This one goes to eleven

Hopefully someone picked up on that (not-so) obscure movie reference. This is one of those posts that needs no introduction. It needs no research. No instructions are necessary. And everyone knows about it and might be able to relate. It’s one of those things that can be the driving force behind anything you do and the way you react to different genres can show other people how you are as a person. And no, we’re not just still just talking about karaoke. This week’s English and international topic is:

MUSIC

The words England and Rock music are almost synonymous. London is HUGE for developing and innovating music, and some of the most epic musicians come from England - especially from rock in the 60s, 70s, 80s but with digital recording technology moving as quickly as it is, London is becoming now also a major source for drum & bass, hip-hop and electronica. This is one of those posts that you have so much to say but just can’t get it out. Basically, I’m not in a music group at the moment and will likely not be at the level in the near future to put it all on the line for it, but if I were going to and I had connections, London would be the place to do it.

My friend is an excellent example of the continuingly successful progression of alternative rock music here in London. (Shameless plug) Rizy Fawkes has just recently recorded a wicked demo album. They’re an international group looking for a way out of the English mountain sports industry. Maybe a little hippie in real life, but they have a solid rock foundation and they do eat meat. Check out their myspace; you won’t be disappointed. Also, tell your friends.
www.myspace.com/rizyfawkes.
I also have a couple of cousins who have bands in Canada, but they never responded to my emails in time for me to get their myspace addresses up on this post. As far as I’m concerned, they just lost out BIG on free publicity – there must be at least TEN (or 11) people who read this damn thing – but as they say, no publicity is bad publicity.

Someone asked me the other week if I would rather be blind or deaf. I chose blind. Plain and simple, I suppose, I’d rather be neither, but without music, I would be virtually useless. Every morning I play music to put me in whatever mood I want to be in for that day, and depending on whether I actually do pick the correct song will dictate whether I made the right choice. But whether it's a sight, sound, smell or taste that goes along with it, I doubt I would be able to go without music.

The way songs make you think about things. Last week, I finally joined the world of mp3 technology and bought a little portable player. Upon thorough (10 minutes of window shopping) I opted for the ZEN, by CREATIVE. Pretty neat little toy. I loaded the software onto the computer, restarted and then loaded on random songs that the program chose for me. Do you ever make a play list of everything on your computer and then just turn it on? I do. It’s pretty amazing the number of songs that come on that make you think about something that you never would have remembered otherwise.

Maybe something important happened while you were listening to that song, or maybe it was just something that makes you smile. Sometimes a song that other people think is stupid just touches you in just the perfect way. As I walked home this evening, “Sex & Candy” came on and I thought back to a trip to Lethbridge, AB I went on in Grade 9. Random. But that’s what it can do to you and I’m sure this will happen more as I get older, thankfully. Like when someone says “I’m blue”, what do you think? Probably something along the lines of dabudi dabudai. I’m a wrong?

I hate when people immediately pass judgment on people who don’t like a certain genre of music. I used to be that way, but I’ve changed, man. Different strokes for different folks, right? Yes. One thing I have come to realise talking to different people is actually WHY people like different kind of music. One kind of music I just really cannot listen to is screamo. I just don’t like the deafening screams. To me, the screaming completely ruins what would otherwise be a really good heavy rock song. What I don’t get is why they would invest so much time in something that doesn’t appeal to the masses. Especially because most of them are really talented musicians. Some people are the same with country music; they don’t like the twang. Disco is too patterned. Drum and bass is too mellow, etc. Fact is, that’s why different genres of music exist and if you don’t like it, don’t listen. But don’t criticize. It’s as simple as that.

This week is my last in England, which means that unfortunately, I’ve had to leave some pretty major English cultural topics behind, and unfortunately (probably for the same reasons), I kind of wish I had left out a few of the ones I actually DID opt for (like the one about BBQs, which kind of sucked), but starting next week I’m going to turn it up a notch (musical reference) to EUROPEAN CULTURAL TOPICS, as I’ll be on the road for anywhere from 3 to 5 months, so keep tuning in (another musical reference) and I’ll make sure that none of the topics get too distorted (a third one), but if they do, maybe you could just give me some feedback (one more for good measure). It’s been fun writing about England every week, but change is good. I’ll try to keep it up through my trip, though internet access may become kind of sparse. If it does, though, keep on rockin’ and give me a (16-bar) break.