Under the Sea

I was on a walk this evening with Tris, my dog. After the preliminary wearing down of her energy at the local school yard, we proceeded with our 2k trek. During the warm months, or when the mood strikes me, the dog and I go on these meanderings. No destination or length in mind, just she and I roaming around my generally quiet neighbourhood. I never go on these walks with music. I guess I find that I want to get lost in the world around me. Sometimes I fear that I'm shutting myself off to everything-hiding in my mind and not living.

Tonight's walk helped me to review the next two years, work out some stuff that has been plagueing my brain for the past couple weeks. Not entirely sure of where the music is going to take me, but I'm willing to find out.

No Virginia, I have No clue whatsoever

Standing in my room this morning, bleary eyed, (and eared apparantly) I turned on my Iyiyi for some "wake me up tunes", and Slipknot popped up. Well their song "Liberate" to be precise. As I stood there getting accustomed to the music I could have sworn Corey was singing "Liberate the bananas". Deep in my heart I knew this was not the truth, but still it confused me in my sleep-deprivated state. I thus looked up the lyrics, and found out he was singing "Liberate my madness"

What is happening to me?

They say something that I don't want to hear

I have a confession to make: I like the band Lit....I'll wait while you finish laughing. Seriously I do like them. They're not all that spectacular, lyrically inspired, or even that musically gifted. They consistently rock hard (I am generalizing on this of course), and they can write catchy hooks with the best of them. While they are no Weezer, they atleast were a bit better than Blink 182 (and all subsequent side projects). Of course songs like "Miserable" played to the angsty teens who weren't willing to convert to the long-passed grunge and alternative scene. Granted by this point, most of these bands had disbanded, or merely grown up. Chris Cornell had bounded off into solo glory and had not yet started the bastard RATM child formerly known as Audioslave. Of course I don't mean to include Pearl Jam in this list. We all still love you. You will never die!!!! But I digress.


Lit's first major album was mediocre I will admit that. They garnered attention by walking all over Pamela Anderson ... ( I wonder how many google hits I will get for saying that??). After that, they kind of faded into the musical background, put out another album (Atomic), split from RCA, and then self-produced/self-titled their last album (circa 2004), which deepened their sound, and added a little more seriousness to the lyrics, still undeniably Lit though.

While I don't listen to them often, I do adore them, and for that you may laugh at me. But just remember, some day I will find all of your embarassing music likes and shall mock you endlessly. You've been warned.




Let's have another drink
Waste time with me
We're happy in the meantime
"Happy in the Meantime"--- the only thing I don't like about this song, is that it rips off Green Day's Time of your Life (Good Riddance) string section.

You know you're not invited, but you keep on coming 'round

You know it's a state of affairs when MTV Cribs does a spotlight on Brian Vollmer....

Seriously who cares?

Every Move You Make

Getting a Police-hit-song vibe right now, and not the misinterpreted Puff Daddy/Faith Evans version either.

Hi!

You pick up your bags and head out of town

I see this (and today's comic... June 12th) and think of a co-worker.

Enjoy!

Say that 7 times fast

The SPEBSQSA is tops!

I never read your letter, because I knew what'd you say

Has the music died?

You gotta respect the rock

I forgot to add this.

*tear*

Sweatin' To Oldies..... I wish

So after a few months of abandoning my exercise routine, I have returned begrudgingly. This morning I dragged out the lone aerobics DVD I can stand, popped it into my bedroom tv/dvd combo, and started to burn away the calories again... I hope. I had chosen the rock music setting of the DVD as opposed to the dance or techno. Silly me forgetting that the music on said DVD is atrocious regardless of the genre. As I started the stretch my hamstrings, tighten my abs (though they hide beneath my fleshy exterior) the music really annoyed me, and I have now vowed to find something else to listen to while doing my work out. My problem however lies in the fact I cannot find anything in my vast collection. Nothing upbeat enough to make me want to bust my ass to.

God I need to take up kickboxing, if only to utilize my angry angsty music.

Do you know the Muffin Man?

So tonight I had a customer that bears repeating.

I'm standing behind the counter inputting customer orders, stock, cleaning up, etc. An akward looking woman comes into the store and starts browsing. Baseball hat, fanny pack, very small boned. Nothing life shattering, but I looked up, then went back to work. A few minutes later I hear her talking from behind one of our displays, but figured she wasn't talking to me, and I go back to my work.

About 5 minutes later she appears from our mini-wall of DVD's, and asks " Do you have any Jewish music?" Now after 4 years, there is nothing that a customer could ask for that I would be taken back by, but her question was unclear. If you are not already aware, I am a religious studies student, so my general awareness of religious music is relatively high, but her question needed to be flushed out further. I asked the woman if there was any Jewish music in particular she was looking for. Did she want traditional songs, did she want music sung in temple, or did she want something modern like Matisyahu. Her only reply was "Jewish music". I sighed and said the closest thing we had was a Mandy Patinkin album done in yiddish or Hebrew (I can never remember). I left her alone with the case, and went back to work.

Apparantly we did not have what she was looking for, and she promptly left.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

When in Doubt, Punt

It is amazing how music evokes memories. A certain song that you shared with a lover. A summer theme you and a bunch of friends had in high school, a little ditty that had meaning for you and a best friend. I have a ton of these. A former good friend and I had "Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry as our inside joke song (we both loved it but there's a story to accompany it). Or the All 4 One "I swear" that someone dear once sang to me. The oft-sung "On My Own" from Les Miserables, and the list goes on into infinity. What they all have in common however is that they evoke some really happy memories.

Right now there's music from my past that is making a resurgence in my life, and that music is Mindless Self Indulgence. For those unaware, it is this indescribable ADD band that is good at shocking lyrically and blurring the genre guidelines. Their song "Faggot" is probably one of the most interesting songs I've ever had the chance to experience ( and love for that matter). Normally I would have no contact with this, but as my luck would have it an ex of mine got me addicted to it.

The year was 2004, and coming off the biggest heartbreak of my life, I was drowning myself in a new relationship, a rebound what have you, and with this relationship brought MSI. The rebound-boy in question was in general musically illiterate, knowing the top 4o, plus a smattering interesting bands that from time to time amused me. A colossal computer kid, he also loved electronic metal stuff, not something I had ever really been into, but I figured when in Rome. One night while talking I expressed a need for some angry music being in some angsty mindset, and he suggested this. I had never heard of them, but I got a little intrigued. I trusted this boy because he had recently got me addicted to Foamy the Squirrel. I went out and acquired their first major Cd, and became hooked. The summer of 2004 was defined by this CD alone. Come year end the relationship had ended horribly, and with it, the CD was put onto a back shelf. Nothing kills a love than a cessation of a relationship.

Every once in awhile, I would drag this CD out when I was feeling angry, or general frustration. Dealing with a moron at work, fighting with a parental unit, or having to suffer through yet another pathetic acquaintance. It always did the trick. I would sit back and let the music dissolve the hatred away.

Tonight after my usual Sunday night of cartoons, I ascended to my room and turned on my Iyiyi and pressed play. Up came MSI, and I smiled. The hazzy memories of 2004 came back. I smiled because I realized that the past is gone and done. This makes me smile because this music is a testament to the fact that even though the relationship went sour, and I don't speak to said boy anymore, I acquired something amazing from the experience (and not an STI... yay!). For that I am grateful.

So to this boy I say "Thank You". Not for the joke that was our relationship, but merely for a love of an amazing band that I acquired from my having known you.

Checkmate.

I have given and got none

But I am driven my something I cannot explain.

Sitting here in the early morning, slowly getting ready for my day in the CC, listening to Amanda Marshall no less. Receiving, e-commercing, and quality control are what pave the day ahead. All in the name of anal-retentive music collectors, and the weekend music listeners. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will turn something away at the smallest imperfection. I've acquired many a musical gem because someone turned it away. Mmmmm musical leftovers. Kinda of like B-sides, but not as profitable.

I wish I could listen without shame