I've been wanting to do a music post for awhile. I've been lazy and such and haven't done it... so this will probably come out all rambly and crazy and meandering.
I'm starting with today. For sometime now, I had switched over to the Brew 105.7 for the daily commute. CD101 had been less than stellar and a few of the DJs really get on my nerves. The music had been annoying, etc... I could go on. So I've been consistently listening to the brew without a switchover EVER. Well in the past month or 2, I've been switching back to CD101 every now and again. See... the Brew, all of a sudden, got COMMERCIAL crazy. They would play 1 song for every 10 commercials (or so it seemed to me). I couldn't take it. I started station hopping, like a jack rabbit. Very unhappy with the radio. Now, I do enjoy a good radio, typically you get variety that can only be had with a random mix CD/playlist.
Anyway... on to my point... CD101. Every morning around 6:30 AM, they do 3 at 6:30 from a particular artist. Sometimes, they link a random bit of history with a band or song and that's how they pick, sometimes that band will be in concert or it's a band member's birthday, etc. Today, I missed the REASON for what they played, but I couldn't have been happier, I flipped over and was in the 2nd verse of Take the Skinheads bowling by Camper Van Beethoven. Now if you know me at all, you may know this is one of my most favorite songs in the world! I'm not kidding. It is my instant HAPPY song... as soon as I hear even just a little bit of it a note or 2, there is a HUGE smile on my face. It just cracks me up. So I'm bopping along, singing the song, driving to work, with a smile on. Next they played Pictures of Matchstick Men (hadn't heard in forever) and finally 51-7 (I had forgotten how good that song was).
After listening to Camper, they went into Evenflow by Pearl Jam. By this time I was on the highway and I'm rockin out only to realize that I AM SPEEDING! Like RIDICULOUS (85) and I laughed because most often when I listen to PJ, I speed... is there some twisted subliminal message in there somewhere? But I do love some classic PJ and so when I arrived at work (and I did slow down), I knew I had a LOT to do today, so much going on and meetings... well, music makes me tune in and get the shit done. So Pearl Jam it is, I loaded up the media player and just finished listening to 10 (Pearl Jam's first full length release). Wow... what a great album! It was released back in August of 1991. And while it was on the heels of the grunge movement, I think it is really timeless. And some may say it was the forefront of grunge, but I will debate until I die it wasn't and well, that's a whole other post, some day.
I was in college and I remember, not liking them at first. If I recall, I think, Alive was their first release from it and well, it was, eh, ok, then I got tired of the overplay. Enter Evenflow which still didn't flip me over, then Jeremy and the Jeremy video talk about overplay... I was nearly DONE with Pearl Jam, but then....
A friend of mine from college, Mike (aka Chewey), was in a band and he played the bass and one night at a bar they played Evenflow... I was converted. Something about that night and about Mike and his bandmates turned me over, I was hooked, hard. I started liking Pearl Jam so much so that when VS was released in October of 1993, I REMEMBER ditching classes on a Tuesday, with Mike, Nancy, Heather and Andy, driving up to Franklin Park Mall in Toledo to go buy the CD as soon as it was released! We had a blast by the way, it was completely ridiculous and raucous and so much fun!
Somewhere in the Spring of 94 (I think), I went to my FIRST (of many) Pearl Jam concerts with my best pal, Heather. Her grandma actually bought us the tickets as soon as they went on sale because we were in class. Anyway, we looked forward to it for months. They were playing in Cleveland, we had no idea where we were going and I don't remember much about the trip there or home... but I remember the show (most of it, vividly). We were in the nose bleeds on the stage left side. We were so high it was nauseating... but it didn't matter, we were there! So the stage was black, there were speakers and equipment everywhere. Everything was draped in black sheeting and atop the surfaces were candles, tons and tons of candles, varying heights and sizes, hundreds of them. I didn't see how it happened or who lit them up, but they were finally lit and from this far away place, I began to hear this low gutteral moan and a few tinkling notes and I LOST MY SHIT! They were opening with my very favorite song in the world, RELEASE. I swear I nearly hyperventilated and passed out. I was euphoric, in heaven, I felt like Eddie was singing RIGHT TO ME. Like he said, "Kristie, this song is for YOU!"
And that was it. I melted, died, fainted into oblivion (not really). It was the most amazing moment and everytime I hear that song, I still remember that moment like it was just last night, I remember the feeling and I get chills, everytime, I still get chills. So over the years following I had my ups and downs with Eddie and crew. But I've always remained a fan. I've travelled the furthest for them over any band I've liked, Albuquerque, NM. That was a trip of whimsy.
My friend Christy and I decided it would be cool to see PJ in another city. We looked at Seattle first, of course, because it was their birth city and why not, Seattle is really effing cool, right?! Well of course everything but the last row was sold out... then, why not CA, I've never been, lets go there... nope, nosebleeds and sold out too. So we looked up Alb... wth? They had amazing seats left. So we got them, then plane tix, then hotel and then requested vacation time, literally, in that order.
The show was at Mesa Del Sol ampitheatre which lies just outside the town in like the desert. It's an amazing place. You drive up a big hill (mountain) and park, then walk, winding down and it's like the pavillion is carved out of the rocks. There is no ceiling, just a stage in the middle of the desert. So, there we were, at stage right up close to the stage. We were the last couple of seats of like the 4th or 5th row but because we were on the curve, there were no seats in front of us, so it's almost like we were right next to the stage. Again, an amazing show and amazing moments. Vibing with Pearl Jam in the desert, open air and a sky filled with stars - magical.
So that all came flooding back today and here is where I start going backwards.
Over the weekend, I managed to catch two really great programs. One was a 2 hr documentary on Johnny Cash, I think it was called Johnny Cash's America (but I can't be certain). I missed the first 15 minutes but was glued to the rest of the program. I've loved JC for a really long time, so it was really amazing to see how all these different people felt about him. People from the music industry as well as family, friends and fans. I never really understood the massive effect of his influence on people, considering back in the day, he was billed as a Country star. But what is interesting to me, is I've never felt that he was that label. His roots were in gospel and blues (my opinion). I don't love all of his songs, but I do love his voice. I love the lack of him having a big backing band with experience. It lends to his sound and makes his music distinctive. So yeah, he was a big influence on a lot of people and that's pretty profound. He definitely left his mark and I'm sad all over again that he is gone.
After that show ended, another show I hadn't heard of started, Private Sessions. Not sure how long this has been airing, but I'll have to keep tabs and watch again. This week, they featured Melissa Etheridge. And while I feel, the host is a major dingbat, fangirl airhead... Melissa and her music are pretty darn awesome. She played about 5 or 6 songs during the hour and they had their little chat. I wished the interview would have been a little meatier. I would like to know more about her inspiration, how she writes, why she left college to pursue music, etc. Just KNOW more about her. Anyway, it was good show and makes me want to buy her new album, Fearless Love.
Back in concert mode. I attended a couple of concerts a few weeks back. The first, Blue October. I won tickets to this show, which is a good thing because I wouldn't have gone, otherwise. I'm a fan of them, but not sure that I'd pay to go, not knowing what you are going to get, ya know. So I really got hooked on BluOct back when She's My Ride hit the radio. I thought this song was amazing, it's dark and angsty and rocking all at the same time. I think it's a great song. So much so that I downloaded the album and fell in love with a few other tunes... then I downloaded their first album and realized that I had heard them before, Calling You and Hate Me which is on the same Album as She's My Ride, but that song came out like third. I was a little late to the game that time. Anyway, the more I heard Blue October, the more I realized this singer, Justin is really messed up. He's admittedly attempted suicide, is on anti-depressents and such and from a very young age due to being bi-polar. I feel bad for him, but I truly LOVE his vocals. He is one of those tortured artist soles that luckily hasn't lost the battle and I hope he continues to be ok. He has a lot to bring to the music scene and he's really good.
So the concert rocked pretty hard. There was a really mixed, diverse crowd, young and old. I was down in the pit at the LC, enthralled. They played many of the songs I liked and Brian seemed to enjoy the music, too. It was a fun night and I'm so glad I was able to experience the show, if they come around again, I will try and win tix again, but if I don't, I would definitely PAY for the show.
While at the window for the Blue Oct show, I bought my ticket for a show going down a few days later, Angels and Airwaves. I LOVE Tom Delonge and A&A music. I was always a fan of Blink 182 (who wasn't) and I especially like the unique sound of Tom's voice and vocals. It's different and I like it. Plus as great as Blink was at being punk and crazy... A&A is definitely more attuned to my taste as it's more soulful and earnest and angsty all at the same time. Anthemic, really. Anyway, I won tix for them a few years back and it was another one of those pivotal, amazing experiences in my life. I can't even describe right now as I don't have the right words, but MOVING is on that list. I went in, only knowing a song or 2 (and also not know the blink tie-in at the time) and I fell hard. I don't even remember what songs were played in what order, only that I stood there, mesmerized by the experience. Trance-like really. I was in awe and in love and just shredded. So I was now a fan.
They toured again, but I waited too long and the show sold out. I was mad at myself and I was NOT going to miss them this time around. And maybe because of the build up or the lust and need to see them again, I have to admit I was a little disappointed. It wasn't the music I was disappointed in, but over all the show. First of all, the entire crowd was YOUNG... and I don't mean just like college kids... I mean HIGH SCHOOL and MIDDLE SCHOOL! I was shocked! I mean, I'm definitely glad that there are people out there listening to them, who cares how old they are, but I was really dumbfounded at the youth in the group.
For a bit, I felt like the oldest person there, but then I spotted a few folks that were older than me, but I was definitely old by comparison. Anyway, a group of these kids kind of ruined my experience. It was just chaotic, there was pushing, shoving, elbowing, these annoying children running around trying to squish in here and there and just not being still or even paying attention to the music or the band. It was incredibly rude. So I'm in the midst of trying to listen and enjoy while dodging body parts, feet, arms, legs... it was chaos! Finally I left the pit and stood in the back so I could actually SEE and hear the show.
They only played like 2 of my favorite songs, so I was a bit disappointed by that. Overall it was probably a better show than I am remembering it to be, but I'm still left feeling a little bummed. Although, Tom was his usual silly self and chatted with the crowd now and again. He's always funny and witty. I will pay to go see them again in hopes that it's even better. One thing I do distinctly remember though is the sound quality was excellent. It was loud like a rock show, but not grating or grinding or awful. It was clear and pleasant and LOUD!
And it is effective?
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