It's all about feel, isn't it.
I think it is. Being moved to write something, whatever it is. . a song, a "tweet", a blog post. Whatever it is, it's really all the same.
So I've been reading a bit, listening to some music, watching some videos and find myself with a rare few minutes to sit and write some shit down. As I've been known to do in the past, this will be a bulleted blog post, more like a series of tweets (I, along with the rest of this generation has been poisoned by social networking media). But whatever. Here's what I've been thinking an awful lot about.
- Death. A lot. More than usual, too. It seems like every time I'm in the car by myself I consider what might happen if I were to lose control, or worse if someone else were to lose control causing my car to spin out of control and over the side of a bridge. Usually the 59th Street bridge, but I'm not discriminating. I suspect any bridge would do. I guess I was already in this mindset and then I rediscovered "The '59 Sound" by The Gaslight Anthem which is a song rather indiscreetly about death. It's fucked up. Or, rather it is what it is. The outcome however. . I end up thinking a lot about what I do on a daily basis and making sure that whatever it is, is something satisfying, fulfilling and worthwhile.
- I remember in the Lethal Weapon movies, Mel Gibson claimed to sleep with a gun under his pillow. Same thing in "I, Robot" with Will Smith. You find out that in fact they both did, at least in the movie. I guess that's something to be said by cops, detectives and other special agents (army, navy, marines, etc) that are in a position to be wielding firearms. I sleep with my guitar.
- I've become pretty enamored of the "#nowplaying" topic on Twitter. Seeing as I'm either listening to, viewing, or hearing a song in my head every minute I'm awake, it seems apropos. I just put on "Lost" by Coldplay from Viva La Vida. That's a strong record. Not a rock record, but a strong record all the same.
- When people ask me or Pat how to classify our music I've often been moved to compare us to many different bands, usually our biggest influences that people would be familiar with. It's not really indie rock, or alternative rock. It's really more like rock rock. I think if it were listed on MySpace it would say "Rock/Pop/Rock". Nothing wrong with that. Who doesn't like pop.
- #nowplaying OneRepublic - Goodbye Apathy. A gem on their Dreaming Out Loud record.
- I watched Inglorious Basterds for the second time last night. It definitely was better the second time around. It's fucking amazing when a movie can do that and truly outdo itself with the second viewing. Seems reasonable to assume that it might be even better the third time through.
- #nowplaying Kings of Leon - Use Somebody. For a change. Speaking of replay value, my god.
- James Morrison is a seriously talented dude. The first time I heard "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore" I was in a hotel in Venice watching MTV Europe. The two videos I caught while watching were the aforementioned James Morrison, and "I Still Remember" by Bloc Party (sweet band). Needless to say my return from Venice resulted in the purchase of both of those records. Undiscovered and A Weekend In The City respectively have seen an awful lot of play over the last three years.
- What's actually playing now, or properly #nowplaying Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire, but the song that just occurred to me, and will likely follow is "Dig" by Incubus. Light Grenades kicked so much ass. It was particularly fortunate that they put that record out because I thought "A Crow Left Of The Murder" was awful, save for the single. But even that was a little bit ridiculous and self indulgent on their part. Nothing personal, cuz I love Incubus, but I'm not always so in love with political statements of any sort. I don't begrudge people their right to voice them, I just can't promise that I'll always be listening.
- People are so obsessed with time travel and the possibility of achieving these great ends by defying the laws of physics and other sciences. Make a really good fucking mix tape/cd/playlist and close your eyes. That will take care of all the time travel you need. If you're aching to be taken back, you can make it happen.
- I started playing guitar when I was 11. I don't remember exactly when I realized that singing was probably a good activity to incorporate with that. I'm glad I did though. I don't think anything makes me as happy as singing does. Don't get me wrong, playing guitar is a kick ass time and something I relish every second of. Singing is kind of different though. . I don't even think I can explain why well enough to do it justice. Having the opportunity to sing on a daily basis has kept me out of a straight jacket.
- #nowplaying The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight, also the sound of my washing machine. I've recently gotten into doing laundry. Not that I wasn't wearing clean clothes before, but I decided that I could bite the bullet and do it myself since I have a washer/dryer in my apartment instead of running down the block to the laundromat. Whatever. The real hard part is folding clothes and I don't do that anyway so I'll save the $12.27.
- I'm heavily inspired by people who do what they want.
- I heard the entirety of Radiohead's "In Rainbows" on Thanksgiving of 2008 for the first time. I bet I've listened to it and its components an uncountable number of times since then.
- I wrote a new song the other day. It was one of the ones that instead of having to work hard at it, edit, revise, rework, restructure, rethink just sort of flew out in a forty minute purge. I'm not sure what it's going to be called yet, but I played it for Pat and the guys at rehearsal today and we'll start to bring it to life more on Friday. Here's the lyrics:
They're just words,
But it kills me when you smile.
If you wanna know, it happens all the time.
And I say "never say never" and this might just take forever,
But it's not half as often as I'd like.
They're just ideas,
But they seemed great at the time.
And I'd rather end up wrong than never know.
Of course everyone knows better, they say "this will kill you if you let it",
But I'd never make light of letting go.
This could be the last time
You'll never know if it's the end
If I see you in the next life,
Let's do this again.
I'm the worst.
But I've known it all the while.
And I'd like to think I'm gonna be okay.
My head is clearly overflowing, but you'd have no way of knowing.
And there's nothing that I can do or say.
This could be the last time
You'll never know if it's the end
If I see you in the next life,
Let's do this again.
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Let's do this again some time.
Brian
