Music Snob

I am a self described music snob. I readily admit it. Actually, I'm kind of proud of it. It means I have high standards. I don't, scratch that, can't accept what the mainstream says is good. Just because lots of people like it doesn't mean it's any good. Music is a visceral experience to me. I appreciate it on its own. Tones, words, heart, soul, passion, love, anger, despression, happiness. These things all speak to me in music. Not all music can speak to me though. Pop music, for the most part, does nothing for me, as does rap, country, death metal, or most r&b (new not old Motown stuff). There are many artists that I listen to that I'd call "poppy", but they have something deeper that trancends them above pop. In fact there's something there, I listen to artists because music is an art form, a type of expression. Then there are those that are performers. Example, The Beatles were artists, Herman's Hermits were performers. Sheryl Crow is an artist (though one I don't listen to), Britney Spears is a performer. There are those that I'd consider to be performers in my collection, but I wouldn't put them towards my favorite lists. Yes, I do have a KISS CD! But only 1, I have 40+ R.E.M. CDs (singles, albums, bootlegs)
Another point that I'd like to make is about why people say they love music. I've had a friend say that he loves music. He can associate songs with various points in his life, whether it be a song from that period or a new one with pertinent lyrics. That's fine, but I really don't think of that as a music lover. That's a memory lover, the music just reminds him of those memories. Smells do the same thing. I don't need a memory to associate with a song, the song is the memory.
For a while though, I was starting to think that I was losing my love for it. It happened as with most when they age that they don't like anything new. "All new music stinks" is what you'd hear. And they'll stick with what they know. That's another thing about associating songs with memories, you stick with the old memories, then all you have is old songs, no room for anything new. That didn't happen to me, but I hadn't found anything new to be passionate about. There were the bands that I liked and they're great and I looked forward to their new releases. There were new ones coming out that I'd find value to and like, but nothing that I really went nuts for. A prime example of this was when I really discovered R.E.M. I didn't like R.E.M. except for Stand, and maybe The One I Love, but I didn't really know their stuff. This was before Out Of Time came out in '90. Then I heard Losing My Religion, and was blown away. It was genius, didn't know how at the time, just that it was. It took about 8 months and I had every album up to that point, and started getting the singles because they had extra stuff. Then eagerly awaiting the new albums, then they finally went on tour. Saw them twice the first time, and 16 more since then. Only The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Neil Young, and The Smashing Pumpkins would I put in that category (the Pumpkins though lost some steam towards the end of their run). Since Pearl Jam though, there hasn't been anything for me to go after like that. I was beginning to think that I'd just fall into the same pattern that many aging people do where "the new stuff is bad, give me what I know." True, most new stuff is bad, the list is too long to even start. There was hope though for me when I found Wilco. Remember I said I don't like country? They're considered Alt-country, technically a fusion of country with punk sensibilities (isn't that an oxymoron?). And I love them. Absolute genius. The first album (A.M.) is country rock. The second (Being There) is country rock folk. The third (Summerteeth) is dark pop and folk and rock. The fourth (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) is avant-garde. The fifth (A Ghost is Born) is folk, pop, avant garde, country. As the announcer said for their appearance on Austin City Limits, "And now a band that can do anything." That's about right.
I can enjoy being a music snob again!

Friggin' tired

I'm friggin' tired today. As I have been just about everyday for the last two months. I don't know what it is. Here's an example of how tired I've been: I usually, except recently, went to bed around 12AM, then take about 30 minutes to fall asleep. Lately, I've been going to bed at 10:30, PM. Yes, that's right, 10:30. Like an old fart. I wouldn't even get a chance to watch a bit of Letterman. It's ridiculous. And I still wake up at 7:00 tired. I try to sleep in on the weekends, get maybe 10 hours, get to bed about midnight and I'll wake up at 8 or 9, with two or three wake ups in the morning. Here's another shocker, at least for me, I'm thinking about going to the doctor for it. Using the handy-dandy WebMD, I don't think I have anemia, possible, but maybe not. I could, though, have sleep apnea. That's where you stop breathing during sleep. Who knows. For now, I leave you with the Beatles:

I'm So Tired from the album The Beatles (aka The White Album)
I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink
No,no,no.

I'm so tired I don't know what to do
I'm so tired my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you but I know what you'd do

You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
for a little peace of mind

I'm so tired, I'm feeling so upset
Although I'm so tired I'll have another cigarette
And curse Sir Walter Raleigh
He was such a stupid get.

Rock and Roll Confidential

Presenting the Hall of Douchebags:
http://www.rockandrollconfidential.com/hall/hall_detail.php?dd_keyid=1

Check it out, bad pictures of bad bands (probably long since gone).

Postal Theft

Since I haven't posted for a while, and can't think of anything to post ( I have two on hold, being undatable and turning 30, but that one's for my birthday coming up), I'm going to steal this from Mark and SassyB. (They were tagged, and I don't know what that means, BTW, WTF is a meme?)

10 Years Ago I was:

• Working for American Express, just created a new position saving the company tens of thousands of dollars, and paid like a clerk, my first experience of the corporate world (BASTARDS)
• Had yet to see R.E.M. live, but bought 7 of the 9 available albums including Monster, a grunge album about sex, a turn around from Automatic For the People, a folk album about death
• Almost 20, still hadn't been drinking (waited until 21, can you believe that?!?)
• Attending ASU, part time
• No dates
  

5 Years Ago I was:

• Still working for American Express in desktop support with the aforementioned Mark and SassyB
• Had seen R.E.M. 8 times, but only once in Phoenix (Las Vegas, LA-2, Irvine, Moutain View-2 (CA bay area), Denver)
• Almost 25, starting to feel old halfway through it. Found alcohol, liked it.
• Attending University of Phoenix (BTW, still not done)
• No dates

1 Year Ago I was:

• Working for Shamrock Foods, after getting laid off from Amex in 2002, cut as a contractor from IBM (at Amex) in 2003, and quitting the hideous phone support position there. Thought about going back to Amex to get my 5 weeks of vacation.
• Working on a trip to see R.E.M. 5 times in 3 weeks (LA, Santa Barbara, Irvine, then New York and Connecticut), for my 14th-18th times seeing them.
• Almost 29, feeling very old
• No school
• No dates

Yesterday I was:

• Tired as all hell from the weekend (had a bachelor party at my house)
• Bitching about my fantasy football team
• Hoping I get to talk to that girl I like (didn't happen)
• Listened to music at work (benefits of being in a back room, turned up the speakers)

5 Snacks I enjoy the most:

• Cold Pizza
• Starbust (especially cherry, then strawberry, then cherry and lemon together)
• Tootsie rolls
• Cinnamon sugar graham crackers
• Slice of cheddar cheese

5 Songs I know all the words to:

• It's the End of the World As We Know it (and I feel fine) - R.E.M. (some people don't even know the whole title!) + 90% of the rest of the R.E.M. catalog
  
• 75% of all Pearl Jam songs
• 66% of Neil Young songs
• 75% of The Beatles catalog
• Too many other various ones

5 Ideal Places for running away to:

• New York City - but only with a ton of cash
• Six Flags Magic Mountain (this should have the sign "Happiest Place on Earth"
• Las Vegas - with aforementioned ton of cash
• Empty desert with a guitar
• Forest with a guitar

5 Items You'll never see me wear:

• A real suit (Dockers with a shirt and tie is the closest I come)
• Sweater (except hockey jerseys which are called "sweaters")
• Designer jeans (I guess Levi's isn't designer)
• Gold necklace (don't like anything around my neck)
• And of course, a speedo

5 Biggest Joys in Life:

• Music
• Friends and Family
• Hockey (playing and watching)
• Sports (watching)
• Music

3 Favorite Toys:

• My guitars & drums (I guess that should be musical instruments)
  
• My Computer
• iPod