Ummm... so let me put it this way.
The flu SUCKS.
It used be I hated getting it because I never got sick (except, you know, when I caught the flu.) So of course, I was no good at being sick... which made/makes me a miserable, whining baby when I got/get it.
This time around, of course, it was no different. Came home from retail paradise early Monday evening (having procured the white board I assume will jump-start me, creatively... or not), and suddenly I was aching just everywhere in my body. Then I started getting the chills. Urgh.
So I climbed into bed, hoping that couple of hours sleep would take care of it. No such luck. Woke up at a quarter to 10 (PM) and decided that it would probably be a good idea to forewarn the esteemed leaders that yours truly might not be in the next day. There was still a little bit of hope though - my shift wasn't until 3 PM the next day, so I hoped I could just sleep it off and bounce back. Unh-uh.
My ex was kind enough (during finals week, especially) to bring over some cold/flu medicine, soups, orange juice, and some seasonal Hostess cakes (?); yet another reason I can't figure out how exactly I feel about her. But that's an entirely different story.
So I took the nighttime medicine, and dropped into my bed. Whereupon I proceeded to suffer an epic 18-hour battle between two forces fighting over whether my body should a) lay as close to linear as possible and sweat buckets or b) curl as tightly as possible inwards and freeze. The whole time, as well, I think I was actually hallucinating the various parties arguing over which way was better. Yi...
It got a little bit better in the evening, but I still had to call in sick for today. Lamesauce. Oh well, I think I'm headed back uphill now, mostly just a little cough, sore throat, and some congestion.
Just wanted to note that I'm really running into the problem of finding songs and lyrics that in no way match up to each other AT ALL. Urgh. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole... and it'd be one thing if it was a couple of isolated incidents, but I have a ton of lyrics and ton of instrumental ideas stacked up, and the results as of yet have not been very encouraging... maybe the lesson here kids is, don't wait too long before you start working on the next one. Or something. Sleep now?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sometimes I question whether or not anything really inspires anymore... if there's really innovation or if it's just a different angle on the same old thing.
Earlier today I read a Time article on what Detroit is facing if to "survive", and some of the things they mention as having previously thwarted off disaster included... SUVs. Really?? Somehow, it made sense to keep making these vehicles, knowing that they used ridiculous amounts of gas, and in the meantime, UAW/associated unions got to kept demanding ridiculous benefits, even as it became more and more apparent that the way of life they were so desperately trying to "preserve" was fast disappearing. I tell you what, clutching just that more tightly to something doesn't usually keep it alive... usually chokes it off, actually. But anyway. That's more of a "relevant" issue.
I guess in listening to music, it just amazes me how often the most successful stuff is that which tends to fall back into the same usual chord progressions or scales or whatever, to the point that even if I've never heard a song, there's a good chance I can guess its direction within minute... and I feel like that paralyzes me as I'm working on my new stuff. I really feel like there's a difference between "good" as in, it's pleasing to the ear but quickly fades into the background, and "good" as in, maybe more complex than the ear can just take in a single listen... requires a little bit more appreciation. (I swear I've read somewhere that one of the main reasons children don't like liver, for example, is the inability to "appreciate" some of the more complex flavors and subtleties that their immature taste buds simply can't recognize... having not tried it since I was 5, I can't confirm or deny.) And I mean, that's not to knock some of the great pop writing (to say nothing of all the music I don't listen to/haven't heard... I know I need to expand these here horizons), it got to that point for a reason... well-written, universal appeal.
Maybe what I'm looking for is justification that I haven't really made much progress with my new material, partially because I'm overwhelmed with how much crap (that may eventually be polished into "less-than-crap," hopefully) I've either written lyrically or kind of come up in just messing around on my various instruments that I "play," and partially because I'm torn between what I guess you could call "settling" with what I know have, and the desire to see what could happen if I keep working at it.
Let's keep in mind that I have no deadline, no real impetus to just throw down and push more product out there... I'm not sure if I've even sold more than 20 copies of my last album, with virtually no promotion and no shows, so it's like there's a market begging for my sweet, sweet music. Basically, I think it comes down to two things: first, that it's been almost three years since my last release, I've bought more equipment that I haven't really used that I basically justified for using on this release, and I'd like to show something for all of that, especially in light of some of my newer influences; and secondly, knowing that there are those out there who I came up in the "scene" with who are currently doing things or at least appear to be, and just the sense that I don't want to "fall behind."
I feel like I've got a voice worth sharing, but again, it sort of comes back to my original question: will I really be a unique voice, or am I just providing a different lens with which to view the music I now love for others...?
Listen to my album from 2.5 years ago, and I think you could probably pick out 5 obvious influences: Linkin Park, Thrice, Metallica, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains. Now, bear in mind, there's probably nothing wrong with aiming high, but I feel like I've gotten a lot more self-concious about sounding so "radio-friendly..." and yet these are all great bands, why the hell wouldn't I want to be compared to them?
So who am I doing this for, then? Knowing that I have no clamoring audience, I would say that it becomes obvious: myself. Which is tough schtuff, because I don't even know what I want.
I think the plan is to get this EP out ASAP, see if anyone's like, "Oh sweet, you're back!" Worst case, I get exactly the same response as before. I can live with that.
This was a ramble.
Sorry.
Earlier today I read a Time article on what Detroit is facing if to "survive", and some of the things they mention as having previously thwarted off disaster included... SUVs. Really?? Somehow, it made sense to keep making these vehicles, knowing that they used ridiculous amounts of gas, and in the meantime, UAW/associated unions got to kept demanding ridiculous benefits, even as it became more and more apparent that the way of life they were so desperately trying to "preserve" was fast disappearing. I tell you what, clutching just that more tightly to something doesn't usually keep it alive... usually chokes it off, actually. But anyway. That's more of a "relevant" issue.
I guess in listening to music, it just amazes me how often the most successful stuff is that which tends to fall back into the same usual chord progressions or scales or whatever, to the point that even if I've never heard a song, there's a good chance I can guess its direction within minute... and I feel like that paralyzes me as I'm working on my new stuff. I really feel like there's a difference between "good" as in, it's pleasing to the ear but quickly fades into the background, and "good" as in, maybe more complex than the ear can just take in a single listen... requires a little bit more appreciation. (I swear I've read somewhere that one of the main reasons children don't like liver, for example, is the inability to "appreciate" some of the more complex flavors and subtleties that their immature taste buds simply can't recognize... having not tried it since I was 5, I can't confirm or deny.) And I mean, that's not to knock some of the great pop writing (to say nothing of all the music I don't listen to/haven't heard... I know I need to expand these here horizons), it got to that point for a reason... well-written, universal appeal.
Maybe what I'm looking for is justification that I haven't really made much progress with my new material, partially because I'm overwhelmed with how much crap (that may eventually be polished into "less-than-crap," hopefully) I've either written lyrically or kind of come up in just messing around on my various instruments that I "play," and partially because I'm torn between what I guess you could call "settling" with what I know have, and the desire to see what could happen if I keep working at it.
Let's keep in mind that I have no deadline, no real impetus to just throw down and push more product out there... I'm not sure if I've even sold more than 20 copies of my last album, with virtually no promotion and no shows, so it's like there's a market begging for my sweet, sweet music. Basically, I think it comes down to two things: first, that it's been almost three years since my last release, I've bought more equipment that I haven't really used that I basically justified for using on this release, and I'd like to show something for all of that, especially in light of some of my newer influences; and secondly, knowing that there are those out there who I came up in the "scene" with who are currently doing things or at least appear to be, and just the sense that I don't want to "fall behind."
I feel like I've got a voice worth sharing, but again, it sort of comes back to my original question: will I really be a unique voice, or am I just providing a different lens with which to view the music I now love for others...?
Listen to my album from 2.5 years ago, and I think you could probably pick out 5 obvious influences: Linkin Park, Thrice, Metallica, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains. Now, bear in mind, there's probably nothing wrong with aiming high, but I feel like I've gotten a lot more self-concious about sounding so "radio-friendly..." and yet these are all great bands, why the hell wouldn't I want to be compared to them?
So who am I doing this for, then? Knowing that I have no clamoring audience, I would say that it becomes obvious: myself. Which is tough schtuff, because I don't even know what I want.
I think the plan is to get this EP out ASAP, see if anyone's like, "Oh sweet, you're back!" Worst case, I get exactly the same response as before. I can live with that.
This was a ramble.
Sorry.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Back in the game?
Yeesh.
I haven't honestly "blogged" since high school, when it was all the rage on MySpace. (If you can manage to find that embarrassing, if somewhat heartfelt stream of consciousness, abandon hope all ye who enter.) So we'll see how this goes; I'm partially just overly excited about finally getting a bunch of my Google crap to work together (or maybe just figuring out how to make all this stuff work together... having not really tried before.)
Eventually here, I'll probably post up some of my longer written works, or at least link to them, but I'm sort of hoping this will allow me to get back into the writing game while I'm busy kind of treading water in the rest of my life.
Stalk/comment away.
I haven't honestly "blogged" since high school, when it was all the rage on MySpace. (If you can manage to find that embarrassing, if somewhat heartfelt stream of consciousness, abandon hope all ye who enter.) So we'll see how this goes; I'm partially just overly excited about finally getting a bunch of my Google crap to work together (or maybe just figuring out how to make all this stuff work together... having not really tried before.)
Eventually here, I'll probably post up some of my longer written works, or at least link to them, but I'm sort of hoping this will allow me to get back into the writing game while I'm busy kind of treading water in the rest of my life.
Stalk/comment away.
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