Ever since I was young, I've been one of those folks who pays attention to the background music being used in the scene of a TV show, movie, or even video game. I think it started with Looney Tunes. I would notice the music being used in each scene and how each bit of it was used to convey more emotion from the scene. As I got older, I started paying more attention to movie soundtracks, and could recall certain scenes of movies just by hearing a bit of the music that was used.
Then there's video games. My favorite video game series is The Legend of Zelda. I've been playing it since the first one for the NES, and I've almost taken back my title of having played and beaten every single one that was made. Well who didn't end up having the original theme become an earworm for them at some point or another? Then the series started becoming more music based, starting with Ocarina of Time. In nearly every single produced after that, you're using music to advance in the game, whether it is playing an ocarina, conducting a magical baton, or howling into the sky.
What I really like though is when I can start hearing familiar themes being built on and used again in a whole new way. As I have been playing through LOZ:Twilight Princess, I have noticed how the background music is now based off of a theme of Ocarina of Time, or a wolf song is from a prior game. Considering that Twilight Princess is supposed to take place in between Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker, it's fun to try and pick out the original themes that the new music is based off of. Of course, some areas use the same music (Zora's Domain) used in prior games, and that can work, but I like it when I can hear an actual remix.
As I've gotten older, I've begun to think more about how the music I hear helps me in recalling something and what my feelings are on it. What may make a movie go from good to great would be if I could get into the music with it. My favorite scary movie, besides the actual plot, would be the original Halloween. You listen to that piano theme and it sets up those feelings of being out somewhere along in the dark. It's the same with video games. I've been listening to some old themes lately, and what I realize is that while Nintendo may not be for the most hard core of gamers, they write some of the most gorgeous music I have ever heard. Maybe that's a reason why I have stuck with them over the years.
It's fun to be able to find this sort of stuff, and I can only hope it continues this way.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
August 06, 2010
May 19, 2010
The Fantasticks
Any of you who have known me in New Mexico and the DC area know that I pretty much go around with some semblance of facial hair. Usually it's a goatee, sometimes more towards a full beard, but I pretty much stick with it. However, there are times where one has to shave when it is called for, and this is one of those times.
July 20, 2009
Cheesecake and STP!
Yesterday I attended the Stone Temple Pilots concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion with my friend CA. Her and I are both fans of STP and she managed to get floor seats to the show so I definitely jumped at the chance to go.
Since we knew things were going to get crowded, we decided to do a late lunch up in Columbia before heading over to the pavilion. The mall was nearby and they have a few good restaurants there, it was just a matter of finding the right one. I had never been to the Cheesecake Factory before (which is apparently a sin according to her and DB) so we went there for lunch. I got the Thai chicken pasta there, which was done up in a really tasty peanut sauce. I must learn how to make peanut sauce because I think it would end up being a really kick ass thing to make with some of my stir fry's. CA got the bang bang chicken and shrimp. Of course, both plates were so huge we couldn't finish it all (work lunch!!) unless we wanted absolutely no room for cheesecake. We both wanted to keep it simple since we didn't want something too heavy while rocking out later, so she went with a lemon raspberry cheesecake, and I went with key lime. I will definitely have to drop in at the place more often, even if it is just to buy a slice of cheesecake to take home.
We drove over to the pavilion and hung out in the parking lot for a while before heading into the concert area. Since I had never been there before, CA showed me around to the various places that were offered and also pointed out where the cleaner bathrooms were. We grabbed large drinks so that we could make sure to stay awake and headed down to the floor to catch the opening band, The Meat Puppets.
The Meat Puppets were good, though neither CA or I were familiar with them, so we didn't recognize any of their songs. Still, a good way to set the mood for later that night. They played for about half an hour before heading off-stage.
As the crew began to set up the stage for STP, I began to experiment a bit with my camera. One of the things that has made me crazy about my digital camera is that when trying to photograph things that can't use a flash, such as a concert or in front of glass, its full-auto mode sets the shutter speed way too slow and I end up with a lot of blurred pictures. It's really bad when I will go to something like a hockey game and out of the 50 pictures I take, 40 of them have to be rejected because they're blurry or considered too dark. I decided to try setting my camera to full manual and setting the shutter speed on my own. With a bit of experimentation I was able to come up with shutter speeds and F-stops that looked like they would work for when STP was up there.
So after another half an hour, STP finally came to the stage. The floor got crowded very quickly as more people pressed forward to get to the front of the stage to see folks. Since we were smart enough to get there early, we had an awesome view of the stage. As you will see from the pictures, we were good and close.
STP went through the catalog of their songs old and new, and it was a blast all around. Only one incident of someone hopping up onto the stage happened, and they were quickly removed. There was a guy next to us who must have been on something because he was really getting into the music, to the point where he tried early on to start a mosh pit but most of the people around him were not having it. BTW, what is with the women who were wearing dresses to the concert, especially being crowded onto the floor? Then there was the screamer in front of us, she had this high-pitched Xena warrior yell going on every time something would happen. If STP wasn't going to cost me my hearing, she definitely was.
So there were lots of good songs, a good performance, plenty of singing along, and going to manual pictures totally worked. I compared a few auto pictures to the ones I did manually, the manual ones were totally better. I had to do a lot less work in Photoshop to prepare them for uploading.
It was a concert that was totally worth attending. I see that the Killers are going to be there at the end of August, I should see if I can get tickets.
Since I am actually able to keep up this time, here are the pictures from the STP concert. Click below to see them all :-D
Since we knew things were going to get crowded, we decided to do a late lunch up in Columbia before heading over to the pavilion. The mall was nearby and they have a few good restaurants there, it was just a matter of finding the right one. I had never been to the Cheesecake Factory before (which is apparently a sin according to her and DB) so we went there for lunch. I got the Thai chicken pasta there, which was done up in a really tasty peanut sauce. I must learn how to make peanut sauce because I think it would end up being a really kick ass thing to make with some of my stir fry's. CA got the bang bang chicken and shrimp. Of course, both plates were so huge we couldn't finish it all (work lunch!!) unless we wanted absolutely no room for cheesecake. We both wanted to keep it simple since we didn't want something too heavy while rocking out later, so she went with a lemon raspberry cheesecake, and I went with key lime. I will definitely have to drop in at the place more often, even if it is just to buy a slice of cheesecake to take home.
We drove over to the pavilion and hung out in the parking lot for a while before heading into the concert area. Since I had never been there before, CA showed me around to the various places that were offered and also pointed out where the cleaner bathrooms were. We grabbed large drinks so that we could make sure to stay awake and headed down to the floor to catch the opening band, The Meat Puppets.
The Meat Puppets were good, though neither CA or I were familiar with them, so we didn't recognize any of their songs. Still, a good way to set the mood for later that night. They played for about half an hour before heading off-stage.
As the crew began to set up the stage for STP, I began to experiment a bit with my camera. One of the things that has made me crazy about my digital camera is that when trying to photograph things that can't use a flash, such as a concert or in front of glass, its full-auto mode sets the shutter speed way too slow and I end up with a lot of blurred pictures. It's really bad when I will go to something like a hockey game and out of the 50 pictures I take, 40 of them have to be rejected because they're blurry or considered too dark. I decided to try setting my camera to full manual and setting the shutter speed on my own. With a bit of experimentation I was able to come up with shutter speeds and F-stops that looked like they would work for when STP was up there.
So after another half an hour, STP finally came to the stage. The floor got crowded very quickly as more people pressed forward to get to the front of the stage to see folks. Since we were smart enough to get there early, we had an awesome view of the stage. As you will see from the pictures, we were good and close.
STP went through the catalog of their songs old and new, and it was a blast all around. Only one incident of someone hopping up onto the stage happened, and they were quickly removed. There was a guy next to us who must have been on something because he was really getting into the music, to the point where he tried early on to start a mosh pit but most of the people around him were not having it. BTW, what is with the women who were wearing dresses to the concert, especially being crowded onto the floor? Then there was the screamer in front of us, she had this high-pitched Xena warrior yell going on every time something would happen. If STP wasn't going to cost me my hearing, she definitely was.
So there were lots of good songs, a good performance, plenty of singing along, and going to manual pictures totally worked. I compared a few auto pictures to the ones I did manually, the manual ones were totally better. I had to do a lot less work in Photoshop to prepare them for uploading.
It was a concert that was totally worth attending. I see that the Killers are going to be there at the end of August, I should see if I can get tickets.
Since I am actually able to keep up this time, here are the pictures from the STP concert. Click below to see them all :-D
April 02, 2009
Shamrock Fest Pictures
The pictures are up from Shamrock Fest, click the beer above to see them all :-)
March 16, 2009
ShamrockFest 2009
Last Saturday I went to my first ShamrockFest, and boy was it a blast.
TB and I met up with RB, DB, and CA in Bethesda and had lunch at Cosi before hopping on the Metro to go to RFK Stadium. We got there about 15 minutes before the gates opened, and the lines were already pretty long. What was funny is that the line for the VIP entrance was way longer than the other one. It made me wonder just how limited the VIP tickets really are. Then again, I got to buy VIP tickets at one of the lower prices so I really cant complain about that eh?
We got in, got our mugs, and immediately headed over to get the beer. Luckily even though Budweiser was a sponsor, Bud was not our only choices, I was able to stick with Bass and a local brewing company that had "Shamrock Ale" It had a familiar taste, but I couldn't place my finger on which brand of beer it was.
Despite the cold and rain of the day, there were still a lot of good performances to watch. A lot of U2 songs and Irish themed songs were played. The only band I was really there to see was Mr. Greengenes, and they rocked as usual. TB really got into them so I'll have to keep an eye on their schedule to see when they're in town.
Between sets on various stages, we all hung together and chatted about various things throughout the day, including comments on some of the crazy clothing that other folks were wearing. I can't really talk though as I had on a bit of a provocative shirt as well, but it was found to be funny, so it worked out nicely. Only one or two people didn't necessarily get it, others asked where they could get one like it, I told them I made it myself, which I had. DB had thought about getting CA a shirt that says "Fuck Me I'm Irish" but couldn't find it in her size in time. Then we saw that a number of people were wearing them at the festival so in a way it was better that she didn't look like a whole bunch of other people.
The booths were fun to explore as well, I ended up picking up a silver Celtic Cross and TB got a silver shamrock to wear. We also got a few biz cards of other businesses that looked like fun to talk to later. There was a leather journal that was beautifully ornamented, but the leather was dyed hot pink...not really my color, or RB's color either. Perhaps one can be found in that same pattern, but in a dark blue or dark purple.
Eventually as the day wore on and the sun went down, it started to get cold due to the rain. TB and DB took off a bit early to head back to Bethesda and wait for the rest of us because we wanted to see Flogging Molly. Well about 30 minutes after they were supposed to start, we gave up and walked to Metro as well. We rolled back into Bethesda and met the others at Harp and Fiddle in Bethesda for a drink and a quick bite. Eventually it was time to get home, considering it was about 11 PM when all was said and done.
Overall it was a blast of a day. If it had been warmer I would have stayed longer, but it's how it goes. TB enjoyed himself and we both enjoyed hanging out with our friends. They like him, so it's a good sign ;-) I definitely plan on doing it again next year.
November 25, 2008
Tina....Live
Oh....My....God....
That would summarize how I felt after watching Tina Turner live last night.
When I found out that Tina was touring agian, I immediately jumped at the chance to buy a ticket to see the show, and by sheer luck, I nailed getting floor seats. So I was going to be right there, on the floor of the Verizon center, facing that stage and seeing Tina in all of her glory. Boy I couldn't wait.
I invited Fredo along because I knew he was a fan as well. We met first for dinner at La Tasca and enjoyed some tapas before heading into the center for the concert. We got in there and boy it was just a clusterfuck in the halls. The center must have been operating with a reduced staff because it didn't feel as organized as it would normally for a Caps game. It took us a few minutes to find our way to the section where we could head to the floor. However, we did finally get down there and into our seats. Of course we made sure to be there by 7:30, which was on the ticket, but the show probably started closer to 8.
The concert finally got started and it was all about Tina, there was no opening act first, and that was fine by me. I have got to say that for a woman who is about to turn 69 (heh heh, 69, heh heh) Tina has still got it. Her legs look great as usual and she still has good energy on the stage. The concert itself was a number of her hits over the last 20 years, with several costume changes, including Aunty Entity from Mad Max. Between costume changes there would be an act going on by several performers that were later dubbed the "Ninjas." They made a pretty good transition because it led well into the next song. The other thing about the concert is that occasionally I would notice there was something on the video screen in the background, but my eyes were very much glued on Tina and the band on the stage because there was just such a presence that I didn't want to look away, not even for a second.
There was a bit of audience participation after she went through most of What's Love Got to Do With It? She had the ladies, then the men all sing the title line along with her, but with attitude. Boy was that fun.
After the first set of songs, there was a 30 minute intermission, which is one of the longest I have seen at a concert. When they came back it was like Tina Turner unplugged at first before getting back into doing more of the dancing that we all know so well. Tina did do a cover of the Beatles Help! along with The Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash and It's Only Rock and Roll (but I Like It). I wonder if it will ever be possible to find those covers as an MP3, but probably not unless there is a concert bootleg out there. I really liked her Help cover because it was done more along the lines of a gospel singer than as a pop hit, and she can still carry a very soulful tune.
Of course Tina ended the show with Proud Mary. There is no way in hell she would be able to get away with not performing that song. She left, and it stayed dark for a while before Tina came back out for an encore of Nutbush City Limits, where she was on a platform floating out over the audience. I actually was able to snap some decent pics with my cell phone camera, which I will upload later. Her final song for the encore was Be Tender With Me Baby, though she changed it from "tender" to "gentle" which I found interesting.
Overall it was an awesome show, and I was glad for the opportunity to see Tina live. About a year ago I was complaining that I had never gotten to see her live and that I might never be able to, so this was just the perfect opportunity to do so. I have also joked that I would pay an outrageous price to see Tina Turner live, but the thing about her is that she knows damn well where she came from, unlike some other artists that we know.
I would totally see her again if she comes back to DC.
Here is the set list that was performed that night if you want to re-create it for your iPod. Any song marked with a * is a cover so you might be stuck with getting the original artist instead, though I would still try searching for Tina first.
Steamy Windows
Typical Male
River Deep, Mountain High
What You Get is What You See
Better Be Good to Me
Acid Queen
What's Love Got to Do With It?
Private Dancer
We Don't Need Another Hero (Beyond Thunderdome)
I Don't Wanna Fight (this was played as the intro before going into the second set)
Help!*
Let's Stay Together
Undercover Agent for the Blues
I Can't Stand the Rain
Jumpin' Jack Flash*
It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)*
Goldeneye
Addicted to Love*
The Best
Proud Mary
Nutbush City Limits
Be Tender With Me Baby
That would summarize how I felt after watching Tina Turner live last night.
When I found out that Tina was touring agian, I immediately jumped at the chance to buy a ticket to see the show, and by sheer luck, I nailed getting floor seats. So I was going to be right there, on the floor of the Verizon center, facing that stage and seeing Tina in all of her glory. Boy I couldn't wait.
I invited Fredo along because I knew he was a fan as well. We met first for dinner at La Tasca and enjoyed some tapas before heading into the center for the concert. We got in there and boy it was just a clusterfuck in the halls. The center must have been operating with a reduced staff because it didn't feel as organized as it would normally for a Caps game. It took us a few minutes to find our way to the section where we could head to the floor. However, we did finally get down there and into our seats. Of course we made sure to be there by 7:30, which was on the ticket, but the show probably started closer to 8.
The concert finally got started and it was all about Tina, there was no opening act first, and that was fine by me. I have got to say that for a woman who is about to turn 69 (heh heh, 69, heh heh) Tina has still got it. Her legs look great as usual and she still has good energy on the stage. The concert itself was a number of her hits over the last 20 years, with several costume changes, including Aunty Entity from Mad Max. Between costume changes there would be an act going on by several performers that were later dubbed the "Ninjas." They made a pretty good transition because it led well into the next song. The other thing about the concert is that occasionally I would notice there was something on the video screen in the background, but my eyes were very much glued on Tina and the band on the stage because there was just such a presence that I didn't want to look away, not even for a second.
There was a bit of audience participation after she went through most of What's Love Got to Do With It? She had the ladies, then the men all sing the title line along with her, but with attitude. Boy was that fun.
After the first set of songs, there was a 30 minute intermission, which is one of the longest I have seen at a concert. When they came back it was like Tina Turner unplugged at first before getting back into doing more of the dancing that we all know so well. Tina did do a cover of the Beatles Help! along with The Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash and It's Only Rock and Roll (but I Like It). I wonder if it will ever be possible to find those covers as an MP3, but probably not unless there is a concert bootleg out there. I really liked her Help cover because it was done more along the lines of a gospel singer than as a pop hit, and she can still carry a very soulful tune.
Of course Tina ended the show with Proud Mary. There is no way in hell she would be able to get away with not performing that song. She left, and it stayed dark for a while before Tina came back out for an encore of Nutbush City Limits, where she was on a platform floating out over the audience. I actually was able to snap some decent pics with my cell phone camera, which I will upload later. Her final song for the encore was Be Tender With Me Baby, though she changed it from "tender" to "gentle" which I found interesting.
Overall it was an awesome show, and I was glad for the opportunity to see Tina live. About a year ago I was complaining that I had never gotten to see her live and that I might never be able to, so this was just the perfect opportunity to do so. I have also joked that I would pay an outrageous price to see Tina Turner live, but the thing about her is that she knows damn well where she came from, unlike some other artists that we know.
I would totally see her again if she comes back to DC.
Here is the set list that was performed that night if you want to re-create it for your iPod. Any song marked with a * is a cover so you might be stuck with getting the original artist instead, though I would still try searching for Tina first.
Steamy Windows
Typical Male
River Deep, Mountain High
What You Get is What You See
Better Be Good to Me
Acid Queen
What's Love Got to Do With It?
Private Dancer
We Don't Need Another Hero (Beyond Thunderdome)
I Don't Wanna Fight (this was played as the intro before going into the second set)
Help!*
Let's Stay Together
Undercover Agent for the Blues
I Can't Stand the Rain
Jumpin' Jack Flash*
It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)*
Goldeneye
Addicted to Love*
The Best
Proud Mary
Nutbush City Limits
Be Tender With Me Baby
September 22, 2008
Cedar Point Trip Pictures
The pictures are up on Flickr from my trip to Cedar Point and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.
September 08, 2008
Jo Dee Messina
If I had to pick out a favorite artist, it would likely be Jo Dee Messina. I've been listening to her since I was in high school, starting off at the place I worked at because the bosses would play with one of her albums, "I'm Alright". At the time I had no clue of her, and it happened to be that the first album of hers that I bought was "Burn." It wasn't until later when I purchased "I'm Alright" for myself that I realized I had been listening to her for years.
Anyway, Jo Dee's music is of a genre that I really don't listen to much, but I connect a lot with the songs on her albums. Her first album, which was self-titled, is pretty straightforward, there's a few good songs, but it's definitely her trying it out and finding her "voice." "I'm Alright" is the album you listen to when you're dealing with a breakup. You have songs like Bye-Bye which talk about kicking the guy to the curb because he can't commit, but you also have "I'm Alright" which is running into an old friend. Then towards the end you have some of the more loving songs, which is kind of funny after listening to a lot of "You left me, but that's fine because you're an asshole! :-D" songs, suddenly it seems we come to that there's a decent guy around.
Following that we come to "Burn." This is what you listen to when things are going well in life. One of my favorites is "These Are the Days" which is about stepping back and learning to enjoy the pleasures of the day instead of getting so caught up in the usual routine.
There was a Christmas album (because I swear that every recording contract says that you have to record one) and then a greatest hits album. The greatest hits was nice, but Jo Dee was reportedly not happy with it because on one of the new songs recorded for the album, they did enhancements to her voice in the studio without her knowledge, and she hated how it turned out.
Finally we get to Delicious Surprise which is fun to listen to, and it signals a return to her "I'm strong and I don't need you to make me that way" type of song that we hear a lot on "I'm Alright." It's obvious when the first single is called "My Give a Damn's Busted."
I said earlier that I connect with a lot of her songs, and that's true. I think someone could gauge my mood based on which of her albums I have loaded into my Stiletto. Besides that, you could probably take one of her songs and apply it to various points in my life as well. What I like about her is her music reflects having an independent streak, which is something that I have. Plus her music is not always about the same thing over and over again, there may be a theme to several of her songs on an album, but it's not beaten to death.
So I'll be curious as to what she comes out with next since she's been back in the studio recently, and just had a new single come out.
To end this post, I'll leave you with a fan produced video (since the official video is not on YouTube!) of a song that certainly carries some meaning now:
Anyway, Jo Dee's music is of a genre that I really don't listen to much, but I connect a lot with the songs on her albums. Her first album, which was self-titled, is pretty straightforward, there's a few good songs, but it's definitely her trying it out and finding her "voice." "I'm Alright" is the album you listen to when you're dealing with a breakup. You have songs like Bye-Bye which talk about kicking the guy to the curb because he can't commit, but you also have "I'm Alright" which is running into an old friend. Then towards the end you have some of the more loving songs, which is kind of funny after listening to a lot of "You left me, but that's fine because you're an asshole! :-D" songs, suddenly it seems we come to that there's a decent guy around.
Following that we come to "Burn." This is what you listen to when things are going well in life. One of my favorites is "These Are the Days" which is about stepping back and learning to enjoy the pleasures of the day instead of getting so caught up in the usual routine.
There was a Christmas album (because I swear that every recording contract says that you have to record one) and then a greatest hits album. The greatest hits was nice, but Jo Dee was reportedly not happy with it because on one of the new songs recorded for the album, they did enhancements to her voice in the studio without her knowledge, and she hated how it turned out.
Finally we get to Delicious Surprise which is fun to listen to, and it signals a return to her "I'm strong and I don't need you to make me that way" type of song that we hear a lot on "I'm Alright." It's obvious when the first single is called "My Give a Damn's Busted."
I said earlier that I connect with a lot of her songs, and that's true. I think someone could gauge my mood based on which of her albums I have loaded into my Stiletto. Besides that, you could probably take one of her songs and apply it to various points in my life as well. What I like about her is her music reflects having an independent streak, which is something that I have. Plus her music is not always about the same thing over and over again, there may be a theme to several of her songs on an album, but it's not beaten to death.
So I'll be curious as to what she comes out with next since she's been back in the studio recently, and just had a new single come out.
To end this post, I'll leave you with a fan produced video (since the official video is not on YouTube!) of a song that certainly carries some meaning now:
August 19, 2008
They Can't Help You
All of us at one point or another have gone through a breakup, and I would say that 99% of you listened to certain songs as your "breakup" mix. Hell, if you look at many of the pop songs out there, they're focused on love, relationships, cheating, and/or breakups. Since love, relationships, and breakups are something we all go through, we can relate to the songs, and that's why they sell so well.
I have noticed two major threads when it comes to the songs that relate most to breakups. There's the "We're not together but I want him/her back" song, or there's the "He/she dumped me, but I'll be fine (opt: and he/she is an asshole)" song. I prefer the latter, especially because I am a strong person, and my favorite music artists tend to be "strong" as well.
However, there's one "breakup" type song I have heard lately that just drives me up a fucking wall. If you listen to the radio, watch MTV, or visit a video bar, you've likely heard it. It's called "Damaged" by Danity Kane. I will state that I am not against Danity Kane as a group, there is some talent there. However, the content of this song absolutely makes me mental because it paints one of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting a new relationship in a flattering light.
Here's the video if you want to see what I am talking about before I get into the details.
So the song is basically them saying that the last guy they were with broke their heart, they're still heartbroken, and you need to help them fix their heartbreak because they won't be able to move on and be with you otherwise.
Every time I hear this song, I just want to yell "Bitch, you need to fix your own damn self before you go looking for someone else." Based on my own experiences and the things I have read, you have to be past the heartbreak and okay with being by yourself before you can be with someone else. If you pursue another person thinking they're going to help fix your broken heart, you're probably going to end up chasing them off because they'll view you as a totally different form of "Damaged," in this case as "Damaged Goods." No one wants to be damaged goods, do they?
I'm probably reading into it a bit too much, but I just hope no one who is a fan of this group gets it into their head that it's okay to basically get someone else to fix their personal issues. They can't fix them for you, you have to fix them for yourself.
Of course, as I type this I'm listening to the following:
I love Ms. Janet, and I can totally relate to this song right now, even though I don't have to find someone to call my lover right now as the song sort of implies.
I have noticed two major threads when it comes to the songs that relate most to breakups. There's the "We're not together but I want him/her back" song, or there's the "He/she dumped me, but I'll be fine (opt: and he/she is an asshole)" song. I prefer the latter, especially because I am a strong person, and my favorite music artists tend to be "strong" as well.
However, there's one "breakup" type song I have heard lately that just drives me up a fucking wall. If you listen to the radio, watch MTV, or visit a video bar, you've likely heard it. It's called "Damaged" by Danity Kane. I will state that I am not against Danity Kane as a group, there is some talent there. However, the content of this song absolutely makes me mental because it paints one of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting a new relationship in a flattering light.
Here's the video if you want to see what I am talking about before I get into the details.
So the song is basically them saying that the last guy they were with broke their heart, they're still heartbroken, and you need to help them fix their heartbreak because they won't be able to move on and be with you otherwise.
Every time I hear this song, I just want to yell "Bitch, you need to fix your own damn self before you go looking for someone else." Based on my own experiences and the things I have read, you have to be past the heartbreak and okay with being by yourself before you can be with someone else. If you pursue another person thinking they're going to help fix your broken heart, you're probably going to end up chasing them off because they'll view you as a totally different form of "Damaged," in this case as "Damaged Goods." No one wants to be damaged goods, do they?
I'm probably reading into it a bit too much, but I just hope no one who is a fan of this group gets it into their head that it's okay to basically get someone else to fix their personal issues. They can't fix them for you, you have to fix them for yourself.
Of course, as I type this I'm listening to the following:
I love Ms. Janet, and I can totally relate to this song right now, even though I don't have to find someone to call my lover right now as the song sort of implies.
August 17, 2008
Weekend Update
This weekend was busy but a lot of fun as well.
Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday Afternoon were all spent doing set building and costume design for Children of Eden. I was practicing songs, painting my costume, and cleaning out the Giant next door of their water noodles, along with spray painting (Note: Target in Greenbelt does not sell spray paint, go to Kmart) set pieces.
There, now that's out of the way, let's focus on the fun stuff.
Saturday night I met up with Brian, Gregory, and Fredo at Omega in DC. I forgot that it was Madonna's birthday, and that meant that nearly every freaking gay bar in DC was honoring her by playing her music all night long. To be brutally honest, I prefer 90's Madonna, I don't care for her music now (okay, I do like 4 minutes, but that's because I can drool over a fuzzy Justin Timberlake), and her 80's was hit or miss. I did hear a few songs I had never heard before, but nothing catchy. While we're on the subject of music, WTF is up with Rhianna's video for Disturbia? It's completely out of character for her. I know she's trying to be different, but I thought that vid was a bit extreme. It could just be that I like watching her when her videos feature her dancing out on the dance floor. She looks damn sexy doing it.
On the other hand, the go-go boys that came out at 10:30 provided a welcome distraction from all the Madonna music...most of them. There was this one beefy guy who had a nice patch of hair on his belly and was wearing very tight underwear. I'd be lying if I said I didn't stuff a few dollar bills in those Calvin Kleins. The super-skinny boys don't do it for me, especially if they've got bleached blonde hair, blech.
Eventually it got late and so it was time to head home. Fredo was not feeling well so Brian and I got him into a cab and I got him to his place. I crashed out on the couch and slept pretty hard until the morning before I headed back to Greenbelt.
I should be having more fun weekends like this :-)
Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday Afternoon were all spent doing set building and costume design for Children of Eden. I was practicing songs, painting my costume, and cleaning out the Giant next door of their water noodles, along with spray painting (Note: Target in Greenbelt does not sell spray paint, go to Kmart) set pieces.
There, now that's out of the way, let's focus on the fun stuff.
Saturday night I met up with Brian, Gregory, and Fredo at Omega in DC. I forgot that it was Madonna's birthday, and that meant that nearly every freaking gay bar in DC was honoring her by playing her music all night long. To be brutally honest, I prefer 90's Madonna, I don't care for her music now (okay, I do like 4 minutes, but that's because I can drool over a fuzzy Justin Timberlake), and her 80's was hit or miss. I did hear a few songs I had never heard before, but nothing catchy. While we're on the subject of music, WTF is up with Rhianna's video for Disturbia? It's completely out of character for her. I know she's trying to be different, but I thought that vid was a bit extreme. It could just be that I like watching her when her videos feature her dancing out on the dance floor. She looks damn sexy doing it.
On the other hand, the go-go boys that came out at 10:30 provided a welcome distraction from all the Madonna music...most of them. There was this one beefy guy who had a nice patch of hair on his belly and was wearing very tight underwear. I'd be lying if I said I didn't stuff a few dollar bills in those Calvin Kleins. The super-skinny boys don't do it for me, especially if they've got bleached blonde hair, blech.
Eventually it got late and so it was time to head home. Fredo was not feeling well so Brian and I got him into a cab and I got him to his place. I crashed out on the couch and slept pretty hard until the morning before I headed back to Greenbelt.
I should be having more fun weekends like this :-)
October 26, 2007
Movie Review: Across the Universe
I am several weeks behind on getting entries done in my blog, but I want to get it out now.
I saw Across the Universe a few weeks ago at a local theater. The basic summary of the movie is that it follows the lives of a few people during the late 1960's as the Vietnam War is raging on, and there is a backdrop of various Beatles music. To me, the movie was well done, I was able to follow along with the story and the music was woven very naturally into the scenes as well. This isn't like some musical where suddenly everyone is doing a song and dance for no apparent reason, a good example would be when one of the characters, Prudence, has locked herself up in a closet and refuses to come out, some of the other characters start to sing "Dear Prudence" which eventually brings her out to join the others.
Anyway, so the movie goes along, it gets rather intense towards the end, and of course it resolves itself. There's even a twist that occurs that left me wondering about just what was going to happen now; if that was it, the movie was over or if there was going to be more. One make-or-break for me when it comes to movies is that if I can basically call what is going to happen in each scene five to ten minutes before it happens, then I get bored with the movie. There was only one scene where I could call what was going to happen, but that's because it was blatantly obvious. If you see (have seen) this movie, I'm sure you can guess which scene, especially if you know 60's culture and/or stereotypes. It happens towards the middle of the movie.
Jim Sturgess does an awesome job playing Jude, and his voice fits perfectly (and he's great eye candy along with an English accent, rawr!). I also really get into Dana Fuchs as Sadie, because she basically is Janis Joplin, including her voice.
Before I go off and basically give away the whole movie, I'll just shut up in regards to describing it. In my opinion, I strongly encourage you to see this movie in the theater, and buy it later when it1 comes out on DVD. It's the perfect movie you can take a date to, especially if you like the Beatles. I would also suggest getting the soundtrack, the deluxe version that's on iTunes is the one to get because it has every single song from the movie. I have this loaded onto my Stiletto to listen to at any time I feel like it. I hope this movie wins some awards, they will be well deserved.
I saw Across the Universe a few weeks ago at a local theater. The basic summary of the movie is that it follows the lives of a few people during the late 1960's as the Vietnam War is raging on, and there is a backdrop of various Beatles music. To me, the movie was well done, I was able to follow along with the story and the music was woven very naturally into the scenes as well. This isn't like some musical where suddenly everyone is doing a song and dance for no apparent reason, a good example would be when one of the characters, Prudence, has locked herself up in a closet and refuses to come out, some of the other characters start to sing "Dear Prudence" which eventually brings her out to join the others.
Anyway, so the movie goes along, it gets rather intense towards the end, and of course it resolves itself. There's even a twist that occurs that left me wondering about just what was going to happen now; if that was it, the movie was over or if there was going to be more. One make-or-break for me when it comes to movies is that if I can basically call what is going to happen in each scene five to ten minutes before it happens, then I get bored with the movie. There was only one scene where I could call what was going to happen, but that's because it was blatantly obvious. If you see (have seen) this movie, I'm sure you can guess which scene, especially if you know 60's culture and/or stereotypes. It happens towards the middle of the movie.
Jim Sturgess does an awesome job playing Jude, and his voice fits perfectly (and he's great eye candy along with an English accent, rawr!). I also really get into Dana Fuchs as Sadie, because she basically is Janis Joplin, including her voice.
Before I go off and basically give away the whole movie, I'll just shut up in regards to describing it. In my opinion, I strongly encourage you to see this movie in the theater, and buy it later when it1 comes out on DVD. It's the perfect movie you can take a date to, especially if you like the Beatles. I would also suggest getting the soundtrack, the deluxe version that's on iTunes is the one to get because it has every single song from the movie. I have this loaded onto my Stiletto to listen to at any time I feel like it. I hope this movie wins some awards, they will be well deserved.
September 17, 2007
Guilty Pleasure
As much as I used to dislike Avril Lavigne, this is one song that has become quite the guilty pleasure for me. She also looks pretty hot in the video...I'd consider hitting that.
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