Dave Matthews Bandits All Alright Again When You re Not Herewe re Sworn to Pretend

Gimme That "Rock n' Roll" Fourth dimension Faith

I don't call back a time when religion, and in my case Christianity, was non a function of my life. From the historic period of 5 to 18 me and my family attended church only about every Sunday (morn and night), some Wednesdays, and, for a while at least, on Tuesday nights for AWANA. But, like a lot of kids growing upwards in a religious setting, I was non at the fourth dimension terribly excited by the organized religion that had been imparted to me. The concept of God was fairly appealing to me. However, I establish the people at church pretty odd and was never at all comfortable effectually them. There were some kids my historic period there, but we just seemed to inhabit two totally different and incompatible worlds. And, I kid y'all not, there were seriously 3 major things that fabricated us so different from each other and thus prevented u.s. from ever connecting: 1) movies  2) music  3) profanity. You come across, my parents, though they took their faith very seriously and still do, never really put a whole lot of prohibitions on my brother and I. I've watched R rated movies since the 6th course, listened to "devilish" rock music since stumbling upon my Aunt Terry's shoebox total of cassettes at our summer camp in 1986, and  I never-ever got scolded for my foul oral cavity.  I liked 1, ii, and 3 and I still practice. My truest self has never considered such things in themselves incorrect. In that location're a ton of R rated movies that accept inverse the course of my life for the ameliorate, and enough of PG rated family unit films  that fabricated no bear upon on me whatsoever, other than their provision of mindless entertainment. I've  always had an obsession with rock music, which I will take with me to the grave and, God willing, into the New Heaven and New Earth, or New Jerusalem, or whatever y'all want to call information technology. Then in that location's the whole swearing thing. Call me lewd, rude, what-have-you, but sometimes "shit" just feels like a more than honest response to dropping a 20 pound typewriter on your bare anxiety than exclaiming, say, "poodily poop." Plus, vile language has been an inseparable part of the Stover family, and I'one thousand assuming this goes way back into our history. And so, far be it from me to challenge this. Now, without sounding like a conceited turd, I have to tell you, because of these three things my life was much more interesting and fun so that of the other church youngins'. Ya see, most, if not all, of them could only watch movies on television, since the filth was edited from them. I don't recall any of them were allowed to listen to rock music catamenia; probably non fifty-fifty Christian rock, though at the fourth dimension I didn't fifty-fifty know that existed. And I'g sure that, had I e'er sworn in forepart of them or even made a fart joke (gay jokes were fine), they would have told their parents immediately, thus getting myself and my ain parents chastised. Looking dorsum on information technology all, I think perhaps the reason why I never felt continued to church building growing upwardly was because movies, rock music, and words like "dick"  were openly frowned upon.

At present, to bring the topic of this web log entry dorsum into focus, during the summer before my senior year of  loftier school I came under the odd conviction that secular rock music was not something Christians should listen to. I cannot for the life of me remember what sparked this. I remember I was having a lot of problems with my girlfriend at the time and thought that I had to sacrifice my one 'idol' in life in gild for God to ready her and I's relationship. Or maybe I actually paid attention to some anti-rock sermon. I'one thousand actually not sure. Anyways, it led to me destroying all of my "secular" cds (and boy, did I have some good ones), then replacing them entirely with Christian music. I couldn't stand most of the Christian music I had heard up to that indicate. Withal, a couple dearest friends of mine (neither of whom were against not-Christian music) introduced me to a subculture that was totally unbeknownst to me before: namely, Christian Rock. Now, much of what I heard was pretty terrible and I didn't deny this. Come across, a bulk of the bands were simply sanitized audio-a-likes. Instead of Glimmer 182, at that place was Relient Yard. Same audio, aforementioned topics to some extent (granted Relient K's human relationship songs brought Jesus into them)…the only divergence was that Relient K didn't make any dildo jokes or name their albums "Accept Your Pants Off and Jacket." Some Christian book & music stores even had charts that said things like "If you similar Outkast, then yous'll LOOOOOOOOOVE Steven Curtis Chapman," or another absurdly inaccurate "sinner and saint" comparison. I don't think this trend in Christian pop/rock has changed much. To be honest, I think ane reason Contemporary Christian music has become and then lucrative of an industry is because they've directly marketed themselves to and provided an culling for kids who want to heed to Staind but their parents, or conscience, prevents it. Regardless, during my senior yr of high school I did manage to find a lot of "Christian Rockers" who were really quite skillful. The bulk, if not all of them, were not role of the much more mainstream Contemporary Christian Music scene. They were bands who played in bars, school gyms, Christian festivals such equally Cornerstone and Creation, and non-Christian festivals such as Warped Tour and even Ozzfest. They were on small-scale labels, had express distribution and promotion, and, nigh chiefly, had at least SOME relationship with their fans that wasn't just a "nosotros make CDs, you buy CDs" type thing. And though a lot of these bands have disbanded and faded away into obscurity, many of them are still at it and doing quite well. As much every bit I regret throwing away my secular CDs back in 1997, I exercise think that there is a direct connection between the obsession I developed with under-the radar Christian rock in loftier school and my ongoing obsession with indie-rock that began in college. That existence said, I'd like to share with you lot some of those bands/artists that I was into. You should also cheque out them out on Amazon, where y'all could buy there CDs for as little as 1 cent. Have fun.

Five Atomic number 26 Frenzy

I don't intendance if ska ended up sucking (and I don't think it sucks most as bad as people claim), Five Iron Frenzy is hands down the most courageous ring that ever worked under the umbrella of Contemporary Christian Music. And even if they did work under that umbrella, it was never to just protect the people underneath from the pelting of "the world" but, rather,  to milk shake it, poke holes in it, dangle it off cliffs,  and, in the end, leave the umbrella backside and construct a different i altogether. Formed in Boulder, Colorado and led by the goofy, incredibly outspoken genius Reese Roper, FIF wrote tricky-equally-hell ska ditties where they spoke out confronting everything from homophobia (bank check out the song "Mr. Fahrenheit," an apology notation to Freddy Mercury, from 1999's All The Hype That Money Tin Buy) to manifest destiny (equally heard in the opener "Onetime West" from 1997's Upbeats and Beatdowns), and a whole lot in betwixt. The first time I ever heard them was at a life functioning of theirs in the basement of John Baptst Loftier School in Bangor, Maine. At that place were about 40 people in attendance, and I recollect myself and the youth group kids I attended it with were the only ones without our entire faces pierced. This remains one of the about exciting concert experiences I've had.

Here's a youtube recording of their rails "Giants", which tackles corporate greed and, to a great extent, foreshadows the inevitable outcome of unfettered globalization.

Silage

Silage, while not nearly equally lyrically destructive as Five Iron Frenzy, put out what remains one of my all-fourth dimension favorite albums (the cocky-titled one pictured to the right). I like Silage for no other reason than they knew how to craft a good pop-song. Now, in that location songs were and then all-over-the board that I don't recollect they would have survived likewise long on Tiptop forty radio (though they did receive some brief MTV play). Some other reason why I liked them was the fact that they were fairly overtly Christian, only neither preachy nor obnoxious; truly an impressive, and rare, feat. I did see them perform at Creationfest in 1998. My dad took my friend Mike and I to information technology for a graduation present, and nosotros somehow ended up hitching a ride to it with the Passadumkeage Church youth grouping, led by the too-cool Rick Snell. Mike and I went to see Silage and, I kid you not, the entire crowd was jumping in the air for the entire bear witness. It was totally unbridled and youthful and I'd love to be in that location correct at present.

Here's the video for my favorite Silage song, "Watusi"

Danielson Family

"Sometimes in the church people will say, 'Oh, they were just offended by the name of Jesus,' or something. Simply information technology's actually…it'due south much more the commitment that's offensive… I wish there was a real Christian music industry, or a existent Christian music scene…I wish at that place was 1. Because and so what they would be doing is they would be selling CDs for $8, they would be, y'all know, giving total creative license, encouraging creativity; they would be really doing the things Christ did and continues to do."

The above is a quote from a conversation Daniel Smith, frontman of Danielson Family, had with the nifty studio engineer/producer Steve Albini. Early in their career, the Danielson Family tried eagerly to make it in the whole Christian music scene. They put on nurses uniforms, dressed as trees, and sang songs virtually boyfriends who swear a lot. Information technology was different and wild and received zippo interest from that very scene. They did, however, win the interest of SPIN, Rolling Stone, Jeff Buckley, and eventually Steve Albini. Albini, who produced Nirvana's In Utero and countless other classics, helped push them onto the front phase of the whole indie-stone scene and they have been a favorite ever since. Daniel Smith has since started a very successful indie-characterization, Sounds Familyre, brought indie poster-male child Sufjan Stevens into the limelight, and the Danielson Family is still playing strong. Adept for them. Human being, I love that quote above. I think it's great to see a very openly Christian creative person like Daniel Smith admit that he is every bit annoyed with CCM equally the rest of us. Yet, he offers something of a corrective for those artists who desire to write songs about their faith and alive in a manner that is conducive to that. The other part of the quote I like is his mention of an industry that gives "full artistic license" and "encourages creativity" in the name of Christ. And anyone who has listened to and seen the Danielson Family perform has definitely heard and seen plenty of creativity. I love how they wearing apparel upwards in ridiculous outfits, blindside out ridiculous songs on whatever weirdo instrument happens to be lying around, and fill their audience with joy. The Danielson Family unit remind me of the ragtag bunch of Jesus-followers in the musical Godspell. In that musical Jesus and his people run around the slums, painting their faces and singing at the tiptop of their lungs. I think if Jesus were walking around today he'd do the same thing, and would probably become a existent kick out of the Danielson Family. Roger Ebert has a great quote that speaks along these lines in his review of Godspell. He said, "The movie characters, like the phase characters, are given little watercolor designs on their faces by Jesus. A daughter gets a little yellow flower, a male child gets a tiny red star, and so on…It occurred to me, well-nigh an hour into the film, that maybe young people will pick up on this. Tattoos were big in the '70s–piffling collywobbles and stars–so why not face-paint zigzags and pinwheels and flowers? Anything to burnish upward this miserable earth…"

Here's a video for their lovely melody "Did I Footstep On Your Trumpet":

Also, I'd highly recommend that you Netflix the documentary on this great band, titled "Danielson: A Family Movie [or,  Make a Joyful Racket HERE]." Seeing the family unit's way awesome dad alone makes it worth renting (seriously, if there is a hipper, more than lovable begetter on globe, other than my own, I've non yet met him). Here's a preview of it:

Moving on, there was a slew of corking bands in the late 90s that apparently listened to a whole lot of My Bloody Valentine. I like to call them "Shoegazers for Christ." No, that's about as CCM sounding as you lot tin can get so let'south leave that be. On second thought, it's kind of funny. Anyways, hither they are:

Starflyer 59

This was, and continues to be, basically the solo project of the remarkably prolific multi-instrumentalist Jason Martin, who is also a function time truck driver. He plays all, I mean ALL, of the instruments on his albums. I have not seen them live, just hear very positive things about them. He's had some fantabulous musicians play with him at these shows, such as Richard Swift, David Bazan, and others. I remember 6 or 7 years ago existence genuinely pissed when I found out Jason Martin is a smoker. And so I took upwardly smoking for a year and totally understood the appeal. Anyways, here's the rather Bergmanesque  video of Starflyer 59's totally fab "No New Kinda Story."

Morella's Forest

These Ohio-based shoegazers made two or three ultra-rad records and then disappeared off the face of the earth. Their videos weren't half-bad, either, nigh as 1996 as you tin can go: lots of pink, blue, and yellow with weird words popping upwards on the screen for no expert reason and plenty of good ol' fashioned senselessness. So enjoy their definitely-not-a-hit only yet awesome video for "Hither" (and no, that's not the girl from The Cranberries):

Velour 100

This was SUCH a talented agglomeration. They had that sort of ethereal Cocteau Twins tone that only makes me giddy and a little high. What's well-nigh amazing about Velour 100 is that if they were effectually today they'd be like a anti-CCM supergroup. Seriously, here's some of the people who were in it: Rosie Thomas, David Bazan, Trey Many, led past the angel-voiced Amon Krist (girl of Detroit-folkster Jan Krist). Apparently after Velour 100 disbanded Amon joined the Detroit Art Institute. Rosie Thomas, David Bazan, and Trey Many accept all done incredibly well on their own with promises of more great music to come. There'southward no adept video footage of the band, so hither's a link to their Myspace. Bank check out the song "Shine" and I hope yous'll become a fan.

David Bazan a.1000.a Pedro the Lion

I cannot emphasize how much I dearest this boyfriend and his music. I've met him several times and, I tell you, the words "genuine" and "truthful" aren't near stiff enough to draw him. Really, I'd just presume not say anything near him at all. But sentinel:

If yous got this far, God bless you. I hateful it. This is the most fun I've had writing anything in years. I hope there is something here that you connected with.

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People Who Say Funny Things

I've been on quite a stand-upward comedy kick lately. I've always had an appreciation for stand-up comics (especially that wacky, nutty funster Joey Gladstone from Full Firm). I have fond memories of watching Eddie Murphy'south Delirious a lot every bit an 8th grader with my brother and friends of mine with whom I don't remember hanging out with ever again after 8th grade. Anyways, as my brother pointed out in a recent web log post of his, Delirious is perhaps the most homophobic 60 minutes of comedy you will ever see in your life. But, to be honest, y'all don't come up away from information technology thinking, "By gum, that Eddie Irish potato sure hates homos." Instead, you just watch with anaesthesia and think to yourself, "Wow…yous could say that stuff back then and have people reward such comments with guffaws?" But bated from his sodomy jokes including Mr. T and Ricky Ricardo (which, I'k not gonna lie, are pretty funny) Delirious is still 1 of the funniest sixty minutes I've e'er seen. I remember simply LAUGHING and LAUGHING until my sides hurt. Eddie White potato is a funny, funny human. His delivery is perfect, his impressions are perfect, and when he tells a zinger he doesn't just make y'all laugh but gives you a tickle like yous wouldn't believe. Each and every twenty-four hours I arrive a bespeak to recall of that function in Delirious when Eddie does his impression of Elvis movies. I can't possibly draw to you just how funny it is, so just watch information technology.

Wooh! At present In that location'S an LOL. I love it, I Dearest it. I think I kind of wandered away from watching stand-upwards comedy for a while because the funny stuff is usually the dirtiest. Merely, I guess I just don't intendance anymore. Whose to say that simply because something is a scrap ribald that it'southward evil? I'm pretty sure that the Pope, if he were to hear Eddie Murphy singing, "We're gonna win this race" would be unable to agree dorsum his holy laughter. Thus, in no way do I experience it sinful to share with yous a few funny, funny people and comedic moments that I think you should laugh with.

Gilbert Gottfried

I first saw him back when he hosted this show on United states of america called Up All Night. This bear witness consisted of edited-for-Idiot box showings of bang-up movies such equally Midnight Cowboy, terrible movies that were enjoyable such as The Toxic Avenger, and terrible movies that were just evidently terrible such as Sorority Babes at the Slimeball Bowl-A-Rama. Gottfried  (when his colleague Rhonda Shear wasn't hosting) would interrupt the movies with commentary, granted information technology wasn't so much commentary as it was Gilbert simply saying pretty nasty stuff with his signature loud, horrendously obnoxious only somehow lovable voice. The commercials for this show were nearly entirely advertising phone sex numbers. Here'south an old advertizement for Upwards All Night.

Gilbert has also appeared on The Cosby Show, Sat Dark Live, Problem Child, Married with Children, and Aladdin. His popularity dropped a chip until, equally we all know, his uproariously funny performance at Hugh Heffner'due south Comedy Roast. Later on beingness told that it was in fact too soon to tell a 9/11 joke, Gilbert instead settled for an utterly  perverse stab at the famous Aristocrats joke. He has since been a fixture of the Comedy Roasts and even put out a video. Every bit funny as his roasts take been, he's still got plenty of other funnies from years by that are too oftentimes overlooked. Perhaps my favorite is an onetime Andrew Die Clay impression he did. People say that the best comedy is self-directed. Gilbert Gottfried has fortunately proven that some of the best comedy is in fact totally directed at others. Here we get. Prepare yourself for a tickle; this is seriously 1 of the funniest things I've seen in my life:

I'd requite ane of my testicles to run into him impersonate Dane Cook. Speaking of testicles, I'd like to highlight another funny person……

Dan Mintz

I merely saw Dan Mintz for the beginning time about a week ago on Comedy Central. He was roommates with Dmitri Martin, who is also a very funny man. Dan Mintz delivery is so deadpan, and so awkward that I'm amazed he ends up being so funny. But he'due south hilarious. I call back y'all'll gradually be hearing of him more and more than as the year goes on.

This clip has my favorite of his bits…it's the 1 about a guitar:

I was going to talk about a few more comedians, like Flying of The Conchords and  Zach Galifianakis, but…that would be totally unnecessary. Instead, Please Delight Delight comment about some of your favorite comedians, whether they be ones nosotros've heard well-nigh or SHOULD hear about.

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Definitely Not A Fan…

To continue, while at that place are several indie fashions that I applaud and wish I were attractive enough to pull off in a way appealing to the contrary sex activity, at that place's still a few that I merely don't get.  I realize that some of the people reading this may vesture the things I'yard well-nigh to highlight. If this is the case and I end upwardly hurting your feelings then, rather than repent, I'd merely like to remind yous that:

1) I am balding

ii) I article of clothing tan pants with a lot of pen marks on them every other day

three) I notwithstanding don't know how to tuck in shirts properly

4) I am non a handsome human being

That being said, I offer y'all a list of silly indie wear that I call back is dumb looking

Boots over pants: Mind, lady readers, I know you article of clothing these. It hurts me to say this just…I think y'all could all exercise better. Mind, if you like to wear your boots over your pants and then…whatever. Exist yourself, I approximate. I but think that there is a far better self  pending you around the corner that, well, maybe doesn't pull their boots up to their dungaree knees. So I vote that yous all utilize your God-given freedoms to ring together, organize, and collectively jettison this look and movement on to the next exciting manner! But seriously, this is your chance to shatter the biggest glass ceiling e'er. Fight the power! Please do not kill me.

Pilus that looks like this:

What the hell, guys? Await at yourselves! It's non and then much the fashion that bothers me, only that horrible "I'm mysterious and melancholy" look on the faces of those who don this dippy doo. And the fact that, when I enter a coffee shop, I know total well that every other person volition look like this ding-dong that you see to the left, facial expression and all. Nothing makes me happier than people who are perfectly pleased with their pilus cutting for no other reason than they remember it looks decent. Bruce Springsteen is a shining example of this. Isn't that correct, Bruce?

"That's right, Justin. My pilus ain't fancy, just information technology does what it needs to do."

Does what it needs to 'exercise'. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! I run across what yous did right there with that pun, Dominate.

Yous see kids, Bruce and I both know that 'indie' stands for 'independence.' I recall if 3/4ths of yous have the same exact haircut then that independence is questionable.

Girl pants on guys

Heed, bros…I estimate I tin can see why you lot all think these look cool. They are a vast comeback over parachute pants. I guess I just worry that you are perhaps…pain your 'goods'??? Bunchin' up the batch a bit as well much? How do any of you walk around without shrieking loftier pitched squeals of pain? When I was in 6th grade, fat every bit a fart, and taking Shotokan karate I just remember SQUEEZING into my as well-tight Gi pants and nigh crying. I can't imagine this was at all healthy for my testicles. Come up on guys, the children…think of the children.

For more info on the enormous health run a risk of girl pants on your…balls, please click hither.

Alright, I can't think of any indie fashions that I dislike as well much aside from the ones mentioned herein. Accept care, y'all hipsters!

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Indie Fashions That I Actually Do Enjoy

A honey friend of mine today told me that he was getting so sick of the whole "indie subculture" that he almost doesn't desire to listen to its music anymore. In that location is a part of me that can empathize with him. For case, below is an case of a type of chat that I have about daily.

Leonora the Hipster: Hey, accept y'all heard of the band Silly Sheep and the Shepherds?

J-Dong (that'due south me): Uh, no?

Leonora the Hipster: Are you serious? And I thought you lot knew good music.

At present, I would rather converse almost music with a Leonora blazon than listen to some Dave Matthews or OAR fan's monologue nearly, I don't know, some 37 minute bass solo they heard at a festival. But yeah, I totally understand why some people are just sick of indie kids. Regardless, I admit that a lot of them wear cool clothing. A lot of them also wear enough of dippy shit. And so hither's some of my favorite indie fashions. My side by side posting will have some of my to the lowest degree favorites. Oh, and this is all in totally random gild, by the way.

I Like These

The Scarf

You know, I practise similar this whole scarf thing. Especially knitted scarves, those look very nice indeed. At that place are many reasons why I get happy when I'm in a identify where a lot of scarves are being worn. One, winter is my favorite season. I think people expect much cuter and funnier during the winter because they become "bundled upwards." I've always liked to get bundled up and I think information technology's endearing that humans need to do this. Equally a child I always plant it funny to watch my dad put on a sweater, a huge jacket, puffy wool socks, enormous boots, gloves that resembled the Powerglove for the original Nintendo (but his were blue, non gray), a funny looking knit chapeau with a floppy brawl atop of it, and so he'd spend about iii minutes wrapping a huge scarf around his cervix and head. So hipsters, wear the hell out of those scarves. The simply matter that bothers me is when I encounter somebody with a scarf on who looks miserable. I encounter this a lot, too. Mind, ace, you lot should be happy. Why?  Because your neck is warm. There are a lot of cold necks out there who would love to be engulfed by your featherbrained scarf.

Striped Shirts

These I too savour. You tin can do a lot with them. You can wearable them under t-shirts (more than to be said about that later), wear them under a sweater that doesn't match at all but somehow works, or just wear them equally is. Striped pants are hideous, so don't wear those. I think a lot of people, back in their youngling days, were truly fascinated by the zebra creature. I also recall from my youth laughing at a lot of commercials wherein a businessman sits on a white bench without knowing it's yet wet with pigment, realizes this, is a tad disgruntled but then, wearing his now striped suit, does that "well, what tin you lot do" gesture with his hands" before chewing whatever mucilage that the commercial advertised.

The  Hashemite kingdom of jordan Catalano "Long Sleeve Under T-       shirt" Matter

Having once been a high schooler who dressed horribly and had no friends, I was pleasantly surprised one morning during symphonic band do when the super-fly Kristin Sereyko told me I looked nice. And what was I wearing? The very outfit that I saw Hashemite kingdom of jordan Catalano wear on My So Called Life the evening earlier. And you know what? I still see people dressed like this all the fourth dimension. Best of all, it takes no effort whatsoever to put on. Stephen Malkmus, when non wearing a rain coat (ie. "Carrot Rope"), frequently donned this super cool combo. I would recommend that you likewise clothing brown old man pants and blue Chuck Taylors when you exercise so.

Speaking of "Carrot Rope", permit's accept a break and lookout it:

   Rag Dolls Socks on Da' Ladies

This was once again of a goth and punk look, and even a "fetish" thing. But lately I've seen a lot of ladies wearing these at bars and the other mean solar day at a pizza identify. So evidently it's coming to the fore, and I tell you lot what, this guy isn't complaining. Every time I see a lovely lady wearing rag doll socks, regardless of the socks' color, I immediately pretend that I am no longer in Grand Rapids, MI, just instead in Wonderland or Oz. In that location's this magic trick store on Division St. where I alive that take racks and racks and racks of these for sale.  I also saw an advertizement for some roller derby event that had cartoons of women skating around, wearing these.

Alright, my next post will share which indie fashions I promise dice horrible deaths. I honey you.

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Paying Attending to Juliana Hatfield

I accept a terrible, short attending bridge. Seriously, it'south bad. Only I've grown to like information technology. I think I just go bored with things quickly and as a consequence take to always be moving on to whatever I detect more than interesting. And you lot know what? That'southward OK. Instead of concentrating on 1 affair at a time, I take an odd ability to concentrate on many things at a time. Sure, I'chiliad probably still much less intelligent than those people who actually take skilful attending spans and an ability to focus. Merely I do have a adequately unquenchable curiosity in all kinds of stuff. Basically, my mind gets more excited about latitude than depth. Rather than read one book closely and carefully, I'd rather sit downwards for an hour with, say, three totally unrelated books or magazines while watching a motion-picture show, listening to music, or surfing the net. Fortunately, I think this has helped my songwriting a great bargain. When you write a vocal you lot're basically trying to crunch a whole bunch of interesting ideas into a three to 4 minutes of melodies. Then, this blog's going to be filled with my musings on the many things that I'grand intrigued by and, hopefully, how they chronicle to songwriting, performance, music, etc.  Those things will mostly exist movies, CDs, bands, books, YouTube clips, and funny things that my friends & family say and exercise because, to be honest, that'due south all I really intendance about. And then hear we go.

Let's get-go with books. I like books. They are the hardest things on earth to pay attention to, I think. I can pay pretty close attending to music books, political ones, and curt stories. This week I've been readingWhen I Grow Up, which is a memoir past vocalizer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Juliana Hatfield. Y'all may (or may non) recall her from Blake Babies and The Lemonheads. I became obsessed with her virtually two years ago after buying her CDBut Everything at a "Disc-Get-Round" for $.99.  My blood brother listened to her long before I did, simply back then I never really gave her a shot because I was too busy trying to  prove to my friends that I really liked gangsta rap. I think I always knew she was talented. But the minute I heardOnly EverythingI was hooked. She has now become 1 of my pinnacle 5 favorite solo artists. I'd say….number 5. I think. Allow'due south see, let me make a quick list:

          1) Sufjan Stevens

          two) Evan Dando (aka Lemonheads)

          3) Tom Waits

          4) David Bazan (formerly Pedro the Lion)

          5) Juliana Hatfield

You've probably heard at least one of her songs. Such as:

My Sis:

or

Spin the Canteen

and one  of my personal favorites:

Universal Heartbeat

Yep, she's number 5. That sounds about right. I love her considering her guitar sounds like it's taking an angry shit. Seriously, and I mean that in the best possible way. That is perhaps the biggest compliment I take always given to a guitarist. Her solos are all grunty and raunchy and totally proud of what they've accomplished. To be honest, I don't think she's the greatest lyricist on world. But she's e'er got very artistic concepts undergirding her songs. Like, she's got that one early-90s hit song "My Sis" about an older sibling who takes her to smashing rock concerts but  is never very prissy. And in that location's another song almost playing spin the canteen with famous people. Oh, and in that location's a lesser known one off of Made in China (1 of her best albums) where she talks most how she doesn't like god very much but would gladly take coin from him if he's feeling generous. Anyways, her memoir came out about 2 weeks agone. Thus far information technology's received some strong, well-deserved reviews. It'southward seriously one of the nigh entertaining and helpful books on beingness a musician I've read in some fourth dimension. Similar her songs, Juliana shares some often embarrassingly personal data merely with such honesty and sincerity that you tin can't help but listen. For case, she talks nearly how she ofttimes pees in cups when backstage at her concerts. Apparently this is a practice common to just about every indie musician at ane signal or another. According to her, nigh venues take horrible care of performers and don't even offer them (or fifty-fifty have) dressing rooms. Then peeing into cups is the merely choice. Aside from that, Miss (that'southward right, MISS) Hatfield more often than not talks virtually how depressive and dyspeptic she is, which is why most of her songs have such an angry edge.  From what I assemble, she likes people well enough but finds them immediately abrasive. She feels terrible near this, and much of the book is her apologizing for existence such a turd to her friends, family unit, and fans. I am pretty sure that if I ever meet her I'll exist incredibly nervous and immediately assume that she thinks I'grand an obnoxious sack of shit.

In the way of autobiography, there's a expert bargain in hither most the early days of her music career (Berklee, Blake Babies) and how she never planned on being annihilation other than a stone star of some sort. She also talks near her two or three years of mainstream fame. From effectually 1993-1995 she was a favorite on MTV (ie. "120 Minutes"), received abiding disquisitional acclaim, performed onThe This evening Show,palled effectually with all kinds of famous people, was basically a fashion model, and fifty-fifty signed fairly hefty deal with Atlantic Records. I always wondered if she fabricated a lot of coin during that time. Turns out Atlantic wrote her a check for $400,000 dollars. She says that "to some degree I'grand even so living off that publishing advance."

What I like best virtually this book is that information technology gives such thoroughly applied advice to struggling singers/songwriters/performers.  For example, she advises that you bring a lot of Cliff Bars and peanuts with you when touring because most venues don't pay a lick of attention to your riders. She says they'll sometimes buy you supper if y'all complain about their failure to provide a lick of nutrient, merely even that can take a while to go and are usually pretty piddly, then information technology's good to have plenty of high-protein snacks to keep you from starving. She also suggests that y'all hire your own personal audio engineer to tour with you, specially one who is really adept at making crappy sound equipment sound listenable. I gauge even some of the more renowned venues have barely-working sound systems that the club owners usually don't take a half clue in hell how to apply.

Much to my disappointment, the very commencement folio of the book dispels the myth that musicians get a lot of free beer. As she explains on page ane, "Some club owners and promoters opt to give the band drink tickets, expert for complimentary beverages, instead of setting up a spread backstage. A long strip of those trivial generic 'admit i' tear-off tickets is given to the tour manager, who and then distributes them to his charges. Usually we'd get about four tickets each…" I had always assumed that you lot could take 97 beers if you wanted to, based on the fact that I've never once seen a concert with a sober band. Next Th volition be my outset ever concert at a bar and, I must say, my high hopes of getting unlimited free beer accept been crushed by my 5th favorite vocalist.

Interestingly enough, Juliana doesn't requite a whole lot of advice regarding songwriting itself. That's really non a bad thing, though. Songwriters are usually pretty lousy at articulating the craft of songwriting, as my weblog volition continually demonstrate. I guess Jimi Hendrix, when asked how he wrote songs, would go off about how blithe cats would whisper lyrics into his ear and he'd immediately write them down. I would be entirely grateful if this happened to me only, I'll exist damned, it hasn't yet. At that place is i detail page ofWhen I Abound Upwherein Juliana talks about her craft and, seriously, it'south as poetic equally information technology is helpful. Here're the goods:

"Some songs are more consciously, diligently crafted, with hours and hours of dutiful, disciplined effort and volition and sustained concentration and toil, like the metal a blacksmith pounds in to the shapes he has envisioned and then mapped out. But other songs–the dream songs, the phantoms of the netherworlds–are like woodland sprites that leap out from behind a tree and dare you lot to try to catch them as they giggle and run abroad, disappearing among the thick camouflage of the woods. They tease, merely they don't want to get caught. There's a reason that the give-and-take 'capture' is used when describing what a writer is doing when he tries to go down on paper what he experiences. We writers are all hunters on a never-ending hunt. Hunting for the right words and chords and melodies."

Hunters. I like that. Thanks, Juliana.

Anyways, I think you should buy her book. I know the economic system is in stellar shape thanks to our incredibly capable president, and then you lot take absolutely no excuse to not buy it at your local bookstore.

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