As The World Falls Down – how many more musicians are we going to lose?

First, there was the inadvertent trend-setting Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver.

Then, Motorhead metal icon Lemmy Kilmister.

Soul queen Natalie Cole was the next shock passing.

This is all too much already. But now, there’s been yet another crushing blow to the world of music. Such a gaping hole in our hearts and eardrums now that David Bowie has left this earth.

That unmistakable face, and unmistakable sound. This man was true class, and was in a class all his own.

Hell, he was the freaking headmaster.

Sorry for the ramble; I’m still very much in shock. He is really gone, and right now it still doesn’t feel real.

I’ll backtrack to the start. Scott Weiland was the frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, as well as some other projects. His charged, gravelly voice and passionate stage presence always made for one heck of a show.

“Plush” and “Fall to Pieces” respectively are my own personal standouts, but his impressive catalogue is one incredible legacy.

Right. Lemmy. Motorhead. Hard and fast. Head-bashing, insane moshing beats and a steady stream of drawling lyrics were the signature style for this stalwart.

I’m not ashamed to admit: the first time I heard Motorhead was while playing Tony Hawk Underground when “Ace Of Spades” started up. That opening riff, though. You can practically DRINK it!
RIP, Lemmy.

Ah, the “Unforgettable” — yep, that was deliberate. Nope, I make no apologies — Natalie Cole. The iconic moment when she performed that duet with her departed father Nat King Cole was a sheer four minutes of joy. Despite your musical leanings, I think it’s almost physically impossible to not smile on the inside when you hear it.

Come to think of it, my earliest Natalie Cole memory was in 1990, one year prior to the timeless duet release, when she performed the jaunty uplifting “Wild Women Do.” Her smile is so warm, so familiar and welcoming.
What a lady she was. Such an awesome, beautiful in a dozen different ways, lady.

Geez, what a rollercoaster! Listening to these classics is bringing a lump to my throat, I don’t mind admitting.

I’ll do my best to maintain composure, but no promises 😉

Where do I even begin with David Bowie?

Labyrinth. Perfect place to start. Want some goosebumps? You’re welcome. Hey, look! It’s mid-80s Jennifer Connelly! Wow, those masks used to scare the shit out of me when I watched the movie as a kid.

I tried, really I tried, but still, I just cried. There isn’t enough space in this blogosphere to describe how incredible this gentleman was.

An activist, a humanitarian, a huge inspiration to so many people afraid to be themselves, and really just a whole lot of heart as well as boundless class all the way.

He was heavily involved in causes such as Save The Children and Every Mother Counts. (source) He didn’t fake it, either.

You know how some people pretend to give a crap about something to increase their publicity, and nothing more?

Not sir Bowie. You could tell he was passionate and strong in his beliefs and convictions.

And no, I never met the man but I’ve had plenty of experience dealing with phonies. He never gave off that vibe, in my humble opinion.

Needless to say, he also spearheaded the 70s glam rock movement with his Ziggy Stardust alter ego.

Glitter, eyeliner and bright colours were no longer taboo in the world of rock, thanks to this man, along with acts like T-Rex and Roxy Music.

Here’s a bit of “Rebel Rebel” for you, at the height of his glam rock phase.

Not only that; he was so full of energy! He had a break from album releases from 2003 to 2013, but apart from this, he did. not. stop. making music! In fact, Black Star was released on his birthday, a mere two days before his death.

His first album was the self-titled David Bowie and came out in 1967.

That’s nearly 50 years of churning out the tunes. Think about that for a minute…

There is no end to what I could tell you about this stellar human being, but right now I’m a bit of an emotional wreck thinking about how many artists we have lost in the past five weeks.

Right now, I’m going to enjoy cranking the Bowie and drowning in his voice. (one more here, “Ashes To Ashes,” yet another personal favourite)

Here are my final thoughts:

1) Disclaimer: we may not all share the same opinion of the artists I’ve discussed, but let’s keep it respectable.

2) While the musicians have passed, their legacy lives on in the hearts of those who loved them. Play their music, reminisce on the good times and moments in history when you first heard them, and rejoice in the fact they were generous enough to leave such an awesome gift behind.

3) These are some mighty big musical shoes to fill, so it’s time for the industry to lift their game and continue to fill our lives with heart and soul, just like those before them.

4) Don’t be afraid to grieve. Music is a constant, it pumps blood through our veins and puts a spring in our step. Any loss of those feelings is surely going to take a while to process. Keep loving what you love, and keep being touched by the #rhythmofword !!!

I still can't believe you're gone.

Advertisement

Just chill! – why you DON’T have to do your thang seven days a week, 52 weeks a year

“If you want to be a writer, you have to write every day.”

“If you want to be a basketball player, you have to play basketball every day.”

“If you want to be a property manager, you have to sell a house…”

Yep.

“EVERY DAY.”

Sound familiar?

No matter your calling, it has been drilled into us that we need to practice until our hands, legs or brain explode.

With that kind of self-imposed pressure, it’s no wonder people are too scared to take the first steps toward achieving their vocational goals!

Yes, you need to work hard.

Yes, you need to be dedicated.

Yes, you most certainly need to see your craft as a labour of love and not a means to an end.

But that doesn’t mean you need to kill yourself to get there.

Here’s what you should do instead, or, a rough guide on how to maintain your sanity and still pursue your calling:

1) Set boundaries. This is a big one, often forgotten but super-important. Telling your family and friends of your new venture, and the days and times you’ll be available, is essential.

And they might forget, occasionally. But reminding them of your new commitments doesn’t make you a horrible person. It just means you are taking yourself seriously!

2) Set a schedule. There are plenty of apps and programs out there, such as Asana, for just this purpose! Or, you can do it old school — which is what I personally prefer — and keep a written schedule / timetable!

Decide what you will tackle on which day and how much time you will set aside for these tasks. Don’t forget to include a weekly brainstorming / sketching / goal-redefining session!

3) Break your goals and tasks down into edible, bite sized chunks.

For example, don’t plan to “write a novel,” “run a marathon,” or “paint a masterpiece” on Thursday morning.

Instead, draft a chapter and work on character descriptions. Do some strength training and a one hour run. Experiment with colours and seek inspiration.

4) Relax! Take breaks throughout your work day, and decide which days will be work free to indulge your other interests.

Catch up with friends, call your family, or just order pizza and watch Netflix. Whatever tickles ya!!! But make the time to reward yourself and to recharge your batteries…

Because no one deserves it more than you!

Live what you love, but don’t forget to nurture yourself along the way.

City Calm Down: responsible for album and song of the year!

“Imagine, and apologies in advance for the imagery, but imagine a night of passion between psychedelic rockers, The Church, and American indie rockers, The National. Feast your eyes on their impressive and formidable lovechild, Melbourne four piece City Calm Down, who have produced the sterling debut, In a Restless House. 

Lead singer, Jack Bourke, gives a sense of escapism in the track themes and the overall vibe of the album through reverberating vocals, bold strings and melodies that seem to stretch on for an eternity.”

You can read the rest of my review, along with the film clip for ‘Rabbit Run,’ right here.

Ah, ‘Rabbit Run.’ That piece of audio heaven, that safe space where everything seems alright in the world. It gives you a sense of hope, a sense of passion, and a sense of melancholic calm all at the same time.

Without a doubt, song of the year, hands down.

What is your song of the year? What has wowed you so much, to the point you simply can’t wait to share it with others??

Why All The Hate? – how music occasionally brings out the worst in people.

Adele ’25’ – released November 20th 2015

Music should always be a safe place for fans and performers. In a perfect world, that would be the case but alas, the world is far from perfect.

Now, I don’t rant and rave very often but I have a minor dummy spit I’d like to share 😛

So, Adele’s ’25’ album dropped two days ago, and there have been mixed reviews.

Funny enough, the people with the most to say are those who haven’t listened to the album and instead find pleasure in spewing negativity about her, making fun of how ‘pop’ she sounds and also completely irrelevant — AND irreverent — digs about her personal appearance.

I felt compelled to write this today because some of the things I’ve read have been extremely disgusting and immature.

I won’t go into specifics of what I’ve read and heard, because I find the whole mentality despicable and unnecessary.

I mean honestly: is that the sort of the world we are living in, where all creativity and talent must be suppressed for fear of being condemned and ridiculed just for not LOOKING a certain cookie-cutter flawless way?

Nope, I’m not being butt hurt and biased because I’m full-blown obsessed with Adele. In all honesty, I haven’t heard the album because it’s not typically the music I choose to listen to, and when ’21’ was released 4 years ago, “Rolling In The Deep” and “Someone Like You” were. just. FLOGGED on the airwaves.

But that’s not her fault! She’s popular for good reason: you can’t deny she can hold a note, she stirs up more than one emotion, and she can certainly draw a crowd.

Its alright to have opinions, and to only be into certain types of music, but don’t be a dick about it! 😉

Keep personal insults at the door, and if you don’t like something, keep scrolling! Change the station! Flick to the next track! Block them so you don’t have to read about them!

No one is forcing you to agree with positive write-ups for musicians and bands, but why shoot down and stomp on those who DO enjoy the music?!

Adele is not taking accolades away from anyone else, and there’s more than enough to go around.

My Facebook page is always a negativity-free zone, and I intend to keep it that way.

Parting words for today, and my personal wish for all music fans: don’t let music fall into anonymity. Help the #rhythmofword thrive, share your favourite tunes and styles, love what you love & live and let live!

Rant over.

🙂

Silversun Pickups – “Better Nature” album review

I LOVE Silversun Pickups… 84% of the time.

The 16% negativity is a result of their latest album Better Nature — an album I simply couldn’t figure out.

Listening was a tease, and it felt like I was the butt of a cruel joke because at times I couldn’t even tell if they were taking themselves seriously.

Their two previous albums Carnavas and Swoon leave this record for dead — a record rather tragically scattered, rushed and haphazardly thrown together.

Despite my over-critical review (don’t take it personally; it’s kinda my job ;)), I would still urge fans to have a listen and make up their own minds because there are enough moments of endearing personality here to make it palatable.

Read my Reverb Online review of Better Nature right here:

I still love these guys, and look forward to their next effort — “effort” being the operative word — whenever that may be!

Whip Whip Nae Nae = WTF?! (Why I’m glad I’m not across all the latest trends)

Yes, I’m a music writer.

Yes, my taste is diverse and there’s pretty much nothing I “HATE” hate when it comes to music. Hatred is a useless emotion.

Then again, so is confusion.

I guess the difference is: you can control hate, you can manage it and channel it to healthier release outlets.

The same can’t be said for confusion. And no: confusion is NOT ignorance. Confusion is simply being bewildered and taken aback by a situation because it makes no sense in the real world.

That’s why, I don’t hate certain forms of music. I am confused by what constitutes a definition of “music.”

Seriously: WHIP WHIP NAE NAE? That is the peak of mainstream lyric writing these days?

See? I even said it wrong! 😉 there’s only one “whip,” not two!

A quick Google search told me what I needed to know:

Actually: that really doesn’t tell me anything…

I’m sorry, but this is NOT music.

This is trend-setting, fad-inducing, next-attempt-at-the-Macarena stuff.

But that’s fine! I’m not knocking it.

But you can’t put lipstick on a pig and still want to take it to the dance.

Don’t dress this up as music. Have fun with it, but don’t tell me this is the future of the music industry or I will weep.

My first reaction when I read my first “WNN” meme…

I’ve also come to realise: it doesn’t matter that I’m not across all the latest trends.

I don’t feel bad when someone says to me “What?! How can you not have heard of it!? It’s huge! It’s played all the time on the radio!”

Even though this is my passion, I don’t need to know everything about everything.

I will be forever educating myself about the history — and predicting the future — of music, but I’m not going to lie to you and say “Oh yeahhhhh… gotta love me some whipping and naeing first thing in the morning!” or anything like that.

If I’ve never heard of something, I’ll tell you, straight up that I have no idea what you’re talking about.

But then, no matter how ridiculous something sounds, I will always check it out for myself and make my own call on it.

That’s my advice to you all: don’t be a pretender. Pretenders are wankers (not the band!! Love me a bit of ‘Hymn to Her’), and it’s too exhausting trying to keep up with the layers of lies you tell yourself and others.

This reminds me of something I saw on the Jimmy Kimmel show once…

I’m paraphrasing here, so bear with me.

They crossed to the Coachella music festival a couple of years ago, and they were making up band names and getting patrons excited for artists that didn’t even exist!

For example:

Reporter: “Get The Fuck Out Of My Pool are playing live for the first time in two years! Are you looking forward to seeing them?!”

Patron: “Oh yeah, you know, I’ve got their whole catalogue, it’ll be good to see which direction they take…”

See?! Wanker alert! 😉

This is a message I try to get across in many different ways, and one I will continue to try and get across: be open-minded, be transparent and accept your limitations. Only then can one truly move towards enlightenment. And, don’t be arseholes to each other. Be kind 🙂

PS: Nope, still don’t want to WNN (Whip Nae Nae) anything. But I’m happy I checked it out and reached that conclusion on my own!

PPS: I found it!! The Jimmy Kimmel footage at Coachella! Oh this is a crack up. Please click here for a huge dose of laughter 😀  “These bands are so obscure, they do not exist!”

Have an amazing day, guys!

Bring Me The Horizon – That’s The Spirit album review

Fans are gonna hate me for saying so, but I enjoyed this BMTH album immensely!

I reviewed it for Reverb Online, one of the music websites I write for.

Check it out!

Remember: different is not always bad!

Keep on keepin’ on! – refocusing your goals and not letting negative self-talk derail you

I had an #epiphany today ✨
I’m sorry in advance for the long saga but if my story can help move you towards your own happiness, be prepared to take a knee and enjoy my little tale! 

I’ve been wrestling with an idea for a long time, like YEARS and YEARS long, but haven’t gone for it. Why? because doing absolutely nothing is a much safer option, with little to no chance of professional rejection or having my ego tarnished.

This was a ‘holy grail’ risk back in the day, and the plan was always to work towards it with baby steps.

Check! ✔️and I’m proud of what I’ve done so far but now I’ve come to a grinding halt.

After a day of dwelling, procrastination and the comfort of Netflix, I’ve narrowed down the reason for my current slump to two possibilities:

1) I’m a useless writer, I’ve taken this as far as it’s gonna go and I should just give up now (don’t worry: that’s not how the story ends 😉)

2) I’ve exceeded my own expectations ahead of schedule, and I’ve realised that my ‘holy grail’ is really only the next step towards reaching my full potential, and living the life I was meant to live.

Option 1 is what I have subconsciously been telling myself day in day out for months… And I was wondering why I wasn’t getting anywhere. Well, duh!!😜

Option 2 occurred to me today, for a fleeting second, for the first time in my life…. in the middle of a ‘How I Met Your Mother’ marathon 😕

It hit me like a barrelling freight train! 

I knew then and there I had to write this down, to document it as a constant reminder and a heavy source of realisation. 

I’ve realised I will not stagnate.

There are many MANY more steps to be taken, I’ll forever be redefining my goals, I’ll never stop learning, I’ll never stop refining my skills and I’ll never stop pursuing my happiness.

If I took that first step all those years ago, and the world didn’t implode, then I can easily take this next step! (ie the aforementioned Holy Grail) 

That’s my food for thought for the day: epiphanies can strike at the weirdest moments, even when you’re about to give up on your dreams. 

Know why this happens? I reckon it’s because your soul comes to life, that the thought of steering away from your purpose frightens your soul into rearing its pretty little head. 

It gives you a boot up the arse and sends out the non-toxic subconscious message you have been craving, without even realising you were craving it in the first place.

When this happened to me today, it was one of the most powerful, most liberating moments I’ve ever experienced.

When your soul speaks to you, listen well. Write stuff down. Re-plan your next move. Most importantly: don’t ever be afraid to take the next step.

Right. That’ll be it for now! I’ve got work to do! 😀 go out and own life, guys!

Don’t wanna be an American Idiot? Why not? – a brief history on Green Day, told through the eyes of a lifelong fan

Where it all began… for me!

Ahhhhhhhhh that album cover brings back so many memories!

Before I begin: yes, the lifelong fan is ME!

In all honesty though, when I say ‘lifelong’ I mean the last 21 years.

I was inspired to write this article when I saw on the Rolling Stone website that Green Day’s “lost” ‘American Idiot’ documentary will be released mid-October this year.

When I read the Rolling Stone article, it occurred to me that I hadn’t thought about these guys for a long time.

Then, I saw on Facebook someone was asking how many people were a fan of Green Day BEFORE ‘American Idiot.’

A valid question, I thought, and one where I wanted to participate and tell my personal Green Day story! (I’ll get to it, don’t worry)

Then, some buzzkill arsehole commented and accused us all of being hipsters trying to prove how great we were because we’ve known Green Day longer than everyone else.

That fried me. There is nothing worse than douche bags who throw around words they don’t understand and try to make others feel like shit. We were all simply answering the question that was originally asked, I was enjoying reading about others’ experiences with the band, and this ignorant guy had to come in and try to ruin it.

I say ‘try’ because he didn’t actually succeed in ruining anything: I feel sorry for people like him, whose soul purpose in life is to shoot down the sharing of the joy of music. Is it jealousy? That’s all I can think of: jealousy, that others know more about a topic than him. Jealousy, that they have nothing to contribute to the conversation.

So, what’s the deal: I’m not allowed to admit that I have been a Green Day fan for over two decades, that they shaped and changed the way I thought about music forever, leading me to pursue my passion (music writer), all because I’LL BE LABELLED A HIPSTER?!

Sorry, but: fuck that!

Okay, rant is over. Sorry guys, I went off on a tangent there. lol I guess my point is: don’t let people like that get to you. If you appreciate music, appreciate art, appreciate, gardening, appreciate stamp collecting, whatever it is!

Let the petty insults be like water off a duck’s back, and you keep on enjoying your passions and pursuits! 😀

Allow me to start from the very beginning as it is, so I’ve heard, a “very good place to start.”

THIS is how I remember them 🙂 taken on the streets of NYC in 1994

The year was 1994. The radio station was 105.3 New FM and I was a 14 year old girl with a chip on my shoulder. Enter, ‘Longview’ from Green Day’s third studio album Dookie!

“BITE MY LIP AND CLOSE MY EYES! TAKE ME AWAY TO PARADISE!” I naively belted out, only discovering a few years later what the song was actually about

In quick succession, after ‘Longview’, I heard other tracks like ‘Basket Case’ and the absolute timeless smash ‘When I Come Around.’ When I discovered they were all from the same album, I didn’t hesitate: I used my pocket money to buy the CD — the very first CD I ever bought.

I. DEVOURED. IT. Played it countless times, read the lyrics over and over to store in my memory bank, bought a couple of Green Day T-shirts. It’s safe to say I was obsessed.

After Dookie, I then went on to realise there was more to the music world than what was played in the Top 40 charts. It was largely because of them, I realised I didn’t have to be told what to listen to: I could find my OWN music and enjoy it when I wanted!

Thanks, Billie Joe Armstrong!

Alrighty, so then life went on, I got older, and I did notice when albums like Nimrod were released. I was like “oooh, Green Day are at it again! Cool! Good on ’em” then I’d get back to what I was doing.

But when ‘American Idiot’ was released in 2004 (marking the decade anniversary of my GD (Green Day) fandom, I sat up and took notice again.

It was hit after hit after hit, and in my opinion was the commercial turning point for them. People, who previously hated them, seemed to warm up to them now, seemed to “get” them. They were more ‘likeable’ I guess you can say. I mean, I’ve always liked them! But not everyone else has! lol

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams was a biggie, and you can really hear the growth and maturity they’ve gone through. Less anger, more love and hope.

My point is: yes, I am a fan of both phases of GD. There is no one true GD moment that is better than the others, because each is different with its own merits.

Personally, they have evolved over the years and have really gotten ME, strangely enough, at each stage of my life when I was already feeling the emotions they invoke.

Don’t be afraid, and don’t let others make you feel small, for starting in the middle and working your way backwards and forwards. And yeah, you don’t HAVE to like EVERYTHING an artists does, but you also don’t have to feel bad for liking everything if that is your genuine opinion. Stick to your convictions 🙂

Oh I almost forgot! Back in 2012, I actually wrote a review of part 1 of their 3-album trilogy released one after the other: UNO! I’ll leave you with this, now. And Kudos to GD for standing the test of time!

Cuts Like a Knife! – a quick look at the music that moves you (to tears)

What a buzz kill, hey?

Why would I even talk about something like this?!

Well, if you knew me well enough, you’d know this is a very valid question, and here’s why:

I actively AVOID listening to songs that cause me to cry.

I posed this very question on my Facebook page a couple of days ago, and I had such a good response — and learned a thing or two — that I feel compelled to go deeper.

It all started because I was talking to my partner, Sarah, about the fact that I have cried several times while watching The Walking Dead. To her credit, she didn’t laugh at me 😛

Something else you might not know about me:

I’m a massive softie, and I cry at the drop of a hat.

If a song comes on the radio that has this undesirable effect on me, it’s like someone has just lit a stick of dynamite under me: I cannot change the station — or shut it off completely — fast enough!

I guess there are a few different reasons why songs can leave you drowning in your own waterworks:

1. The subject matter

Often, it’s not because you’ve personally been through what the song is preaching, or even because in some abstract way it reminds you of a past experience.

Sometimes — and apologies for breaking it down like this — it’s simply because the song is about something sad.

My sister got me with this the other night. She told me about Keep Me in Your Heart for a While” by Warren Zevon. I’d never heard of it.

30 seconds in, I was crying so hard I couldn’t even see.

It’s a song about missing someone when they’re gone, even though they’re never fully gone from your life. Even now, the lump is creeping back to my throat as we speak!

Basically: the reason these sad songs are so effective, is that they make you feel things, things you didn’t know you were upset about, and makes you more empathetic to things that other people are going through

2. The vibe of the song

Sometimes, it’s the exact opposite: the lyrics are fine and fairly innocuous, but there’s just something about it!

Take “The Rose” as sung by Bette Midler. It’s a beautiful song about love and hope:

“Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed that with the sun’s love

In the spring becomes the rose”

But holy hell: THE WAY SHE SINGS IT! The way the melodies are so soft and so drawn out… I feel a fresh knife wound in my heart every time I hear it.

Oh and don’t get me started on the opening keyboard riff for “Everything I Do (I Do It For You) but Bryan Adams.

Basically: even if the theme is fairly straightforward, something as simple as a tone of voice, or a strum of guitar or even a cowbell being beaten against a rock can set you off, and will certainly take you by surprise!

3. (and it’s a biggie) You can relate to the song

Whether it is describing a closed chapter of your life, or is more simply a song that you heard, that one time you were going through something huge and painful, it’s amazing how quickly old sutures can be ripped open!

For me, it’s Coldplay – Fix You. Without getting too personal, let’s just say that it’s a little from column A and B for me. I heard it several times when I was going through a horrendous break up. Also, it was a stark reminder that I could not fix everything. I was exhausted from killing myself trying to fix everything for about five years straight.

This song came as a sigh of relief, a weight lifting off my shoulders, a little jab to let me know I’d just wasted five years of my life, and here’s the most important part:

I had to learn to rebuild myself, to fix MYSELF, before I could even hope to concentrate on anyone else.

Basically: I know that for many, having songs that make you cry is a form of release, a form of audio therapy, but personally, I’d rather those times remained buried.

Listen once, let it all out and move forward.

There are different circumstances though, and different levels of pain: people have tragically lost their young children, have suffered a terrible illness & had a long recovery, have been abused for years and finally escaped, pretty much anything!

I don’t discount anyone’s feelings. EVER. And I know everyone has their own way of dealing with the pain: I just know what works for me! 🙂

Do you use music to deal with your pain, to move forward, to remember the good times that have since passed?

I wish healing and light upon you all. Whatever works for you, just go with it and don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong 🙂