
That time is coming soon, but I will probably keep laughing. Which isn't so bad. I'd just rather be laughing at things that were naturally/ really funny instead of having to find humor in things to prevent them from resulting in nothing but PAIN, SADNESS, DESPAIR & unpleasant things like that.
Anyways I had been meaning to write a couple of lines about jokes. Then the other day I asked my friend Jeremy about his experience with Akashic records & he replied he wasn't familiar with that (record) label. I wasn't sure if he was kidding or what. Online it's harder to tell when someone is being sarcastic since you can't see their faces or hear their voices. But honestly, I've always had a bit of trouble realizing whether people were being serious or joking. Which isn't very cool. I joke too, but I don't let others believe I'm serious.
Certain people say that there is always a bit of truth within a joke. Someone put it this way: There's always a little truth behind every "just kidding", a little knowledge behind every "I don't know", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" & a little pain behind every "it's okay".
Certain people like to say that it's better to laugh than to cry.
When I was like 14 I read this poem (1) & a line from it stuck in my head, it said "He took nothing seriously but took everything to heart". I could relate to that, I still can. The poem was about one of the rockstars I obsessed over when I was a teen. As though I don't still obsess over rockstars : P
Recently I came across a quote from Jim Morrisson of The Doors, it said "I’ve noticed that when people are joking they’re usually dead serious & when they’re dead serious it’s usually pretty funny". I liked that. But I like what Morrissey has to say even better
When I was like 14 I read this poem (1) & a line from it stuck in my head, it said "He took nothing seriously but took everything to heart". I could relate to that, I still can. The poem was about one of the rockstars I obsessed over when I was a teen. As though I don't still obsess over rockstars : P
Recently I came across a quote from Jim Morrisson of The Doors, it said "I’ve noticed that when people are joking they’re usually dead serious & when they’re dead serious it’s usually pretty funny". I liked that. But I like what Morrissey has to say even better
When you laugh about people who feel so
Very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
More than you'll ever know
Very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
More than you'll ever know
& that is all for now.
- "I started a joke", Faith no more
- "Canned laughter", Whitey
- "Risa", Babasónicos
- "Reirme más", Leo Garcia
(1) don't think I'm the kind of person who reads poems though, I am not. Although there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, I find it kind of cool & romantic, maybe I wish I were the kind of person who read poems, but like I said, I am not
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock formed in 1976. THEY WERE LIKE 14 YEARS OLD, MAN. The lead singer was called Ari Up & she was raised in a totally rock n roll household. Her mom was friends with Jimi Hendrix & ended up marrying Johnny Rotten, her godfather was the singer from YES. Ari learned guitar from Joe Strummer & The Slits later toured as the opening act for The Clash. But when Ari & her friend Palmolive started the band, they only knew 2-3 chords! I love this.
I got to know them through Sol Shurman of Sugar Tampaxxx, a girly grunge band from the Buenos Aires scene back in the late 90s/early 00s. She loooved The Slits, punk rock, the riot grrrl movement, etc. I think the first song of theirs I heard was "I heard it through the grapevine". CONFESSION: I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A MOTOWN ~CLASSIC~ ORIGINALLY BY MARVIN GAYE. But that happens sometimes, you hear a song & then find out it's a cover. If you ask me, it's a really good one, so I am sharing it with you today. Don't forget to listen to the original version, though, because it's amazing.
A fond memory I have including this song was in late 2007 @ Sympathy for the Party...they did a remix/ cover night & my friend Richie Hell was DJing & he played it. Chelo from DTB music was also there, & he had posted the song to his blog (which is FULL OF AWESOME although it's no longer updated. CHECK IT)...or he posted it afterwards? Anyways, we were dancing with another friend of Richie's, & when we heard the opening to this song, it was one of those OH YAY moments. Such a nice night overall. It was the start of the summer & a happy time in my life. Later we went to Chelo's house & hung out with his cat, Cariño. That's Spanish for "Honey". Not as in bee honey, rather as in "Hi honey, I'm home". If you ask me, that's an awesome name for a cat. BYE!
I got to know them through Sol Shurman of Sugar Tampaxxx, a girly grunge band from the Buenos Aires scene back in the late 90s/early 00s. She loooved The Slits, punk rock, the riot grrrl movement, etc. I think the first song of theirs I heard was "I heard it through the grapevine". CONFESSION: I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A MOTOWN ~CLASSIC~ ORIGINALLY BY MARVIN GAYE. But that happens sometimes, you hear a song & then find out it's a cover. If you ask me, it's a really good one, so I am sharing it with you today. Don't forget to listen to the original version, though, because it's amazing.
A fond memory I have including this song was in late 2007 @ Sympathy for the Party...they did a remix/ cover night & my friend Richie Hell was DJing & he played it. Chelo from DTB music was also there, & he had posted the song to his blog (which is FULL OF AWESOME although it's no longer updated. CHECK IT)...or he posted it afterwards? Anyways, we were dancing with another friend of Richie's, & when we heard the opening to this song, it was one of those OH YAY moments. Such a nice night overall. It was the start of the summer & a happy time in my life. Later we went to Chelo's house & hung out with his cat, Cariño. That's Spanish for "Honey". Not as in bee honey, rather as in "Hi honey, I'm home". If you ask me, that's an awesome name for a cat. BYE!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Music & Lyrics (more on The Magic of Music)
It amazes me how sometimes I feel a certain way & then I come into contact with a song & think “OMG, THIS! TOTALLY!” Meaning I realize someone else has already felt what I feel & expressed it using music. Maybe it’s an assumption (or a fantasy? Even wishful thinking) on my behalf that the artist in question has experienced the exact same thing. But it’s a really strong one. Some lyrics just put things into words so, so perfectly. It blows my mind. That’s one of the reasons I love music so much.
A few musicians I know have scoffed & said that lyrics are not important or that THEY never pay attention to the words, which made me feel kind of stupid : ) I’m not a musician so to them I must be like Muggles (non magic ppl) are to the wizards & witches in Harry Potter. An outsider. A silly girl who listens to the words. My cousin, who is a musician, gave a less black-or-white perspective. He said something like “Lyrics are only a (small) part of the whole”. Fair enough.
Just to clear things up: it’s not that lyrics are the 1st thing I notice. Of course not! Sometimes you can’t even understand them! I don’t think anyone pays attention to the lyrics 1st of all. I mean...say you happen to hear a song & like it...while driving in the car, dancing in the club, or sitting in a friend’s living room. A song either catches your attention or it doesn’t. & I think this happens primarily on a sonorous level. The beat, the rhythm, whatever (no idea if I’m using the correct terms). My point is: I doubt people think “WAIT, STOP, LET ME LISTEN 2 THE WORDS & THEN I’LL KNOW IF I LIKE OR NOT”.
Honestly I’m not so sure how it works. But I do know that SOMETIMES
* Certain lines -meaningful or not- get stuck in my head. & sooner or later I google the lyrics for songs I like. Sometimes, they make no sense (at all or 2 me). Also...this is probably obvious, but it’s exceptional 2 come across a song you relate to 100%! For me it’s usually fragments, paragraphs, lines. Sometimes the rest is irrelevant. Another obvious point I will nevertheless mention is free interpretation. Isn’t it (always? Almost always?) possible to hear what you want? I think in most songs you can find something relatable if you try. Although the point is not to try...it’s fun when it happens automatically : )
* I’m loving a song, it’s in my head, I’m listening 2 it constantly & then one day I stop & pay attention to the lyrics & they are TOTALLY relevant to & descriptive of my life @ the moment (feelings, situations, events). I find this ~MAGICAL~. It’s like a part of you knew what the song was about...you liked it so much for a reason! You were connecting to it on a level that goes beyond consciousness.
* Certain lines get to me not because of the content (words), but because of the form. It’s not what the person is singing, it’s HOW they’re singing it. The way their voice sounds, what it’s conveying. Often this makes me FEEL things too.
* A track can get to me without even having lyrics. There are a few in particular...I will post a list some day. But there are some instrumental songs that TOTALLY describe how I feel : ) I guess I relate to what the music conveys. Or what I THINK it conveys. As I said before...there’s the free interpretation factor.
Well, this may be the longest post in my blog, & I try to keep them short, so I’ll cut it off here.
BUT I’d love to know what the musical experience is like for other people. So if you wanna share what you think & feel, I’d be stoked : )
A few musicians I know have scoffed & said that lyrics are not important or that THEY never pay attention to the words, which made me feel kind of stupid : ) I’m not a musician so to them I must be like Muggles (non magic ppl) are to the wizards & witches in Harry Potter. An outsider. A silly girl who listens to the words. My cousin, who is a musician, gave a less black-or-white perspective. He said something like “Lyrics are only a (small) part of the whole”. Fair enough.
Just to clear things up: it’s not that lyrics are the 1st thing I notice. Of course not! Sometimes you can’t even understand them! I don’t think anyone pays attention to the lyrics 1st of all. I mean...say you happen to hear a song & like it...while driving in the car, dancing in the club, or sitting in a friend’s living room. A song either catches your attention or it doesn’t. & I think this happens primarily on a sonorous level. The beat, the rhythm, whatever (no idea if I’m using the correct terms). My point is: I doubt people think “WAIT, STOP, LET ME LISTEN 2 THE WORDS & THEN I’LL KNOW IF I LIKE OR NOT”.
Honestly I’m not so sure how it works. But I do know that SOMETIMES
* Certain lines -meaningful or not- get stuck in my head. & sooner or later I google the lyrics for songs I like. Sometimes, they make no sense (at all or 2 me). Also...this is probably obvious, but it’s exceptional 2 come across a song you relate to 100%! For me it’s usually fragments, paragraphs, lines. Sometimes the rest is irrelevant. Another obvious point I will nevertheless mention is free interpretation. Isn’t it (always? Almost always?) possible to hear what you want? I think in most songs you can find something relatable if you try. Although the point is not to try...it’s fun when it happens automatically : )
* I’m loving a song, it’s in my head, I’m listening 2 it constantly & then one day I stop & pay attention to the lyrics & they are TOTALLY relevant to & descriptive of my life @ the moment (feelings, situations, events). I find this ~MAGICAL~. It’s like a part of you knew what the song was about...you liked it so much for a reason! You were connecting to it on a level that goes beyond consciousness.
* Certain lines get to me not because of the content (words), but because of the form. It’s not what the person is singing, it’s HOW they’re singing it. The way their voice sounds, what it’s conveying. Often this makes me FEEL things too.
* A track can get to me without even having lyrics. There are a few in particular...I will post a list some day. But there are some instrumental songs that TOTALLY describe how I feel : ) I guess I relate to what the music conveys. Or what I THINK it conveys. As I said before...there’s the free interpretation factor.
Well, this may be the longest post in my blog, & I try to keep them short, so I’ll cut it off here.
BUT I’d love to know what the musical experience is like for other people. So if you wanna share what you think & feel, I’d be stoked : )
Friday, January 14, 2011
An introduction to the story of my soul
“Akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described as containing all knowledge of human experience & the history of the cosmos. They are metaphorically described as a library. They are constantly updated automatically & can be accessed through astral projection”.
"A universal filing system which records every occurring thought, word & action. The records are impressed on a subtle substance called akasha (or Soniferous Ether). In Hindu mysticism this akasha is thought to be the primary principle of nature from which the other 4 natural principles, fire, air, earth & water, are created. These 5 principles also represent the 5 senses of the human being. Some indicate the akashic records are similar to a Cosmic or collective consciousness. The records have been referred to by different names including the Cosmic Mind, the Universal Mind, the collective unconscious, or the collective subconscious. Others think the akashic records make clairvoyance and psychic perception possible".
For some reason, I am reminded of the Dead Sea Scrolls from Neon Genesis Evangelion, which -like many concepts in the TV series- are based on the Bible. During my semester in Paris back in 2008 (UGH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS THREE YEARS AGO) I took a class about the Sources of Western Culture & Christianity. @ 1 point I did a report on John the Baptist & the Essenes, where I mentioned the Dead Sea Scrolls. Needless to say, I remember almost nothing about them. But that’s ok since my post is not about that.
It’s about how yesterday -following the advice of a friend- I went to get a reading of my records. Writing in this blog directly about what E -the young lady with the ability to access said records- said seems like a bit much. I’m just beginning to process it. We talked for 90 minutes & it's all recorded but so far I’ve only re-listened to the very beginning.
But I do want to write something about it. As was explained in thes entry Synapse to Synapse: How my mind works, I associate everything with...other things? Usually artistic expressions, very often music. SoOoOo what I learnt yesterday reminded me of things, some of which I’m gonna list now. In some cases I will explain, in others the relevance of the points will remain a ~MYSTERY~.
- “Mi espiritu se fue” by Pescado Rabioso. Describes a feeling I’ve had my entire life. It’s in Spanish but the line that always got to me the most translates to “My mind already understood why it is alone: because my spirit is gone”. YES, THIS IS SOME RLY DRAMATIC STUFF. But I can relate so much that burns inside : P NOW I KNOW THE REASON I FEEL THIS WAY IS WRITTEN IN THE ~HISTORY OF THE COSMOS~. BTW (1) this is probably one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard (2) this band (the name translates to Rabid Fish LOL) belonged to Luis Alberto Spinetta back in the 70s. & he is "one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, & together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock".
- Some lines from Tirador Laser’s song “Rasante oscuridad” which translate to "I am getting closer to that place where I will always have to be absent" & “So present that I shall have to be absent”. WELL, it sounds better in Spanish (Ya me aproximo a ese lugar donde siempre tendre que estar ausente, Tan presente tendré que estar ausente)
- "Away" by the Meat Puppets which reminds me of a boy I was obsessed with for 2 years, because he recommended the album back in 2004. I loved him so much alas I hesitate to call him the love of my life because he didn't love me back. I really miss our conversations...
- “Killing the light”, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
- “There’s no home for you here”, The White Stripes
- “Get me away from here, I’m dying” by Belle & Sebastian
- “There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy”, Dante. The one who wrote The Divine Comedy. I remember being in high school & reading this somewhere & thinking OH WOW, THIS TOTALLY DESCRIBES MY LIFE!!!
- "Where ever I am I always find myself looking out the window wishing I was somewhere else", Angelina Jolie
- “Lots of times I feel like I don’t belong to this place”, Jeff Buckley
- "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody", Holden Caulfield from THE CATCHER IN THE RYE
- The title of the film "I'm not there".
&&& something else that came to mind was “No more keeping my feet on the ground” by Coldplay . OH WOW, SOMETHING HAPPY IN THIS POST?! It is a happy song, but to be honest, the way it relates to me is not so positive.
Enough for now, but there is a lot more. Hopefully I won’t be lazy & will continue adding to this list. You may be surprised I have yet to cite the Manic Street Preachers. WELL...I have a confession to make. I couldn’t resist asking about Richey Edwards. For the moment, it feels a little bizarre to write about what E said, though : P
Oh yeah, know what else the Akashic Records reminds me of? The Hall of Prophecy from the Harry Potter series. In case you aren’t familiar with the books or films, it’s basically this room with endless shelves of crystal balls, & each ball contains a prophecy relating to a certain person. But if I remember correctly it’s also like each crystal ball contains a person’s life story.
"A universal filing system which records every occurring thought, word & action. The records are impressed on a subtle substance called akasha (or Soniferous Ether). In Hindu mysticism this akasha is thought to be the primary principle of nature from which the other 4 natural principles, fire, air, earth & water, are created. These 5 principles also represent the 5 senses of the human being. Some indicate the akashic records are similar to a Cosmic or collective consciousness. The records have been referred to by different names including the Cosmic Mind, the Universal Mind, the collective unconscious, or the collective subconscious. Others think the akashic records make clairvoyance and psychic perception possible".
For some reason, I am reminded of the Dead Sea Scrolls from Neon Genesis Evangelion, which -like many concepts in the TV series- are based on the Bible. During my semester in Paris back in 2008 (UGH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS THREE YEARS AGO) I took a class about the Sources of Western Culture & Christianity. @ 1 point I did a report on John the Baptist & the Essenes, where I mentioned the Dead Sea Scrolls. Needless to say, I remember almost nothing about them. But that’s ok since my post is not about that.
It’s about how yesterday -following the advice of a friend- I went to get a reading of my records. Writing in this blog directly about what E -the young lady with the ability to access said records- said seems like a bit much. I’m just beginning to process it. We talked for 90 minutes & it's all recorded but so far I’ve only re-listened to the very beginning.
But I do want to write something about it. As was explained in thes entry Synapse to Synapse: How my mind works, I associate everything with...other things? Usually artistic expressions, very often music. SoOoOo what I learnt yesterday reminded me of things, some of which I’m gonna list now. In some cases I will explain, in others the relevance of the points will remain a ~MYSTERY~.
- “Mi espiritu se fue” by Pescado Rabioso. Describes a feeling I’ve had my entire life. It’s in Spanish but the line that always got to me the most translates to “My mind already understood why it is alone: because my spirit is gone”. YES, THIS IS SOME RLY DRAMATIC STUFF. But I can relate so much that burns inside : P NOW I KNOW THE REASON I FEEL THIS WAY IS WRITTEN IN THE ~HISTORY OF THE COSMOS~. BTW (1) this is probably one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard (2) this band (the name translates to Rabid Fish LOL) belonged to Luis Alberto Spinetta back in the 70s. & he is "one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, & together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock".
- Some lines from Tirador Laser’s song “Rasante oscuridad” which translate to "I am getting closer to that place where I will always have to be absent" & “So present that I shall have to be absent”. WELL, it sounds better in Spanish (Ya me aproximo a ese lugar donde siempre tendre que estar ausente, Tan presente tendré que estar ausente)
- "Away" by the Meat Puppets which reminds me of a boy I was obsessed with for 2 years, because he recommended the album back in 2004. I loved him so much alas I hesitate to call him the love of my life because he didn't love me back. I really miss our conversations...
- “Killing the light”, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
- “There’s no home for you here”, The White Stripes
- “Get me away from here, I’m dying” by Belle & Sebastian
- “There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy”, Dante. The one who wrote The Divine Comedy. I remember being in high school & reading this somewhere & thinking OH WOW, THIS TOTALLY DESCRIBES MY LIFE!!!
- "Where ever I am I always find myself looking out the window wishing I was somewhere else", Angelina Jolie
- “Lots of times I feel like I don’t belong to this place”, Jeff Buckley
- "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody", Holden Caulfield from THE CATCHER IN THE RYE
- The title of the film "I'm not there".
&&& something else that came to mind was “No more keeping my feet on the ground” by Coldplay . OH WOW, SOMETHING HAPPY IN THIS POST?! It is a happy song, but to be honest, the way it relates to me is not so positive.
Enough for now, but there is a lot more. Hopefully I won’t be lazy & will continue adding to this list. You may be surprised I have yet to cite the Manic Street Preachers. WELL...I have a confession to make. I couldn’t resist asking about Richey Edwards. For the moment, it feels a little bizarre to write about what E said, though : P
Oh yeah, know what else the Akashic Records reminds me of? The Hall of Prophecy from the Harry Potter series. In case you aren’t familiar with the books or films, it’s basically this room with endless shelves of crystal balls, & each ball contains a prophecy relating to a certain person. But if I remember correctly it’s also like each crystal ball contains a person’s life story.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fall Out Boy & Bowie fact & weird sms
Continuining with the mediocre updates...
Recently on Tumblr I read that Fall Out Boy has this lyric. Fall Out Boy was Pete Wentz's band by the way, & as far as I know they were never taken very seriously, from a musical point of view. Oh yeah Pete Wentz is Ashlee Simpson's husband & the father of her child, BRONX MOWGLI. Yeah, Mowgli like the kid from The Jungle Book!
Anyways the lyric is "Have you ever wanted to disappear, and join a monastery, go out and preach on Manic Street?"
Ha! Gotta love that reference if you're a Manixfan.
Another thing I came across was this "David Bowie’s gorgeous odd eyes are a result of a fight he had with George Underwood in 1962. George punched David in the eye during a scrappy fight over a girl. Bowie was hospitalized & nearly lost sight in his left eye. He ended up healing, but the injury left him with a permanently dilated pupil. His eyes are often mistakenly said to be two different colours when actually they’re both blue, one just appears a different colour due to the dilated pupil. Underwood & Bowie remained friends after the fight & Underwood worked on the artwork for Bowie’s early albums. No word on what became of the girl who inspired the prettiest odd eyes in all of history".
Recently on Tumblr I read that Fall Out Boy has this lyric. Fall Out Boy was Pete Wentz's band by the way, & as far as I know they were never taken very seriously, from a musical point of view. Oh yeah Pete Wentz is Ashlee Simpson's husband & the father of her child, BRONX MOWGLI. Yeah, Mowgli like the kid from The Jungle Book!
Anyways the lyric is "Have you ever wanted to disappear, and join a monastery, go out and preach on Manic Street?"
Ha! Gotta love that reference if you're a Manixfan.
Another thing I came across was this "David Bowie’s gorgeous odd eyes are a result of a fight he had with George Underwood in 1962. George punched David in the eye during a scrappy fight over a girl. Bowie was hospitalized & nearly lost sight in his left eye. He ended up healing, but the injury left him with a permanently dilated pupil. His eyes are often mistakenly said to be two different colours when actually they’re both blue, one just appears a different colour due to the dilated pupil. Underwood & Bowie remained friends after the fight & Underwood worked on the artwork for Bowie’s early albums. No word on what became of the girl who inspired the prettiest odd eyes in all of history".
Hm! For some reason I felt kinda suspicious about this. I was like "SRSLY? Wouldn't people...like...talk about it or something?" Maybe it's just one of those little-known facts.
This is totally random but yesterday I got a text message saying HOLA BOMBON (hi hottie) from some random number & I was like "Who is this?" & they were like "WHO ARE YOU? NAME & AGE?" Anyways I sent the person a couple of messages to try to figure out who they were...apparently Damian/23/Devoto. I was like um how did you get my number. They claimed to have made it up. What. I asked them to not message me anymore, thanks. I don't text strangers, ok. Well...he has sent me like 7 messages since then, repeating things like "Hello" "Why aren't you talking anymore" & "What did I do to you". BTW they make totally embarrassing spelling mistakes. What part of "Please don't send me any more messages thanks" don't they understand? Throughout the night they stopped but now it's 10am & I just got one saying "Hello". What is this? This person obviously has a lot of time on their hands & credit on their cellphone. WEIRD!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s
Below, some snippets & selections I took from Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.
On “Moon Safari” by AIR: Air should be ashamed of themselves. Thanks to albums like Moon Safari , international stereotypes of Frenchmen as nothing more than muss-haired playboys stroking a woman with one hand and an analog synth with the other are forever reinforced.
Also on “Moon Safari” by AIR: But by creating an album infamous for being the best makeout album of the decade, Air has done a great disservice to their country, portraying all Frenchmen as nothing more than oversexed Champagne-swigging keyboard players. Va te faire!
On “Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space” by SPIRITUALIZED : Jason Spaceman (neé Pierce) left the planet a long, long before this, but the realization doesn't truly hit until Ladies and Gentlemen : If you go high enough, you might make it to outer space, but you'll never find your way to Heaven. There must be a bittersweet charm that comes with the knowledge that you've pushed as close to the boundaries of the aether as anyone ever has, though. Close enough to hear echoes of the angelic gospels from the other side; close enough to imagine the ultimate peace available there; close enough to feel the sting of never truly reaching it. All the loss, pain, and regret of the life left behind is exorcised forever with the blues and the redemptive power of rock 'n' roll, and drugs (lots of them) fill in the rest. Up there in his space capsule, Pierce finds out what Major Tom already knew: drugs may expand the consciousness, but knowing God is larger than anyone can comprehend. That, however, didn't stop Pierce from trying, and amen.
On “Pinkerton” by WEEZER : (...) songs like "Why Bother?" and "Falling for You" are sing-along catharsis that should be prescribed to people with social anxiety disorder, and "The Good Life" is a beerglass-swinger for the indie set.
On “Grace” by JEFF BUCKLEY: (the title track is) at once perfect pop and an otherworldly declaration of freedom from the constraints of the material world.
On “Mars Audiac Quintet” by STEREOLAB : Check the subversive "Ping Pong", which contrasts sunny-day musicality with anti-war economic theory. <-- OMG YAY THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS EVER
On “Homework” by DAFT PUNK: This is the kind of homework kids used to get in Paris, way back in 1997: French disco-breaks, dance-funk, and baguettes (a dietary staple from the "pretentious" food group). The latter is part of a balanced breakfast; the former two would be combined by Daft Punk to create the instantly accessible, so-simple-they're-unstoppable electro-fusion beats of Homework , the surprise success of which single-handedly brought French progressive house to worldwide prominence. Dmitri from Paris didn't show his work, and Air were just looking off Daft Punk's paper anyway; "Da Funk" is the original, with a sleazy, distorted vibe that sounds like 1970 imagining music in 1997, and still absolutely slays on the floor. Homework is a testament to elegance through simplicity, brilliant in its form. But Daft Punk never let that distract the listener; they would rather you just kept right on dancing.
On “Post” by BJÖRK: (in the music videos from this album) you can see in her eyes that she couldn't be more comfortable in her own skin. This record is packed solid with ambition, yet lacks any misplaced self-awareness. She may come off as otherworldly, but as she showed on tracks like "Possibly Maybe" and "You've Been Flirting Again", she's more grounded than any of us.
On “Odelay” by BECK: Hell, it won the man a Grammy-- but more importantly, it won everyone that listened some cool. And for that we will be forever indebted.
On “Nevermind” by NIRVANA: Sure, there will always be those who insist that Nevermind was more of cultural import than musical, but they will also be full of shit: Nirvana are, a decade later, still regarded as the greatest and most legendary band of the 1990s. This band proved to a whole new generation that technical prowess has no bearing on quality, inspired their fans to seek out the music that slipped beneath the commercial radar, and then had the balls to be ridiculously, unthinkably fucking brilliant. Anyone who hates this record today is just trying to be cool, and needs to be trying harder.
Monday, January 3, 2011
POD
This blog deserves a more substantial update but for now I wanna share an album review I enjoyed. "Pod" by The Breeders, ranked 81 on Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.
Pod is a blissful mindfuck of a record. Deal may have played coy and seductive throughout, but there was something subtly sinister to her cooing-- like a siren or a schoolgirl concealing a butcher knife, her methods of enticement immediately struck as inherently destructive. This dynamic was fully realized in the songs themselves, which came across like the product of a band caught in a constant cycle of self-destruction and rebirth. Sure, the songs were catchy-- frighteningly so, in fact-- but that just served to make them all the more poignant when they fall apart. Deal's tobacco-stained delivery and Steve Albini's sharp, make-up-free production make songs like "Oh", "Doe", and the unforgettable "Iris" are as oddly wrenching as they are outwardly pretty and well-constructed.
More than a decade later, this record remains deliciously inscrutable. Sometimes it's disarmingly gorgeous. Other times it's punishingly gritty and violent. Usually, it's both. Pod 's bipolar cover of "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" perfectly encapsulates the record as a whole-- whether Deal was playing it cool or tearing shit up, she seemed to be enjoying every second of it. --Matt LeMay
Pod is a blissful mindfuck of a record. Deal may have played coy and seductive throughout, but there was something subtly sinister to her cooing-- like a siren or a schoolgirl concealing a butcher knife, her methods of enticement immediately struck as inherently destructive. This dynamic was fully realized in the songs themselves, which came across like the product of a band caught in a constant cycle of self-destruction and rebirth. Sure, the songs were catchy-- frighteningly so, in fact-- but that just served to make them all the more poignant when they fall apart. Deal's tobacco-stained delivery and Steve Albini's sharp, make-up-free production make songs like "Oh", "Doe", and the unforgettable "Iris" are as oddly wrenching as they are outwardly pretty and well-constructed.
More than a decade later, this record remains deliciously inscrutable. Sometimes it's disarmingly gorgeous. Other times it's punishingly gritty and violent. Usually, it's both. Pod 's bipolar cover of "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" perfectly encapsulates the record as a whole-- whether Deal was playing it cool or tearing shit up, she seemed to be enjoying every second of it. --Matt LeMay
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