Wednesday, March 12, 2008
And She's in Love with the Information Age (Yeah)
Something positive to say. This thing has been building up inside me, and it's finally snuck up and said hey. What I'm talking about is my love of writing. My love for new music. My love for discovering new things. Man, it's fantastic.
So, this semester, I went back to write at the Cougar. I decided I could definitely use more practice. Didn't even realize I took a four- or five-year hiatus. And a big break from writing, altogether, actually. But it's like I woke up, and I have so much more to say. And I look at things differently. It never gets old anymore.
I set out to write about anything and everything. I explained to my editor that I'd be easygoing, and would pretty much take whatever she'd throw at me, even the stuff other writers didn't want to do. And it's benefited me more than I could even imagine.
I missed being part of a scene. I missed getting inspired. And it's all coming back. More than I ever even knew was missing.
I took several assignments, but I've also taken tons of initiative. Basically, anything from Web searches of new albums for 2008, to contacting labels directly for advances and press info.
The response has been overwhelming. I'm making ties with people who love music all over -- musicians, publicists, in Orlando and lots in New York City, in Seattle ... all over.
For the first time, I really see a future in this. It's grown to be more than a hobby. It's an adventure. I also realized how much I love research. I do way more reporting than I used to, and I've done more interviews. I'm experimenting with anecdotal leads, and incorporating a lot more quotes into my writing. I've been proud of every article I've turned in; even the ones where I felt pressed for time, or maybe played phone tag and couldn't get the interview I wanted. I've made due. I've really sat and listened, and read, and thought about things.
In the past two days, I've lined up six stories for the next two months. I'm getting free tickets to three shows, and eight new albums!
If you are interested at all in what I've been listening to, you've got to check this stuff out:
1. The Diggs -- Ctrl-Alt-Del -- Stream the new album here.
2. The Oaks -- Songs for Waiting -- Stream it here!
3. Also, my reviews for The Whigs, Carlene Carter, Peachcake, and Meg & Dia are all here, if you are interested. I've loved everything so far. Meg & Dia weren't my favorite, but I made the best of things. The Oaks review is coming Friday, and The Diggs should run after spring break.
***
Not only has my love for listening returned, but so has my passion for playing and performing. I've been playing an open mic at Bohemio's almost every week for a few weeks, and the people there are just fantastic.
I'm trying to get a show together there with a couple of other acts. Getting the line-up ready and trying to come up with a date to propose, but am thinking of practicing some more and maybe waiting until after finals. Not sure, though.
I started out playing covers there, because playing my own shit makes me so nervous. Because it's all so personal. But I play my covers in a way that is intensely personal to me as well.
I have made a point to arrange them however I want, and really make them mine. And sometimes in the moment, I'll throw in a chorus or an extra round of my favorite verse. I've really been experimenting with the dynamics of a song. It has always been one of my favorite things when making/experiencing music. To take a simple verse or song structure and spice it up by making tempo or strumming changes, or taking the last chorus up an octave, adding crescendos, things like that.
Some covers I've been playing:
"Oil and Water" by Incubus
"Brand New Colony" by The Postal Service
"Memory by Sugarcult"
"One" -- the Johnny Cash version
Those are the newest, or the ones I've really been working on. Then there's some Bright Eyes and Azure Ray stuff I've known for awhile and love to play. I also still play "Linger" by The Cranberries, which people either love or hate equally, but it's the most popular song I know, so it's got its positives, too.
You know what's weird? How when you play music, people will never hear what you do. It's a funny thing. Like how I think all the covers I play are completely amazing songs, and then many people tell me they like my originals more. Or how one of the silliest songs I ever wrote is probably the most favorite one of all my friends, and strangers I play for. It's this song I wrote about four years ago, about growing up, and all these stages I went through, and reflecting back on this one summer that seems to sum up everything that's past. It's about how my friend Guillermo and I used to play Goldeneye for hours at night the summer after graduation. It's about how no matter what changes, we'll always have that. I hope that when people listen to it, maybe they'll think of what Goldeneye was for them. But I'll never really know what that is.
I'm just really grateful inside.
-c
Something positive to say. This thing has been building up inside me, and it's finally snuck up and said hey. What I'm talking about is my love of writing. My love for new music. My love for discovering new things. Man, it's fantastic.
So, this semester, I went back to write at the Cougar. I decided I could definitely use more practice. Didn't even realize I took a four- or five-year hiatus. And a big break from writing, altogether, actually. But it's like I woke up, and I have so much more to say. And I look at things differently. It never gets old anymore.
I set out to write about anything and everything. I explained to my editor that I'd be easygoing, and would pretty much take whatever she'd throw at me, even the stuff other writers didn't want to do. And it's benefited me more than I could even imagine.
I missed being part of a scene. I missed getting inspired. And it's all coming back. More than I ever even knew was missing.
I took several assignments, but I've also taken tons of initiative. Basically, anything from Web searches of new albums for 2008, to contacting labels directly for advances and press info.
The response has been overwhelming. I'm making ties with people who love music all over -- musicians, publicists, in Orlando and lots in New York City, in Seattle ... all over.
For the first time, I really see a future in this. It's grown to be more than a hobby. It's an adventure. I also realized how much I love research. I do way more reporting than I used to, and I've done more interviews. I'm experimenting with anecdotal leads, and incorporating a lot more quotes into my writing. I've been proud of every article I've turned in; even the ones where I felt pressed for time, or maybe played phone tag and couldn't get the interview I wanted. I've made due. I've really sat and listened, and read, and thought about things.
In the past two days, I've lined up six stories for the next two months. I'm getting free tickets to three shows, and eight new albums!
If you are interested at all in what I've been listening to, you've got to check this stuff out:
1. The Diggs -- Ctrl-Alt-Del -- Stream the new album here.
2. The Oaks -- Songs for Waiting -- Stream it here!
3. Also, my reviews for The Whigs, Carlene Carter, Peachcake, and Meg & Dia are all here, if you are interested. I've loved everything so far. Meg & Dia weren't my favorite, but I made the best of things. The Oaks review is coming Friday, and The Diggs should run after spring break.
***
Not only has my love for listening returned, but so has my passion for playing and performing. I've been playing an open mic at Bohemio's almost every week for a few weeks, and the people there are just fantastic.
I'm trying to get a show together there with a couple of other acts. Getting the line-up ready and trying to come up with a date to propose, but am thinking of practicing some more and maybe waiting until after finals. Not sure, though.
I started out playing covers there, because playing my own shit makes me so nervous. Because it's all so personal. But I play my covers in a way that is intensely personal to me as well.
I have made a point to arrange them however I want, and really make them mine. And sometimes in the moment, I'll throw in a chorus or an extra round of my favorite verse. I've really been experimenting with the dynamics of a song. It has always been one of my favorite things when making/experiencing music. To take a simple verse or song structure and spice it up by making tempo or strumming changes, or taking the last chorus up an octave, adding crescendos, things like that.
Some covers I've been playing:
"Oil and Water" by Incubus
"Brand New Colony" by The Postal Service
"Memory by Sugarcult"
"One" -- the Johnny Cash version
Those are the newest, or the ones I've really been working on. Then there's some Bright Eyes and Azure Ray stuff I've known for awhile and love to play. I also still play "Linger" by The Cranberries, which people either love or hate equally, but it's the most popular song I know, so it's got its positives, too.
You know what's weird? How when you play music, people will never hear what you do. It's a funny thing. Like how I think all the covers I play are completely amazing songs, and then many people tell me they like my originals more. Or how one of the silliest songs I ever wrote is probably the most favorite one of all my friends, and strangers I play for. It's this song I wrote about four years ago, about growing up, and all these stages I went through, and reflecting back on this one summer that seems to sum up everything that's past. It's about how my friend Guillermo and I used to play Goldeneye for hours at night the summer after graduation. It's about how no matter what changes, we'll always have that. I hope that when people listen to it, maybe they'll think of what Goldeneye was for them. But I'll never really know what that is.
I'm just really grateful inside.
-c
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