Wednesday, August 23, 2006

I'm just tired. I just want to sleep.

I'm so tired right now I don't think I'm going to make it through my day. I know that's pretty bad, but right now I just want to fall asleep. And I really don't care what it is that I'm doing when I do that falling asleep thing. I think the real problem here is the lack of sleep at night, compounded with having to sit through a thirty five minute lecture about the wonderful world of insurance sales. There's a reason why insurance salesmen (well salespeople) are such blood sucking leeches. If this was any indication today, they are what they are because they get paid on commission only. Here's a nice little tidbit, everytime you re up on your insurance, they get a sweet cut of the premiums. Apparently there's a 65% hit for the first year and then about 9 - 6.5% every year after that. How sweet is that? Of course, on a commissions only salary, that's kind of a necessary evil. Either way, the next time that friendly insurance agent of yours calls to make sure that you're still going in strong on your policy, be sure to remember whatever he says you need will be adding a good deal of money to his pocket. And here I thought they really cared about me as a person. Ha! I should've known better.

My ever going quest to find a job continues, as I throw my resume to the winds, I can't help but think, if it were any lighter, it'd get blown off to sea. At least that's my thoughts on it. But what do I know? According to my resume, not much.

Ha ha! College drop out having remorse!

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Spirited debate! I love it!

So I'm a bit conceited. I'm okay with that. And in line with that conceitedness, I made a test. This test, is uh. . .about me. That's right. So take it and find out what a great friend you are. Or should be.

Leaderboard
Create your own friendquiz here


My ego can't take too many more blows.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Itzjerm said...
you've sold your soul to the airwave devil javann...

is your cd player broke? Or is it the fedex truck requires you listen to radio?

The fact that you have fallen into musical depravity does not mean that you can justify this by a meager expression of word to correct.

True there have been times where pop was ok, I am a fan of quiet a bit that ended up on the radio in the 80's... in fact it was a rule then that having more than one song popular was against the rules. There may be the song here or there that is created for the main stream listener today which is listenable (i'll admit to liking some of Madonnas later stuff)... but in general pop music of the radio is basically an equation... an equation which anyone be it Paris Hilton or any other person can plug into... I'll pass... i'll find the oldies and flashback stations.. but in general pop is like country music.. to generic for my taste.



Oh come down off your high horse and stop judging people. The plug in theory is still to this day complete and utter crap. Paris Hilton did not sit down with her guitar and backing band and create music. She provided the voice and the front for Scott Storch (most notably) and for a host of other producers and yes, musicians. If you could carry a tune, then you too could be a pop SINGER. This is where your theory is ultimately flawed. I'll admit the ability to sing doesn't make you a musician. But give credit to the men and women who take mere singers and icons and transform the talentless voids they call celebrity into instantly recognizable hit machines. The same has held true since the early nineties with the exception of a few men and women who produced and sang their own brand of pop. We call these people singer/songwriters, such as Fiona Apple, Jewel, and until recently Nelly Furtado. Each of these MUSICIANS are utterly responsible for the crap they produce or the gold they spin from the hay that is the musical instrument.

I think the real reason everyone has a problem with Paris Hilton is simply because they percieve her as a musician. She is an average singer, who has the money and the affluence to have a group of musicians sit down and craft songs for her. She may gain some writing credit, because she does have input, but lets be honest. She has maybe 20% input. She is merely a front for producers and musicians. That having been said, there are millions of people who believe they are more talented than she, and also more creative. "Paris Hilton has a CD? Dude, anyone can make a CD!" No, you jealous sniveling vultures, not just anyone can PRODUCE a CD. It takes actually skill and creativity to be a producer. Can anyone sing on a CD? Believe it or not, no. Otherwise you crying children who can't carry tunes would all be inking record deals. And lets face it, unless you're Reuben Studdard (who?) you probably are going to need to be in the minority of Americans who can a) sing and b) look incredibly good in few if any clothes.

So lets wrap this up. To be a pop singer, you must carry a tune. To create pop music, to be a producer, you do need creativity, talent, and also be able to play an instrument. So stop it with indie fan boy whining already, posers.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Guilty as charged.

Okay, I'll admit it. I listen to pop. I'm not exactly proud of this. But let me at least defend myself.

I love music. I love music that is music. I think music is an art form. No scratch that, I know music is an art form. And like any art, there is good and bad music. Also like any art form, good and bad is subjective. There is popular art, classical, contemporary, and yes even alternative methods and forms of art. Music is no exception. However, many people, in some misguided struggle against the Man, have completely written off pop music. These people are the ones who say stuff like, "I don't listen to my radio anymore." They hang out at coffee shoppes (yes shoppes not shops) and their intelligence is more often than not expressed with each word. These people hate music. They don't appreciate music. They appreciate art.

And here's where we draw a fine line between music and art. You see, music as an art form is subject to critics. However, just as some critically acclaimed pieces of art can be completely unenjoyable, so can the opposite be true. Some pieces of art transcend time because they're enjoyable. You can't find a critic alive who would say Kung Pow: Enter the Fist was a legitimately good movie. But sit down and watch it. Its hilarious. Even if its not your cup of tea, I'm sure if you're honest with yourself, you can think of at least two or three movies that aren't Oscar nominated but are incredibly enjoyable. Guilty pleasures right?

But now, we come to music, and in our effort to fight the powers that be, we instantly write off pop music, simply for striving to be popular, i.e. enjoyable. Sure, pop music is way too popular at times, and I'll admit, I don't want to hear it 24/7. Still, that doesn't negate that its enjoyable, and therefore of some value, however so little you might give that. I find it ironic that many of the bands who truly create art become thoroughly arrogant towards pop singers (no, I want call them artists) because instead of trying to constantly be the next big thing, they just do what they know works consistently. The record sales may not tell the full artistic story, but lets be honest, no one remembers the best independent releases of ten years ago. No one important that is. Ask me about a pop song of ten years ago. I remember Return of the Mack, The Hotstepper, Victory, No Scrubs by TLC and at least ten other songs. Is that wrong? No.

And when I wake up in the morning, and hear Jessica Simpson, or Christina Aguilera, or even the devil himself, Britney Spears (who fortunately has apparently revoked music to return to her southern roots of beer and pregnancy) I gotta admit, they do some catchy music. Its fun. Its light. I'm depressed enough in the morning, I don't need even more depression in the form of the music I'm using to kill the silence.

What am I saying? That all non-pop music is depressing? No. And I'm not going to say that all pop music is upbeat. I'm just saying that every form of music is appreciably good. And if you don't think that record company's aren't aware of the next big sound, then you haven't really been listening to the radio have you? What happens when the indie sound you treasure so much becomes main stream? Are you going to throw it away for the next big thing because more people than you know about it? I doubt it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go listen to The GO! Team.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Somehow its plain to see/that the pain in me/is what its meant to be/and if/you don't or can't believe/I can't and don't believe

Heavy iPod/CD-player-in-my-car rotation:
TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Mylo - Destroy All Rock And Roll
Asobi Seksu - Citrus (I gotta be honest though, I keep hoping if I listen to it enough, I'll like it, but so far, that's not even begun to happen. I think shoegazer rock is lost on me. Which kind of saddens me, since I know a guy who has a band who plays exactly that.)
Squarepusher - Music is Rotten One Note
Ellen Allien and Apparat - Ochestra of Bubbles
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

Friday, August 04, 2006

Its that Hansel. He's just so hot right now!

Its amazing how quickly something great can fall apart. I suppose you can only look back at what was, and remember it. Otherwise, what would be left?

If there were a way to take memories, and make them known to the entire world, to make everyone feel, see, and touch everything you remember about a particular event, what would you want everyone to see? What would be your defining moment? Think about it. As humans we are obssessed almost with capturing the "moment". Our cell phones have digital cameras in them, so we can whip them out and take pictures and then if we want, send them to other people. Imagine if you could immerse anyone you wanted to into your memories? I can't really think of a memory that defines me, maybe a set of events, but even then I can only narrow down my life into twenty major moments. And I gotta admit, those moments? Depressing. Like when I got suspended from school, and had to walk back home with my parents angry with me. Or when my house burned down. Or any of the times I got detention in school. My first car accident. My first day in public school. The kid who followed me home and hit me repeatedly with a math book. The kids who used to pick on me in school.

In relation to that, you know, its funny. When you're a grown man, and you see these same people who used to torment you, for a second, you revert back to the little boy you were. You forget who you are. But then you remember, I'm not afraid anymore. Then you get angry. Because you remember what it was like to be afraid, to feel helpless, and now, now you know that you're far from helpless, and that you haven't a reason to fear anyone anymore. Its an interesting feeling. And a good memory to have. Maybe even a defining one.


Whoops.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Diamonds are forever/They're all I need to please me/They can't stilmulate and tease me/they won't leave in the night/I've no fear that they might/desert me

So its been awhile. Mainly because I haven't felt like writing. Mainly because I've been tired and half sleep, or just not feeling like sitting down and typing anything. So if you've been faithfully checking the site for the last two or three weeks, thanks, just know that I sit around doing this for you. Its not even all that therapeutic for me to type on this site, but I know out there, somewhere, someone reads my site. And hopefully, that someone has read this.

I had a thought or whatever, but well, I don't have a thought anymore. If I remember it, I'll be all over it.

Man. . .what's up with you?