my life in Hair Metal

this is what I looked like when I was 17

I hung out at the beach and went to all ages shows at the sketchy club that hosted them. We were there A LOT. So much people there knew us, we were regulars before we could vote. This should have been a sign but that is a different entry all together.

A while ago I read this article after being linked to it through something involving Butch Walker (who I try to mention in very blog I write). ANYWAY! This article compares everything I listen to now to everything I listened to 20-25 years ago.

MAN I AM OLD.


It made me think about it and listen to some one those old bands and songs again. Except I would listen to them thinking about who I listen to now. Leaving out Mr. Walker since he was IN a hair band and I can just directly compare those two. Since OH YES I have those cassettes (thanks Kat!)

Yes, I pulled out cassettes. For those of you who may not know what those are they were what we had before CDs they looked like this...
They were amazing and I love them like people love records and have come to own A LOT of them since I am one of few people that still have a cassette player in their home. (this collection includes many a mixtape which the lovery Miss Banshee wrote an amazing blog about and you should be reading her anyway).

Yet again I DIGRESS!!!

So I listened to L.A. Guns then The Sea Hags then some Trixter and so on.



Before Bret Michaels was a reality TV star. Before Kurt Cobain was a rock star. When boys looked (actually) like women and IT WAS GLORIOUS

This music wasn't about feelings. This music was about living fast and falling faster.



(this is still one of the best songs ever)

The more I thought about it the more I think it is true... the article mentions Warrant/Taking Back Sunday but really?

Skid Row/My Chemical Romance
LA Guns/The Used
Cinderella/Fall Out Boy
Faster Pussycat/Aiden
Poison/Cobra Starship


it can go on... it's fun and easy to do! I am not shocked, I love them all SO MUCH. Then and now. Most of todays bands were just being BORN when these bands were big, they list Green Day and Blink 182 as influences. It's weird.



The 90's (my late teens/early 20's) were a bleak time. I barely bought music and I rarely saw bands I liked play. I listened to some of the "grunge" stage of rock music. There was a lot of Marilyn Manson during this time.


Generally music stopped being fun. Knock the emo kid scene all you want they made things FUN again.







Slapped on a little eyeliner got a little pretty and wrote nice upbeat songs.
(these boys were all born about when I graduated high school, making me old enough to be their mother)

and yes that is Flava Flav.




Say what you will, it doesn't make me upset or depressed. Usually it makes me dance my butt off and scream my lungs out. To me music was always there.

The internet has made music weird. There was always a scene but it seems so much more defined now. Fans seem more entitled now. Like the bands are the performing monkey in the hat and they are the crazy Russian cranking the box. This bothers me more than you know.


My life has a total soundtrack. Most days it includes every band mentioned or shown here.

And I am perfectly ok with that.

Love's an excuse to get hurt and to hurt

I hate to write when I am feeling all emo and sad. Which I know is backwards and people use writing for therapy. I am bad at this. I am bad at sharing when I am anything but happy or angry with others. If it is something I have to work out myself I keep it to myself. Sit in the dark and listen to things like Placebo and Bright Eyes. Keep trying to tell myself that I don't suffer from SAD but it always gets this way in February. And I also need to remember that people are good and that I am not burdening anyone for being in a crappy mood.



Speaking of February. Who was the fucking GENIUS who put a holiday like Valentine's Day in the middle of a month where everyone falls into a funk anyway? Is it to weed out the weak? Well fucking done Hallmark.

*reading over the Wikipedia page on Valentine's Day it looks like it is really this way due to people being dumb and not knowing how to read*


So about more about me, since this after all MY blog and I can do whatever the fuck I want here. This year February has brought me one death and one relapse due to drug addiction, my entire work like turned on it's ear, a two week long back ache, a killer fight at home (to start my joyous holiday referenced above), my car mirror being ripped off and subsequent annoyance of getting this resolved.

It's only the 18th. Thankfully it is February so we only have 10 days left. Who ever thought of THAT is pure 100% ACTUAL GENIUS.

The blog title is from "Lover I Don't Have to Love" by Bright Eyes.

Because Conor Oberst is my #1 emo day crush


Mostly this song...

Yeah, I am going to discuss religion.

I am not religious. Yes, it's odd to start with this statement but I feel like I should because of my next.

I am going straight to Hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200.



Why?

There are many reasons. Most Catholics with tell you that it is just the fact I do not repent for my sins and fail to believe in "God" or follow the word of Jesus. Personally I think you should have to do more than SAY you follow someone's words or that this all powerful entity is in control of your life and actions. You are in control of your destiny.


This brings me to my # 1 reason I am going to Hell. Just the fact that I THINK I am in control of my destiny makes me pretty much a Satanist to many people. But this is only because most of what people who READ know about Satanism is what Anton LeVey wrote about Satanism. If you don't believe in God in the Catholic sense you can't believe in Satan. Therefore making Satanists just really Anti-Catholics. Modern Satanism is really just being a selfish prick and doing whatever you want. Which I also fully support.


I work in a office with MANY very religious people. Openly religious. Which I think is fine. But would they feel the same if I was just as open about my anti-religion stance. Not likely. Which goes against the acceptance and forgiveness that is the pillar of most religion.

These are where the problems in religion are.

That said I think faith is very important. Mostly faith in one's self. I also think being spiritual is very important. But if you are going to say you are something know what it is. Know what is before you tell me where I will be spending eternity.


Yeah I read too much. I was a kid who spent too much time in the library. I also still find Theology exciting and super interesting.

The other reason I am going to hell? That time I decapitated the statue of the pope at a friend's funeral.

I think too much about John Mayer

I am sitting on my couch eating breakfast drinking coffee and also channel surfing. I stopped on VH1, John Mayer storytellers is on.



Now against my better judgement I like John Mayer. I am a sucker for tall boys who are funny. I don't particularly like his music, but I understand, he writes songs for upper-middle class house wives. Sappy love songs that seem really sweet. He does it well, they LOVE it.



But WOW some are not sugary sweet songs. He just got done singing "Daughters" which we all think is AWWW so sweet because no one pays attention to what a song is saying.He wrote the song because he was tired of dating girls with daddy issues.

HA!

You are such a douchebag John Mayer, it's kinda fucking fantastic.






For Xmas my friend Erin bought me a book I wanted called Touch Me I'm Sick: The 52 Creepiest Love Songs You've Ever Heard by Tom Reynolds "Your Body is a Wonderland" is among them. Which is what just came on so as I write about it I have to listen to it. This song is so awful and you know he wrote it just to get laid.

This book describes it best stating that Mayer is two people and the evil twin is the one responsible for these terrible things and the other is a crazy talented guitar player who wishes he was Stevie Ray Vaughn.

I will admit he is very talented and smoking hot. And I kinda like that new single "Who Says".

Decade in Review Part 3: Movies

I had a really tough time with this list. I see A LOT of movies. Some are garbage, but most are good. When thinking of movies from the last decade I was underwhelmed so few that I was OMG BRILLIANT about.

Here are a few that stood out


Planet Terror



Robert Rodriguez will one day be part of my harem of husbands (he can be the XL size, but that is a story for another day). I saw "Grindhouse" opening weekend I WAS SO VERY EXCITED. I am glad we got to experience it with Death Proof. Honestly though this was 12342x better. Zombies and shooting and Freddie Rodriquez and Robert Rodriguez and Rose's machine gun leg! ROSE MCGOWAN HAS A MACHINE GUN FOR A LEG!! There was nothing for me NOT to love about this movie.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind



I have MAJOR crushes on both Jim Carrey AND Kate Winslet so I would have seen this movie even if it was terrible. Overall I like Michel Gondry as a director. His movies are always interesting and pretty to look at. This one is no different. I went and saw it by myself, then a few days later took The Boy. I SOBBED both times and do everytime I watch this. I love this story(so do others it won a screenplay Oscar). I love the fact that even if we erase someone from our memory sometimes fate brings us together anyway. (sometimes my girly-ness makes me want to puke)

Shaun of The Dead


Do you know me? Well if you do there is no need to explain this choice. I am pretty sure everyone who reads this knows me but just in case. I love horror movies, zombies are a close second to vampires. Pretty much I will see something if it has characters that were once dead and now are not and walk among us. I also enjoy a well made satire. None of that "Scary Movie" shit THIS is how you make a comedy that is also a wonderful homage to the zombie movies we all grew up with.

These 3 (l-r Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) are BRILLIANT! Do you follow them on Twitter? If you don't you should, if you don't have a Twitter you should JUST to follow them. Me? I would follow them all to the end of the earth, but I also have issues. But that is besides the point, they are HILARIOUS!! This movie is hilarious and bloody and would probably make my top list of all time not just the decade.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

This one I am just going to use clips for because anything I say will sound like fangirl screaming at this point.






now I have to watch this and listen to the soundtrack today.

100% amazing. Just watch it, don't think about "musical" or "drag" because all it will do it make you miss one of the best films EVER.

Also if you ever get a chance to see a stage production of this DO IT.

Let the Right One In



Yeah I know, vampires are TOTALLY IN right now. So why did no one see this movie? Is it because it has subtitles? Or the only vampire in it is a pre-teen girl not a sparklely high school senior?

THIS film is BARELY a vampire movie. It is about love and friendship and growing old. And it's gorgeous and it's brilliantly written and I will VIOLENTLY PROTEST THE AMERICAN REMAKE!! WHY USA? WHY ARE YOU SO A-SCARED OF SUBTITLES? It's really a shame since Hollywood is totally going to ruin the beauty of this film.


There you go peeps. I have no idea why this was such a hard list. I even have RUNNERS UP: Moulin Rouge, Children of Men, Old Boy all could have been on this list if I had made it longer. But I am sticking with only 5.

Decade in Review Part Two: Music

This decade I rediscovered music it seems. As much as everyone seems to dislike the "emo" music I embraced it. Suddenly I could not get enough of the music that was being released and enjoyed more new music than I had in YEARS. It seemed the late 90's were a little too mellow and indie for me, maybe even too sad. Then suddenly that exploded into ANGST AND ANGER AND LOUD!!

I was a metal kid for all intents and purposes. But my favorite bands were always basic rock bands. The Replacements, Concrete Blonde, Soul Asylum, INXS... you get the idea. I also was SUPER into hair bands, but the sleazy LA kind: Faster Pussycat, LA Guns, Skid Row... less hair spray more cocaine and leather. Which led to my love of Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls and Big Star.


It all makes sense now doesn't it.


So thank you 2000's for making me love music again


5. Cobra Starship

This is my favorite




The first time I heard Cobra Starship was live. I saw them open for 30 Seconds to Mars and Head Automatica. It was right after the first album came out. I walked in as the band before them was ending (they were kinda bad). Then this crazy looking group of kids took the stage. AND I WAS FLOORED. I made sure I bought a CD on the way out, I dug it, then thought nothing more. When Viva La Cobra came out is when I was hooked. They are fun and ridiculous and THEY have fun.

Cobra shows are some of the most fun experiences EVER, you shake your butt off and I usually come home with 1/2 my voice. I will always prefer seeing them live than on CD. And I am so ::sniff:: proud that this year as been so great from them.


4. The Dresden Dolls/Amanda Palmer



I picked this song because I love it and also love Jools Holland

Living in Boston the Dresden Dolls had been on the local scene for a bit, I had heard about them but had never had a chance to see them. I gave them a listen and was impressed by how different and pretty damn amazing they were.

Last year Amanda Palmer released a solo album that was one of the best things I had ever heard. It made my top albums of last year. If you do not have it go get in now then do the same with the Dresden Dolls albums. You will not be sorry.


3. The Used

Pretty much I love everything about The Used.




I wish I could say I loved them the second I heard them, but I didn't I actually HATED it. Bert's voice got on my nerves so I never gave it a second listen. Then I heard "I Caught Fire" somewhere and was all "Who is THIS?" so I went back and realized I must have been high on crack the first time I listened to them since it was OBVIOUSLY wonderful.

The thing I love about them the most is that they are sort of jerks, but in a nice way. That makes no sense, I know. But I feel like they do make music for themselves and are glad that people like it. Too many artists make music for people and hope they (the band) like it.

They are also HILARIOUS.


It is embarrassing how many times I have watched this.


2. My Chemical Romance


Since I always use "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" I will use this, my second favorite MCR song to sign at the top of my lungs in the car



This will not be the "They saved my life OMG!!" because they didn't, but I love them. Love that their songs are amazing, love that they are dorks. Everything I read, see or hear from/about them makes me love them a little more.

For a bit I tried to resist them and it was useless. You sound like that and and like comic books, horror movies and were an outsider as a kid? Yeah, it was useless to try it all had been decided for me.


1. Butch Walker

it's really not fair to put this here since he has been putting out music for years but started putting out solo albums this decade SO IT TOTALLY COUNTS!!

Again trying to share something that I have not used a trillion times.



This man :::sigh::: the songs are perfect always, he is one of the most genuine and amazing people I have ever met. Seeing him preform is something I crave and never doesn't send chills up my spine and often brings me to tears.



Yep, Butch Walker... forever #1 (and I will always find a loophole to make it so.)




This year started with me seeing Butch, next month I see The Used. Both MCR and Butch are putting out new albums in the next couple of months. What does this mean? That I will be taking LOTS of time off to "go on tour" lol

Decade in Review Part One: TV

So I am sitting here not watching the last two weeks of Doctor Who. Since as just mentioned to the ElleVee if I don't see it it is not happening. I ENJOY MY DENIAL!!

Anyway while Boy watches something about the world ending in 2012 I figured I would finally do some of these "Best of..." lists


I do love a good list AND countdown. Who am I to deny others like me.

SOOOOO! Going to do 3 of these. TV, Movies & Music. Since what else is there?

TV is first.

Television is used to escape my everyday life. This is why I do not enjoy "Life Without People" or "Things That COULD HAPPEN WITH THE WEATHER THAT WILL END THE WORLD OMG". We do not acknowledge Animal Planet even exists in my house. TV is not for learning. (PS. Who told Willie Nelson to sell his song to the MSPCA? Really?)

The exception that proves this rule is A & E, Hoarders and Intervention are GENIUS! I don't watch them often anymore since they both make me upset. Like in a skin crawly "I can't get clean enough" sort of way.


Shall we begin? Let's....








My Top 5 Shows of the Last Decade!!

5. Glee



really the only reason this is at the bottom is because it has only been on a 1/2 season. It turns out Fox is a BITCH anbout copyright and there are NO show clips of the songs on You Tube. This is a fan vid. I love Finn best. y'all can HAVE Kurt and Puck.

This show is BRILLIANT and I already owed Ryan Murphy my soul now I am going to have to go on a payment plan or something.




4. Torchwood and Doctor Who



OH WAIT THAT IS NOT FROM THE SHOW!!!!




Much better.

I put off watching Doctor Who for a very long time. It reminded me of my parents and the "weird" things they watched after I went to bed. The Theme song STILL kinda creeps me out.

Then I started watching Torchwood. Capt Jack Harkness, the perfect imperfect hero/leader. I was sucked in very quickly, watched the first series within a week. It was all over. My friend Gary! (who is dalekg on twitter and has an old school Doctor Who fan club card) informed me I should watch the last few episodes of the most recent season of Doctor Who since there was some Torchwood crossover.

That was the end. It is all SO VERY CLEVER and Gary! is very proud of my progress.

Both of these shows broke my heart this year.

3. Skins




Skins is what the new 90210 wishes is was. One of the BEST shows at representing teenagers EVER (second only to Freaks and Geeks). S3 was a little bit of a let down, I LOOOOOOVED the kids from S1&2 these kids are terrible and I barely like a couple and hate the rest. But I still watch everyone and wish I had thought of this when I was 18-19 (which is how old the creator of this was).

And that awkward kid from "About a Boy" grew up NICE... it makes me feel dirty.

2. True Blood

Yes, in two seasons it is THAT good





for anyone who has known me for any amount of time knows I have a thing for vampires and the horror genre in general. This show NAILED it. I had not read the books so it was fresh to me (I have since read 2 and have all that have been published on the "TO READ" shelf).

I should not have been surprised. Alan Ball is good. But TV is not known for doing this well, unless Joss Whedon is involved. (See: Moonlight, sigh... I wanted that to be good). This is just the right mix of sexy and violent. Just like a vampire show should be.

1. Supernatural

SHOCKER!!!



BEST. SHOW. EVER. (that is not Buffy)

Have I convinced you to watch this yet? No?

Let me tell you it is funny and scary and perfect. The writing is good. They poke just enough fun at the fans and themselves. They have been able to keep up as time goes on (for a epic fail of this see Heroes). Nothing about this is bad. NOTHING.

And seriously two of the hottest sweetest boys on the planet star on it.

Go watch the first season, you will want to keep going. Promise.


Now like Heroes I have lost my momentum. I will return later in the week for the other parts of this.