Rainy Day Tunes

As you read this, please take a listen to "Ambling Alp" by Yeasayer.

Seriously.  Click play now.

So today is gray and dismal, and therefore I would like to offer a few song recommendations that will help you avoid the rut that most people find themselves in on days like this.

Usually when its raining outside, I sit in my bed, turn on Bon Iver and question my life decisions (I shouldn't have eaten that second bagel smothered in cream cheese last night!!!!), but today is not that day.

"Ambling Alp" is not exactly rock and roll, but it rocks: "Stick up for yourself son, Never mind what anybody else does."

That's right.  Stick up for yourself. (I wanted that second bagel, and goddamn it, I ate it.  No regrets- Fall Semester 2012.)

http://s433.beta.photobucket.com/user/yeahifnsaidit/media/1291371993_cartman-whateva-i-do-what-i-want.gif.html

Hopefully Yeasayer got you pumped up and and in the mood to listen to some other inspiring tunes.  It's a mix tape kind of day ladies and gents, just warning you.

Now that you've let "Ambling Alp" grow on you (and it might take a few minutes, but trust me, it will) you'll have to check out this next song by the indie rock band The Shins.

I think of The Shins as the indie band of the 90s, and a few of my personal favorites are:  "Simple Song," "Caring is Creepy," and "New Slang."  These are perhaps the three most well-known songs by them... But there is a reason for that ok?!

The music video for "Simple Song" is one of my faves, so you can watch it here:

As for "Caring is Creepy" and "New Slang"- just click on the titles and it'll take you where you need to go.  I would say that of these two, the first is my favorite, but I'll let you decide for yourself, wise reader.

If you find yourself digging The Shins, I suggest you buy the Garden State Soundtrack.  Zach Braff not only wrote, directed and acted in Garden State, he also hand-picked the music.  And let me tell you, the guy has fantastic taste.

Some of these songs are a little low key though, and I'm afraid that if I keep this up- I'll be leading all of you astray and into the emotional rainy day I promised to help you escape.

So here's something that will hopefully pick you back up: it's Arctic Monkeys and it's kind of spunky.

Opening line: "You used to get it in your fishnets, Now you only get it in your nightdress."

I can only wonder: what does this mean?? Tell me Arctic Monkeys! My mind is going dirty places and I can't help it.

Anyways.

After your Arctic Monkeys indie rock experience, I'd like to take you in a totally different direction and have you blast this song at full volume, wherever you are:

Yes, I did make that transition straight from indie rock to pop rock, and it was glorious.

"Your Love" by The Outfield makes me incredibly happy and I can't even quite articulate why.  It is just the most amazing song to blast in the car, in your room, in the kitchen..

You can belt this baby any time of day as long as the people you live with don't start hating you for it.

I want to leave you with this song because I'm not sure if I'll be blogging again for a long time, and I think this is the perfect song to help me go out with a bang.  I can imagine the cheesy 80s movie scene now: me walking away triumphantly through the halls of my high school, pushing through the closed doors and out into the bright sunlight, fist raised, FREEZE FRAME!

(Did I steal that from The Breakfast Club?) Whatever. You get the idea.

Anyways, I'm going abroad next semester to Prague so this will be my last post for awhile.

In my absence, remember to rock on my friends.  

This Blonde loves Blondie

Let me start this post off with a disclaimer: I am tired.  So tired, in fact, that my eyelids feel like they are being pulled down by ten-ton weights.

(I am just telling you this in case I start misspelling simple words and rambling on about how much I miss my puppy at home.)

And yet- I set here- writing you another blog post because that is how much I love you, anonymous reader.

If that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.

The other week I was introduced to a band that I had written off on the basis that I thought it’s name was a joke: Blondie.

But actually, who decided on that name?  And why?

According to my well-known go-to source, Wikipedia, the name came from truck drivers who yelled “Hey, Blondie” at the lead singer Deborah Harry as they drove by.

Huh. A little anticlimactic, but okay. 

Looking at the album cover for the Best of Blondie album, I suppose they had a reason. 

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Blondie/dp/B000003JAL

I get it but it still seems a little superficial to me.

I just want them to have a better name I LOVE their song “Telephone,” but their band name just doesn't do it for me. 

Honestly, wouldn't it be a little embarrassing to be tell everyone that my new favorite band was Blondie?

It just doesn’t seem right, me being a blonde and all.

Anyways, the song that originally drew me to them was, as I said, “Hanging on the Telephone.”  Not to sound cliche, but it rocks. Give it a listen. 

I heard this song in my Comm 307 class, Sound Clash: Popular Music and American Culture.  Jack Halberstam, the author of Gaga Feminism, came to our class and talked about how this song could be seen as an influence of Lady Gaga’s “Hanging on the Telephone.”

I was hooked.

This is was sassy, with an awesome rock beat.  Deborah Harry has a strong, female voice that is sharp and powerful.

It’s a great song to play when you’re getting ready to go out and you’re feeling a little feisty.

Ladies, give it a try.

The next song that I found that was in this same rock and roll vein by Blondie was the well-know song “One Way or Another.”

Finding out this song was by Blondie was awesome because it such a classic rock song that we’ve all heard but might not know where it’s from.

The song “Call Me” is another one that you might recognize.

I sense a reoccurring theme with communication.  “Hanging on the Telephone”… “Call Me”….?  

Next hit: "Text Me, Beep Me, If You Want to Reach Me."

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Blondie/dp/B000003JAL

It's too bad they disbanded. That could have totally been a hit...  

Anyways, “Call Me” might not be quite as well-known as “One Way or Another,” but it’s fun and sassy too.

I like.

Another song that you would definitely recognize if you pulled out the Best of Blondie Album is “Heart of Glass.”  But this song isn’t really the rock and roll sound that I’ve been searching for.  Honestly, it makes me think of the Disco..

Thoughts?

What is this sound?

Another song that you might want to check out is “Rip Her to Shreds.”  The first time I heard this song is when I was at a Joan Jett concert this summer. I didn't know where it was from, but I liked it.  You can only imagine my excitement when I discovered that it came from Blondie.

All in all, I guess I will give Blondie a break on the name, because their music is great. 

Now that I have hopefully changed your life by introducing you to some great rock songs, I’m going to crawl into my bed and watch Modern Family until I fall asleep.

Bliss. 

Goodnight world!

Trifecta

Time for a little recapitulation (thanks Drew Casper, CTCS 469, for improving my vocabulary) & shout out to #whatshouldwecallme for providing me with awesome gifs 

Hello World

Flashback to April of this year: Coachella 2012.

I’m in the middle of a throbbing crowd. Literally, throbbing. With the intention of seeing Calvin Harris up-close-and-personal, I have risked any and all personal boundaries to have my nose shoved in a stranger’s sweaty back while the DJ plays “Feels So Close.”  

I feel WAY too close right now.

Sniff, sniff. Is that him or me? Regardless, this is disguisting.

The friends I came with to this concert have recklessly abandoned me to push themselves a few inches closer. Those traitors. So I have been forced to take refuge in the protection of a nearby couple. The disgruntled look on their faces only portrays a sliver of the pain and distaste I feel as my hair is pulled by some overly aggressive middle-schoolers clamoring for the front.

The moment left something to be desired.

Then it hit me: although I loved Coachella music, I was much more of a Stagecoach personality.

Those are the eyes of someone who has just realized something very, very important about themselves. Or the eyes of an endangered, Southeast Asian tarsier. (SAVE THE TARSIERS!)

Anyways.

Perhaps my deleterious spiral into the country realm began when I moved to the lovely city of Bakersfield, California; perhaps it began before. Regardless, I have been rocking country boots to the honky-tonk Crystal Palace since the ripe age of 17. I can’t imagine ever losing my love for rednecks or line dancing.

At country concerts, I typically find myself leisurely embracing the company of some new tattooed comrades with an affinity for cheap beer. 

At the Coachella Musical Festival, on the other hand, I battled for my life.

Beyond that, I found myself missing the sweet, simple lyrics of my country songs that been replaced by booming techno beats. The line had been drawn and I knew which side my high-waisted Levi shorts were headed to. 

Beyond a love of country, I listen to everything from Rihanna hits on the radio to lesser-known indie bands like the Head and the Heart. I jam out to the oldies of Marvin Gaye and participate in screaming contests with Coheed and Cambria while I’m stuck in traffic. My passion for meaningful lyrics and harmonious beats has lead me appreciate almost all musical categories. Because of my broad tastes, I often like to think of myself as a musical-Renaissance Man, if you will.

The other day, however, when a friend asked me how I felt about classic rock, I was embarrassed to find myself asking exactly what he meant. This was a territory I had yet to explore, and seeing as I was newly single (in other words, full of free time) I decided that discovering rock music was an adventure worthy of embarking upon. It would be deliciously simple, gratifying and a hell of a lot cheaper than buying an Annual Pass to Disneyland.

To say that my new desire to discover my inner rock goddess was purely driven by copious amounts of time and an empty wallet, however, would be a cheap simplification of the real reason for taking this take a trip to into the Rock n’ Roll past. As I travel the rickety path towards adulthood, I find myself feeling less and less confident about my passions and goals.

“That’s a typical 20 year-old dilemma,” a wise reader might say.

But I would counter that with the fact that my dilemma has been magnified by my relationship of two years, during which I formed my identity as part of a unit, but not as an individual. Upon realizing that so much of what I thought of myself was based on my relationship with a boy, I took what might be seen by some as an extreme measure, and broke up with him. 

If there was any time to get know myself, it was college. 

I have decided to embark on a mission of self-discovery. I want to know what makes me, Missy Hendrix, tick. Listening to rock music, the tunes and ballads that helped shape generations, created social change and brought about a new era of music and culture, would surely be a worthwhile guide on my own journey. 

I want to hear lyrics that teach me, not only about myself, but the generations of the past who struggled to find themselves much like I am now. No more techno beats for me, thank you. 

Also, who needs a man when you have The Beatles and The Rolling Stones?! I feel overwhelmed by these attractive, talented men already. 

As Walt Whitman says in Leaves of Grass: “All music is what awakens from you when you are reminded by the instruments. It is not the violins and cornets. It is not the oboe nor the beating drums… It is nearer and farther than they.” I think what Whitman meant was that music awakens something within us, and I can only hope that a little Rock n’ Roll will assist me in my own awakening.

I'm excited. 

Profile

Eager to see how my rock and roll blog compares to others, I set out on yet another new mission this week: finding another blog that would give me some guidance and inspiration for my own.

Most rock and roll blogs seem to be professional ones, however, I was able to find one called “No Rock and Roll Fun” by Simon Hayes Budgen that sparked my interest.  Simon is an average guy, I assume, and so I figured we might be on the same rock and roll page.  (Affinity for The Beatles? Elvis Presley?? Jimi Hendrix??? Yes! Yes! Yes!.. Let’s hope so.)

Welp, fellow bloggers and readers, I learned very early on that Simon and I weren’t quite on the same blogging page after all.  The main difference between our blogs is Simon’s focus on current rock and roll, my tendency to look into older music. 

When I started my blog, I definitely wanted to go for more of a classic rock sort of angle, starting with the basics of rock and moving forward from there.  Simon’s rock recommendations include artists like A Fine Frenzy and mentions bands like One Direction.  Not exactly old school, but I like it. 

Feeling inspired: I'm down to delve into current rock music, hey, I might even blog about some one of these days.  Watch out for it!

http://www.queenbeetickets.com/One-Direction-Tickets

These men will never be mentioned, however.

I do LOVE A Fine Frenzy though.  It was the first thing I saw on Simon Hayes Budgen's blog- so I had a good feeling about him from the beginning.  He put up a picture of their latest album and a link to where you could get it on Amazon.  I was thrilled:

1) I had no idea that A Fine Frenzy had just released a new album, and 2) Simon directed me to where I could go purchase it for myself.

(And I totally would have bought it if I wasn’t already deeply invested in my free subscription of Spotify...)

What a brilliant man.

This was surprisingly new and simple idea. Yes, I had been providing links to YouTube videos, but giving readers a link to where they could purchase the song for themselves was as both helpful and effective- definitely a great way to help share music.  

Although perhaps if I was feeling especially kind and insightful, instead of putting in links to Amazon and iTunes, I would write a blog for my fellow college students about the merits of Spotify.. Another time.   

I also liked Simon’s use of pictures and quotes from reliable sources.  The pictures give a face to the name of these artists, and the quotes made his writing seem more credible.  These are both things that I should be incorporating into my work, especially considering the only thing I have quoted thus far is Wikipedia, obviously the most reliable source around. 

In the future, I should probably stray away from Wiki P., lest you doubt my credibility as a connoisseur of rock music and everything mac n' cheese related.  

Another thing that Simon did well was use the sides of his blog to show songs to download, Youtube highlights to watch, radio, performance and download sites to peruse, band websites he likes and other useful music sites.  There amount of information is almost overwhelming, but it is easy to see that Simon has put a lot of time and effort into his blog and that he is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to music.  

I have no idea how to format all of that information, but it's something I should definitely look into.   

I would say that my blog has perhaps a little more structure than Simon’s, generally addressing topics that stay in the same vein more than Simon.  But if this guy has taught me anything, it is the value of mixing things up to keep readers engaged.  Looking at my own blog, I am afraid that perhaps the way I’ve presented my thoughts has become too regimented.

Food for thought.  

Voice Critique

As I’ve begun to share my blog with my peers, I’ve noticed that I’ve developed a certain voice, or way of expressing my personality via word choice and sentence structure, if you will.  I like to think that my voice says, “Hey! I’m creative, intelligent, and a little self-deprecating.”  At least, that’s what I hope.

If it’s not, feel free to let me know. TELL ME THE HARSH TRUTH PEOPLE!

But seriously I could use some comments on this thing, so man up.

Checking out other rock blogs has definitely made me look at my own voice more closely.  For instance, I took a peek at “Danny G.’s Rock Blog,” by who else than Danny G. himself, the 38-year-old working musician from Austin, Texas.

This man’s blog sort of depressed me at first; right from the start he tells you that he is a struggling musician:

“You’ve read the rock bios and seen the movies, but this is what it’s like for the other 99% of musicians just trying to survive”

http://www.berfrois.com/2011/11/we-are-the-99/

I know the guy’s not necessarily making any broader economic claims here, but all I could think of was the Occupy Movement.  I’m not sure which came first, Danny G. or the movement- but someone is taking somebody else’s slogan here. And both feel like they are part of the disenfranchised majority.  I would say though that Occupy is more about criticizing the concentration of wealth among the top 1%, and Danny is just bitter that he isn’t some sort of rock god. (This is probably where Danny G. and Occupy differ.)

I soon realized, however, that you have to give Danny some credit: he’s a multi-instrumentalist for different bands, has released two instrumental solo albums and was voted #8 bassist for the 2009 Austin Music Awards.

You go Danny G.

This man obviously knows what he’s talking about in the realm of struggling musicians.  He has the experience and (arguably) the talent.  So I read on.

Getting into his blog posts, Danny seemed a lot more optimistic than his first impression had lead me to believe.  From the sound of his reviews on his latest gigs, this guy is loving the rock and roll lifestyle.  His abundance of curse words and exclamation marks really set the tone:

“Anyway.  Last night ETB @ Friends was pretty goddamned epic.”

“Got back up there and threw down even harder… Then a guy from ‘an oil company’ asked us how much for one more song.  Eric asked me, I threw out $100 as a nice round number, and oil guy gets onto the mic and takes a collection from the audience for $100 into the tip jar for one more song.  Wallets appeared like startled bats. Amazing!”   

“We were totally spent, but still got back up to play “Little Wing” again.  Knocked em dead. Great night!”

“In other news the weekend was busy as fuck all.  Which is good. Really good.”

I especially loved his description of wallets coming out like startled bats… Not sure if anyone else caught that.  I would also like to point out that all of this is only from the first half of Danny’s most recent blog post (Oct, 23rd).

This guy is voice gold.

Like the guy who plays the lead singer in Almost Famous, Danny G. is a rocker who loves his job and his music. 

He also really loves putting in single words like “crazy” or “amazing” or “wow” to make his point about how he feels about certain shows and situations.  And it works. Kind of.

Well, at least the music man makes jokes!

“Then the pack-up-as-fast-as-we-can shuffle.”

Post-show pack up and craziness?  I can only imagine.  This phrasing gives readers a funny image, versus just supplying us with a typical description of packing up after a show. Way to be silly.  I actually give him props for this.

The last few sentences that Danny put on his most recent blog post I think best summarize how he’s feeling right now:

“Eric, Rob and I really have something special.  We can feel it.  The audience can feel it.  It’s a really cool thing to be a part of.  And being a variable in the equation that converts a humble blues-rock band into a force of nature is really special too.”

Well put Danny G.  

Even though I wasn’t very impressed with how Danny portrays himself online, I can only assume that his voice matches his personality (as concerning as that may be) and that he’s expressing his genuine self.

So even if I don’t think much of it, blog on brother. 

The REAL Hendrix Experience

All Along the Watchtower

Who is this dashing man in an awesome jacket with sick electric guitar skills?? None other than Jimi Hendrix: Rock God. 

Here is a fun fact about Hendrix that you may or may not know- he taught himself to play guitar just by LISTENING. If that doesn't blow your mind after hearing "All Along the Watchtower," I don't know what will.  This guy learned how to master an instrument by paying close attention to other musicians, then taking a guitar into his hands and experimenting with it. 

One word comes to mind: prodigy.

If you think I’m being dramatic, consider the definition of prodigy: a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability (Thanks Dictionary.com!)

And then consider the discovery and career of Jimmy Hendrix:  At age 15, Jimi acquired his first guitar and started to learn how to play by ear, spending hours listening to music and working to figure out single notes. After dropping out of high school and a stint in the army, Jimi moved to New York City, and it was there that he was discovered, at the ripe age of 24.

Jimmy Hendrix was in fact, a prodigy.  

After he was discovered, he settled in England and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Then he took the US by storm with songs like “Hey,Joe.” 

Hendrix was a true performer.  He would play behind his back, with his teeth, and trash his guitar on stage.  Beyond that, however, he was also a true musician, constantly experimenting with all the electric guitar had to offer.  He became well known for his interesting work with the wah-wah pedal.  You know, the fun little pedal that makes your electric guitar go “wahhhh-wahhhhh”?  Yeah.  That one.  

Despite his early death at the age of 27, Hendrix has come to be considered by some to be one of the greatest electric guitar players of all time. 

I am 20 years old and have very limited guitar skills.  Hendrix is starting to make me feel a little insecure…

IF I’M NOT A ROCK LEGEND IN 7 YEARS I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE!!!!

I’m just kidding.

Kind of.

Look I can play guitar too!

Jokes on you again! That’s a ukulele.  And I’m not Asian… Or five years old.  But that kid rocks, you’ve got to give him some credit.

Child prodigy?

We’ll see.

But on a serious note:

What I wouldn’t give to be able to travel back in time and see Hendrix perform after The Who at the Monterey Pop Festival… (For those of you who don’t know, the Monterey Pop Festival was the first widely promoted and heavily attended rock music festival.  It was three days long, think of it as the Coachella of the 1960s.) 

If you haven’t been inspired to give Jimi Hendrix a listen after reading this, think again.  You will be missing out on a man whose work continues to inspire musicians today.  Musicians the likes of John Mayer…

Are you reading this right now?

Yes.

John. Mayer.

A man lucky enough to have a song written about him by Taylor Swift.

But really people, Jimi Hendrix’s music continues to have an impact on all of our lives.  So give him a listen.  If not for me, then for America:

A Jimi Hendrix rendition of Star Spangled Banner. 

Favorites

Today I decided to take a step out of the past and give a listen to some music I’ve been putting aside in my quest for rock and roll knowledge. 

You know those songs that make you sit in your driveway even though you’re home?  You can’t go inside until it’s over.  You know those songs that you put on and lay in bed and think to?  They make you cry on a bad day, and contemplate the beauty of life and love and happenstance, on a good one.

Well these are those songs.

I feel like Indie/Alternative music is sort of like the rock and roll of today.  It is the music that comes with a message- although what that message is, is probably up for debate.  Regardless, I love it.  I would listen to folky, guitar playing, soulful singin’, hipster-wanna-be music any day over techno beats (unless I’m attempting to work out, in which case, Bon Iver, “Holocene” may not be the best choice). 

I’ve put some of these current Indie songs on my playlists with rock gods Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan.  That’s the kind of sound I’m drawn to.

I would like to start out with Radical Face “Welcome Home, Son.”  Starting out with the sound of wind and wind chimes.  You’re unsure, is this a song or a “Sleepy Time Noise Mix” like the ones you find in Bed, Bath and Beyond.?

Just wait my friend.  This song is good for windy fall days, as well as bright summer ones.  Get in the car, roll down the windows and go on a road trip.  This song will carry you from one state to another with ease. 

Have you ever listened to M. Ward?  He’s great as a solo artist, but perhaps you would better recognize his voice as part of She & Him and Monsters and Folk.

If you want a song that’s a little more upbeat, you should check out “Chinese Translation.”  What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart?   Good question Ward.  Good question.

On the upbeat kick, checking out “Love Lust” by King Charles is definitely worthwhile.  It’s a little more rock than the other songs I’ve suggested thus far.  It has some great electric guitar pieces that almost inspired me to buy an electric guitar. Almost. My favorite line: “Treasure every beating heart that sets your soul on fire.” 

Does Dave Matthews count as rock music?  I feel like he’s kind of Alternative Rock but then again, I’ve never been one for labels.

Damn, I’m so hipster.

Seriously though, I don’t care what you think about Dave, but his song “Crash Into Me” is my personal anthem.  I’m not really sure why, but this song has had a place in my heart since middle school.

Taking things down a notch, “Poison and Wine” by The Civil Wars will change your life.  It is incredibly beautiful.  It is the perfect song to choreograph a dance to, which is exactly what my friend Hannah did.  I watched her perform it last year on campus and it brought me to tears.  But I think if you’re going through some tumultuous relationship times, this is the song for you.

I don’t want to leave you on a sad note though.  Need a pick me up?  Pop on “Pumpkin Soup” by Kate Nash.  Is she Indie?  No.  Probably not.  She’s British.  Can you be foreign and hipster?  I’m not really sure. But she is sassy and I have a feeling you’ll like her.

Hope you love these songs as much as I do.