Arguments.
John Miller just became a follower of my Blog. This guy was the best man at my wedding and is a superstar.
The most interesting thing about our relationship (apart from the fact that I never asked him to be my best man, it was just understood) is that we argue. All the time. We used to drive our respective girlfriends batshit with our incessant arguments. We've been asked to leave McDonald's because we were 'yelling' at each other about something political.
He also brought 24 Corona's over the after Aaron was born, so of course I was late to the hospital the next.... thanks for that.
Anyway, the point is that hopefully he can try to poke holes in my arguments, because there is, in all honesty, not a lot I like more than a good old fashioned ding dong argument.
Ever since I posted about music and memories they have been floating back into my mind.
I was wondering if anyone ever had a song that reminded them of me and Reuben randomly messaged me on facebook that Everclear reminded him of me because it was playing in my car when I drove him, Sarah and Fiona out to Herald Island for a Party at Matt P's place. So yay, someone attributes a band to me, and a pretty decent rock band at that.
I will mention that the party in question, circa January 1997, was possibly the best house party I've been to. Everyone was there and in fact there are some people I haven't seen since then which leads to wonder if they survived. The fact that I got back with Aimie for around 3 hours helped to make an excellent memory, but for me the ultimate moment happened around midnight when Lightning Crashes by Live came on (here I should give props to Matt P for the sensational light and sound of the night and I have a feeling that Dave F was involved in that as well).
Everyone, and I mean everyone was in a giant group hug/mosh thing in the main room that built up and up until the room was literally moving and I was thinking that this is how life would be after high school. Good friends, good times, good music and a great feeling of belonging.
I firmly believe that there are not many tracks that could instill that kind of feeling in our generation. It was crystal perfect moment where rock music grabbed my life and hopefully the people around.
Don't worry, the next post will be back onto the countdown (or count up in this situation)
"and in the end we shall achieve in time
The thing they call divine
When all the stars will smile for me
When all is well and well is all for all
And forever after,
Maybe in the meantime wait and see
We love the all the all of you
Our lands are green and skies are blue
When all in all we're just like you
We love the all of you
and when I cry for me I cry for you
With tears of holy joy
For all the days you've still to come,
And did I ever say I'd never play
Or fly toward the sun
Maybe in the meantime, something's missing
We love the all, the all of you
Our lands are green and skies are blue
Then all in all we're just like you
we love the all of you
Well that sounds fine so I'll see ya sunshine
And give my love to the future of the humankind
OK. OK. it's not o.k.
And while it's on my mind there's a girl that fits the crime
Of a future lover's dream that I've still to find
But in the meantime
We love the all the all of you
Our lands are green and skies are blue
Now all in all we're just like you
We love the all of you."
From In The Meantime - Spacehog
Thursday 21 February 2013
Monday 18 February 2013
Number 18
Song & Artist: Under The Bridge - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album & Date: Blood Sugar Sex Magic - 24th September 1991
Nationality of band: American
Members at release: Michael Balzary (Flea) (Bass - Australian), John Frusciante (American - Guitar), Anthony Keidis (Vocals - American), Chad Smith (Drums - American)
YouTube:
My rant;
Anyone who knows me will know that RHCP are historically my favourite band. I can't really go past Flea as one of the greatest if not the greatest bass players of all time. I love John Frusciante, he has a great story, you know, the one where the young guitar player whose favourite band is RHCP and he gets to play with them, then after getting everything he wants, goes on a decade long heroin/cocaine bender.... Chad is the perfect drummer for the band, even if he never would have been considered when the band first assembled.
Anthony, well the man is an enigma. Everything about him says he should never have been this good. For a guy with no initial talent, he sure became a journeyman type singer. What he has got, in spades, is a Jagger-esque front man appeal where he drags the band together and their powers combined make them far more potent that they could ever be individually (evidenced by the pathetic solo efforts of John)
However, this track. We've all heard it and we all love it. My brother Chris was well into this track before me and think it was the brotherly competition that meant I did appreciate its brilliance initially.
It is, amongst other things, a sad treatise on humanity, but by Christ it has a beautiful start that doesn't hint about whats about to happen to you.
Anthony's lyrics are sad, moving and depressing, but delivered with poise and intent. A single drum thing starts and its building, then the chorus kicks in and its all about love and depression, something we can all relate with. A city that loves me, brilliant.
It gets to point where we can all relate to the 'I don't ever want to feel like I did that day'
At 2:50, it steps up and away from the song started and then again 3:10 and its not the original song. It's deeper faster and better than most tracks could ever hope to be.
The ending brings you back to the beginning, a trick that a lot of songs use, but not a lot use it as well.
For me, this song will always remind me of sitting in the garage at Mayall Ave, at 12/13 y/o in the dark with posters blutacked onto the block wall. A simpler time, and also, a time before Dave Navarro!!
Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
9 - England
9 - America
Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
38 - England
32 - America
2 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
1 - Australia
Decade Released
11 - 90's
4 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
Year Released
3 - 1991
2 - 1994
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1995
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
Genre:
6 - Alternative
4 - Grunge
4 - Rock
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - BritPop(Rock)
Song & Artist: Under The Bridge - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album & Date: Blood Sugar Sex Magic - 24th September 1991
Nationality of band: American
Members at release: Michael Balzary (Flea) (Bass - Australian), John Frusciante (American - Guitar), Anthony Keidis (Vocals - American), Chad Smith (Drums - American)
YouTube:
My rant;
Anyone who knows me will know that RHCP are historically my favourite band. I can't really go past Flea as one of the greatest if not the greatest bass players of all time. I love John Frusciante, he has a great story, you know, the one where the young guitar player whose favourite band is RHCP and he gets to play with them, then after getting everything he wants, goes on a decade long heroin/cocaine bender.... Chad is the perfect drummer for the band, even if he never would have been considered when the band first assembled.
Anthony, well the man is an enigma. Everything about him says he should never have been this good. For a guy with no initial talent, he sure became a journeyman type singer. What he has got, in spades, is a Jagger-esque front man appeal where he drags the band together and their powers combined make them far more potent that they could ever be individually (evidenced by the pathetic solo efforts of John)
However, this track. We've all heard it and we all love it. My brother Chris was well into this track before me and think it was the brotherly competition that meant I did appreciate its brilliance initially.
It is, amongst other things, a sad treatise on humanity, but by Christ it has a beautiful start that doesn't hint about whats about to happen to you.
Anthony's lyrics are sad, moving and depressing, but delivered with poise and intent. A single drum thing starts and its building, then the chorus kicks in and its all about love and depression, something we can all relate with. A city that loves me, brilliant.
It gets to point where we can all relate to the 'I don't ever want to feel like I did that day'
At 2:50, it steps up and away from the song started and then again 3:10 and its not the original song. It's deeper faster and better than most tracks could ever hope to be.
The ending brings you back to the beginning, a trick that a lot of songs use, but not a lot use it as well.
For me, this song will always remind me of sitting in the garage at Mayall Ave, at 12/13 y/o in the dark with posters blutacked onto the block wall. A simpler time, and also, a time before Dave Navarro!!
Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
9 - England
9 - America
Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
38 - England
32 - America
2 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
1 - Australia
Decade Released
11 - 90's
4 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
Year Released
3 - 1991
2 - 1994
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1995
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
Genre:
6 - Alternative
4 - Grunge
4 - Rock
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - BritPop(Rock)
Saturday 16 February 2013
One of the best things about music is that a track can remind you of certain events and people and bring back memories of that person/event that you have forgotten.
For whatever reason, Herion Girl by Everclear always reminds me of Sarah M. As one of the most awesome people I know, she deserves a much better story, but it is what it is.
I Got A Girl by Tripping Daisy always reminds me of Fiona C (G) because I remember her arguing with Shaun about it at his parents place one time. She was convinced that the ending of the track was a treatise of the fact that girls were ultimately in charge of every relationship. He laughed. Me too.
Bleeding Me by Metallica always reminds me of Navy Jase and Shadows because we used to put $6 on the jukebox and play it 9 times in a row. We were not popular back then....
Anything from Who Cares A Lot?, the first compilation album by Faith No More reminds me of Jen (wife) because we (I) played it constantly whenever we drove out West to watch flicks, which we did just about every weekend for 3 years.
You Make Me Feel Like A Whore - by Everclear reminds of the gutted feeling I had after breaking up with Aimie when I was 17/18 ish. Ohh, teenage angst....
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS reminds me of driving through the Hauraki Plains with Jen discussing potential wedding songs. In the end the lyrics 'If I ever hurt you, I'd make wine from your tears' were a touch depressing.
You Are All That I Have by Snow Patrol reminds me of the week before we got married as I was utterly convinced that we would listen to this song as we walked back up the aisle after being married. John M and Kristen M talked us out of that and into Chasing Cars also by Snow Patrol.
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World was playing in a shop in a giant mall in Broadbeach on our first trip there. I asked the girl behind the counter who it was and she had no freakin' clue.
Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers reminds me of my least exciting Christmas. Ever. We were playing Trivial Pursuit (yay) with Jens brother, Peter. I'm pretty sure that dude had read all the questions, because he hammered us hard. Anyway, after luckily googling the lyrics of the song a week before we knew the answer to some question about the Pleaides. That was about as good as it got that day...
Euro Trash Girl by Cracker reminds of the excellent 6 months or so I spent dating Maria, a German exchange student. To be fair about things, I'm On Fire by Head Like A Hole also reminds me of her because she bought me The Best Of Wildside CD. Also trying to explain the surreal lyrics of A Murder Of One by The Counting Crows (Blue morning, Blue morning; Wrapped in strands of fist and bone) to someone with English as a second language was difficult.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by (do I really need to say who? If you don't know this one, you're reading the wrong blog and need to fuck right off) Nirvana reminds me a story, so bear with me while I tell it. or go away, i don't mind.
I was 17, and working at Big Fresh. There was this hot Aussie chick called Lisa working opposite the Service Deli in the Bakery. Mario asked if I wanted to go his birthday party at the Glenfield Rugby club and I thought, bingo, lets see if the hot chick wants a lift there. So on the Thursday before the party I'm like, 'hey, uhm, Lisa, uhm are you, uhm, ahh, thinking about, uhm, you know, maybe going to Mario's party??
'No.'
(okie dokie then....burned...)
But on the Saturday, after football I stopped in to Big Fresh to pick up something (Come on, it was 17 years ago, how the hell am I supposed to remember) and she said are you still going? To be honest, I'd already decided not to go, but hot chicks + me @ 17y/o = change of plan so I said, yeah, totally.
So I picked her up and took her to the party. There was a cover band in there and they rocked Smells Like Teen Spirit so hard I though Cobain had been reincarnated and met up with Grohl and Novoselic in Glenfield in some cosmic coincidence.... Truly, I can't overstate that that was the moment that I understood the absolute cutting brilliance of that song.
Anyway, this was the middle of winter (this is an important point) and Lisa got drunk. Sometime past midnight we weaved our way back to the old 1980 Silver Ford Escort MkII Ghia. I say weaved because try though I might, I couldn't get her to walk straight. So we made it to the car and I opened the door and stuffed her in, and did up the seatbealt. Before I closed the door, she said 'Man, it's hot'. Did I mention this was the dead of winter? Anyway, I thought nothing of it but by the time I'd walked around the car and opened the door, she had undone the seat belt and taken her top off.
Now to say I died of shock is slight exaggeration seeing as I am in fact writing this blog right now, but a hot blond Aussie chick with epic boobs and no shirt in my car (IN MY FUCKING CAR!!!!!) pretty much was the moment of my life up until that point....
Lets also say that reaching across her to do up the seatbelt was an event all in itself.
As I drove away, I quickly realised that explaining to her father why his daughter was drunk and topless was NOT going to be fun....
And lastly, for this post, Place Your Hands by Reef was the first song that Jen and I danced to on the day we hooked up at R'Toto.
There is a story about I've Got Something To Say also by Reef, but I'll save that one.
For whatever reason, Herion Girl by Everclear always reminds me of Sarah M. As one of the most awesome people I know, she deserves a much better story, but it is what it is.
I Got A Girl by Tripping Daisy always reminds me of Fiona C (G) because I remember her arguing with Shaun about it at his parents place one time. She was convinced that the ending of the track was a treatise of the fact that girls were ultimately in charge of every relationship. He laughed. Me too.
Bleeding Me by Metallica always reminds me of Navy Jase and Shadows because we used to put $6 on the jukebox and play it 9 times in a row. We were not popular back then....
Anything from Who Cares A Lot?, the first compilation album by Faith No More reminds me of Jen (wife) because we (I) played it constantly whenever we drove out West to watch flicks, which we did just about every weekend for 3 years.
You Make Me Feel Like A Whore - by Everclear reminds of the gutted feeling I had after breaking up with Aimie when I was 17/18 ish. Ohh, teenage angst....
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS reminds me of driving through the Hauraki Plains with Jen discussing potential wedding songs. In the end the lyrics 'If I ever hurt you, I'd make wine from your tears' were a touch depressing.
You Are All That I Have by Snow Patrol reminds me of the week before we got married as I was utterly convinced that we would listen to this song as we walked back up the aisle after being married. John M and Kristen M talked us out of that and into Chasing Cars also by Snow Patrol.
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World was playing in a shop in a giant mall in Broadbeach on our first trip there. I asked the girl behind the counter who it was and she had no freakin' clue.
Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers reminds me of my least exciting Christmas. Ever. We were playing Trivial Pursuit (yay) with Jens brother, Peter. I'm pretty sure that dude had read all the questions, because he hammered us hard. Anyway, after luckily googling the lyrics of the song a week before we knew the answer to some question about the Pleaides. That was about as good as it got that day...
Euro Trash Girl by Cracker reminds of the excellent 6 months or so I spent dating Maria, a German exchange student. To be fair about things, I'm On Fire by Head Like A Hole also reminds me of her because she bought me The Best Of Wildside CD. Also trying to explain the surreal lyrics of A Murder Of One by The Counting Crows (Blue morning, Blue morning; Wrapped in strands of fist and bone) to someone with English as a second language was difficult.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by (do I really need to say who? If you don't know this one, you're reading the wrong blog and need to fuck right off) Nirvana reminds me a story, so bear with me while I tell it. or go away, i don't mind.
I was 17, and working at Big Fresh. There was this hot Aussie chick called Lisa working opposite the Service Deli in the Bakery. Mario asked if I wanted to go his birthday party at the Glenfield Rugby club and I thought, bingo, lets see if the hot chick wants a lift there. So on the Thursday before the party I'm like, 'hey, uhm, Lisa, uhm are you, uhm, ahh, thinking about, uhm, you know, maybe going to Mario's party??
'No.'
(okie dokie then....burned...)
But on the Saturday, after football I stopped in to Big Fresh to pick up something (Come on, it was 17 years ago, how the hell am I supposed to remember) and she said are you still going? To be honest, I'd already decided not to go, but hot chicks + me @ 17y/o = change of plan so I said, yeah, totally.
So I picked her up and took her to the party. There was a cover band in there and they rocked Smells Like Teen Spirit so hard I though Cobain had been reincarnated and met up with Grohl and Novoselic in Glenfield in some cosmic coincidence.... Truly, I can't overstate that that was the moment that I understood the absolute cutting brilliance of that song.
Anyway, this was the middle of winter (this is an important point) and Lisa got drunk. Sometime past midnight we weaved our way back to the old 1980 Silver Ford Escort MkII Ghia. I say weaved because try though I might, I couldn't get her to walk straight. So we made it to the car and I opened the door and stuffed her in, and did up the seatbealt. Before I closed the door, she said 'Man, it's hot'. Did I mention this was the dead of winter? Anyway, I thought nothing of it but by the time I'd walked around the car and opened the door, she had undone the seat belt and taken her top off.
Now to say I died of shock is slight exaggeration seeing as I am in fact writing this blog right now, but a hot blond Aussie chick with epic boobs and no shirt in my car (IN MY FUCKING CAR!!!!!) pretty much was the moment of my life up until that point....
Lets also say that reaching across her to do up the seatbelt was an event all in itself.
As I drove away, I quickly realised that explaining to her father why his daughter was drunk and topless was NOT going to be fun....
And lastly, for this post, Place Your Hands by Reef was the first song that Jen and I danced to on the day we hooked up at R'Toto.
There is a story about I've Got Something To Say also by Reef, but I'll save that one.
Friday 15 February 2013
I love itunes.
I fucking love itunes.
I wish i'd had it counting my plays since i was kid.
That would be super interesting.
For the record, my current top 10 are:
Backwater - The Meat Puppets
Sex and Candy - Marcy Playground
Saviour - Rise Against
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
American Music - Violent Femmes
Good - Better Than Ezra
Glycerine - Bush
Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
Hit The Ground (Superman) - The Big Pink
I fucking love itunes.
I wish i'd had it counting my plays since i was kid.
That would be super interesting.
For the record, my current top 10 are:
Backwater - The Meat Puppets
Sex and Candy - Marcy Playground
Saviour - Rise Against
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
American Music - Violent Femmes
Good - Better Than Ezra
Glycerine - Bush
Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
Hit The Ground (Superman) - The Big Pink
Number 17
Song & Artist: Baba O'Riley - The Who
Album & Date: Who's Next - 14th August 1971
Nationality of band: English
Members at release: Dave Arbus (Violin - English), Roger Daltry (Lead Vocals - English), John Entwistle (Bass Guitar - English), Keith Moon (Drums - English) & Pete Townshend (Vocals, Piano, Guitar - English
YouTube:
My rant;
To be honest, I was late getting into The Who despite Navy Jase constantly banging on about their awesomeness as we grew up. I knew of the band, and in my research for this RockBlog (many moons ago...) I noticed that this song is on a lot of peoples lists but because of my WhoPhobia I discounted even listening to the track.
Then one Tuesday watching Rockstar Supernova Ryan Starr busted out a fairly credible version of the song and not much later I started watching House on DVD and there is a great scene in season one where House and the black millionaire dude have a disagreement and this song is being played at the time.
From there I put it on repeat playlist and ever since then it has been creeping up the list to it's current position. In 10 years it might ever be higher, who knows....
This song is sensational, it starts off with a jingle and builds up with all manner of instrument as it heads into some of the most inspirational lyrics around. 'I don't need to fight, to prove that I'm right, I don't need to be forgiven'. I think that those lyrics alone are one of the reasons that this song is so high in my opinion. It's kind of how I live my life.
Also, given the teenage wastland line, it would have been really interesting to have been a teenager when it came out. Instead I was lucky enough to be teenager with Kurt Cobain being the main figure, which is also interesting because he once said 'I hope I die before I turn into Pete Townshend....
The way song ends seems like the mirror image of the beginning and I always want to play it again. I'm pretty sure there won't be any more of The Who on this list (It does change from time to time) but for the meantime, play the video above and just enjoy a moment of magical music.
Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
9 - England
8 - America
Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
38 - England
29 - America
2 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
Decade Released
10 - 90's
4 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
Year Released
2 - 1994
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1995
2 - 1991
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
Genre:
5 - Alternative
4 - Grunge
4 - Rock
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - BritPop(Rock)
Song & Artist: Baba O'Riley - The Who
Album & Date: Who's Next - 14th August 1971
Nationality of band: English
Members at release: Dave Arbus (Violin - English), Roger Daltry (Lead Vocals - English), John Entwistle (Bass Guitar - English), Keith Moon (Drums - English) & Pete Townshend (Vocals, Piano, Guitar - English
YouTube:
My rant;
To be honest, I was late getting into The Who despite Navy Jase constantly banging on about their awesomeness as we grew up. I knew of the band, and in my research for this RockBlog (many moons ago...) I noticed that this song is on a lot of peoples lists but because of my WhoPhobia I discounted even listening to the track.
Then one Tuesday watching Rockstar Supernova Ryan Starr busted out a fairly credible version of the song and not much later I started watching House on DVD and there is a great scene in season one where House and the black millionaire dude have a disagreement and this song is being played at the time.
From there I put it on repeat playlist and ever since then it has been creeping up the list to it's current position. In 10 years it might ever be higher, who knows....
This song is sensational, it starts off with a jingle and builds up with all manner of instrument as it heads into some of the most inspirational lyrics around. 'I don't need to fight, to prove that I'm right, I don't need to be forgiven'. I think that those lyrics alone are one of the reasons that this song is so high in my opinion. It's kind of how I live my life.
Also, given the teenage wastland line, it would have been really interesting to have been a teenager when it came out. Instead I was lucky enough to be teenager with Kurt Cobain being the main figure, which is also interesting because he once said 'I hope I die before I turn into Pete Townshend....
The way song ends seems like the mirror image of the beginning and I always want to play it again. I'm pretty sure there won't be any more of The Who on this list (It does change from time to time) but for the meantime, play the video above and just enjoy a moment of magical music.
Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
9 - England
8 - America
Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)
38 - England
29 - America
2 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
Decade Released
10 - 90's
4 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
Year Released
2 - 1994
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1995
2 - 1991
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
Genre:
5 - Alternative
4 - Grunge
4 - Rock
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - BritPop(Rock)
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