Ahoy!
I haven't written for quite some time. But you know how it is. The weather changes, tides roll in and out, and other considerations move to the fore.
Life continues much as you'd expect. I'm working for a bank through the week, and in whichever venue needs me at weekends, for NML (National Museums Liverpool). It's fun!
If you don't know already, I absolutely hate being on the dole, since I hate having nothing to do. So I find myself strolling into work 7 days a week. :) Money is nice too. I've never really been into the whole "Let's go to town and get sh*tfaced, waaaaayyyyy!" mentality - generally I only venture to town to appease a friend or similar.
Anyway. Life with The Trestles is going well! Had my first media-facing opportunity on Monday (18th?). Admittedly, it was only Halton Community Radio, but they're good lads running the place, and it was a laugh. :) We have a few corkers coming up in the next few weeks - Back to Trearddur Bay, Southport's Street fest, and then The Bluecoat, as part of the Mathew St. Festival. :)
Still missing the urge to really make some loud music, but I have so little time to devote to two bands, that The Trestles is going to be priority.
Anyway. Onto what moved me to have a little write/rant in the first place: "Keeping Up With The Kardashians".
I'm a little concerned, given the viewing figures achieved by this program and similar "slush" media, that we're developing an acceptance of perfection. Allow me to explain. Prim, perfect, and genetically enhanced people have been the subject to both sides of the media's knife for our entertainment/judgement for decades now. I have no problem with this. Well, I do, but that's a whole other ball of cookie dough. No; my concern is that we're devolving into a nation of glory-seeking perfectionists. Young girls dreaming of Prince Charming arriving in a sparkling white Mercedes, young lads fixated on a girl's face and body, and having some sort of trophy-girl to show off to their friends. It's incongruent. It doesn't *feel* right.
Aspirations are admirable. Wanting the best in life is perfectly natural. The lines are being blurred, however, by those who'll sit and wait for the high life to sweep them off their feet. The best things in life (Did you think of the song 'Money' then? :') I did.)... The best things in life are, inevitably, discovered after vainly chasing a preconceived notion of perfection. "Aim high, but keep your feet on the ground, and don't lose sight of what's around you", is, I suppose, the neatest summary I can think of for my plea - One voice in billions.
I'm a happy man. I take time, and enjoyment, in getting to know people. I don't look at a person's face/body/etc., and dismiss them from my own personal universe. A girl with a confident manner and nice personality is infinitely more attractive than a girl who fits the arbitrary parameters of beauty society has set, with all the charm and wit of half a brick. Beauty does come from within. I'm content, because I know that. Do you?
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Sunday, 10 April 2011
A driving force
A quick one, this:
Today, I was asked why I'm driven to succeed with music. Mostly, my answer is that, just occasionally, we are given the chance to find the one thing in life that just feels right; almost as though we are genuinely born with a reason for existance. I know I'm quite intelligent, and I can turn my hand to a good range of, well, stuff, but there's only one thing that has captivated me every time I do it; Playing music. It's a form of expression, as much as picking up a pen and writing, or a paintbrush and painting are. My guitar can let the world know how I feel much more eloquently than I could explain with words.
The other answer to the question of being driven to succeed in music is more selfish, less spiritual. Basically, I want to be able to turn to the people who've doubted me or looked down on me, and show them a big, 24carat "Fuck You!"
I've had people tell me I'm not good enough, or that I need to know theory to be any good - Again: Fuck You. If I make something of this, it will be because of my natural ability. People who have jammed with me know that I can play. They are also likely to know that I constantly work to teach myself.
Deal with it, theory nazis. I know it's important, but equally, I know this can be done by people who have an inate feel for music.
Today, I was asked why I'm driven to succeed with music. Mostly, my answer is that, just occasionally, we are given the chance to find the one thing in life that just feels right; almost as though we are genuinely born with a reason for existance. I know I'm quite intelligent, and I can turn my hand to a good range of, well, stuff, but there's only one thing that has captivated me every time I do it; Playing music. It's a form of expression, as much as picking up a pen and writing, or a paintbrush and painting are. My guitar can let the world know how I feel much more eloquently than I could explain with words.
The other answer to the question of being driven to succeed in music is more selfish, less spiritual. Basically, I want to be able to turn to the people who've doubted me or looked down on me, and show them a big, 24carat "Fuck You!"
I've had people tell me I'm not good enough, or that I need to know theory to be any good - Again: Fuck You. If I make something of this, it will be because of my natural ability. People who have jammed with me know that I can play. They are also likely to know that I constantly work to teach myself.
Deal with it, theory nazis. I know it's important, but equally, I know this can be done by people who have an inate feel for music.
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Individuality: A myth?
Right then... Back to existentialism :p
You know, individuality isn't something you earn; something you can work at. It's not a trend, and that is why you fail. Truth is, there IS such a thing, it's just so impossibly hard to acheive intentionally, as to be insubstantial. If you subscribe to an idea, or trend - even if that trend is to BE individual - then you are merely conformist.
Ironically, those who come closest to individualism, are those who simply do not care, and do what they like to fit their own pleasures.
Myself, for example (bear with me here...). Yes, I wear converse. Yes, I will listen to bands. Yes, I wear certain clothes, etc, etc, ad infinitum... But my point here is, I'm not claiming individuality, simply that most (I don't think anyone could realisitically say "all") choices I make are motivated by my preferences. For example, I wear converse because I like how they look in my ridiculous shoe size. I have long hair because I was bored of short hair. I'm in bands because I love all types of music, and playing.
I suppose, then, that a concession to individuality on my account is strictly down to selfishness, and/or arrogance. I don't hear music, or see others dancing to it, and think "Ooh, lots of people like this, I better had too!"
I dislike the herd mentality.
In my opinion, few things are more embarrasing to see than the following:
1) People straining desperately to be different. It's paradoxical to even bother. Not in a nihilistic way, but simply that the end result is that you join a different crowd, rather than the one before. Relax. Accept the inevitability of being prejudged, and if you really have to, just try to refine the preconceptions that ultimately dictate your decisions.
2) Pretention & claims of originality. Again, you are not novel, or different. We are all of one species. So, we have a pre-programmed, biological imperative to react to certain situations. Basically, on some level, we are all the same, so the arguments fall apart. On what level are we meant to assess individuality? To what degree do we have the right to claim to be so?
Again - Please do not assume for one minute that I believe myself to be original. I know I am not. The only thing I'm doing here is making an observation. (In itself, hardly an original idea... See what I mean?). I'm simply one of those people whose choices are motivated, for the most part, according to my own preferences. I'm not consciously trying to make myself fit in all the time. But neither am I straining to stand out. I'm happy to make the choices that will make me happy, without bothering about whether it's been done before or not.
So, earlier I mentioned the idea that individuality was not entirely a myth - And here's why:
Innovations. I don't mean the iPhone - That's just the refinement of a pre-existing concept. I'm referring to true innovations. Ideas so mind-bending that it takes someone truly unique to even begin to think of them. Forgive me, but if you had presented me with a lump of iron-ore, I could have spent the rest of my life staring at it without thinking "I wonder if I could heat this up, go through a complex series of purification processes, and end up with a hard, strong, shiny substance?".
True innovators are the people who change the way we perceive the world around us:
Before learning about the Newtonian theory of Gravity, I never once looked around and thought "I wonder thy we stay on the ground, and things fall downwards?"
Before learning about Alexander Graham Bell, I thought it was perfectly natural to transmit my voice through a cable to someone miles away without a second's pause. Again, if presented with a length of copper wire, average Joe - or average Tet? - wouldn't think to create a signal path converting sound to electricity and back again.
Anyway... This is the point. Individualism isn't something you can force. It's immutable, unpredictable and occasionally unwelcome.
Well, anyway...
Time for me to say Au Revoir, once more!
Tet x
You know, individuality isn't something you earn; something you can work at. It's not a trend, and that is why you fail. Truth is, there IS such a thing, it's just so impossibly hard to acheive intentionally, as to be insubstantial. If you subscribe to an idea, or trend - even if that trend is to BE individual - then you are merely conformist.
Ironically, those who come closest to individualism, are those who simply do not care, and do what they like to fit their own pleasures.
Myself, for example (bear with me here...). Yes, I wear converse. Yes, I will listen to bands. Yes, I wear certain clothes, etc, etc, ad infinitum... But my point here is, I'm not claiming individuality, simply that most (I don't think anyone could realisitically say "all") choices I make are motivated by my preferences. For example, I wear converse because I like how they look in my ridiculous shoe size. I have long hair because I was bored of short hair. I'm in bands because I love all types of music, and playing.
I suppose, then, that a concession to individuality on my account is strictly down to selfishness, and/or arrogance. I don't hear music, or see others dancing to it, and think "Ooh, lots of people like this, I better had too!"
I dislike the herd mentality.
In my opinion, few things are more embarrasing to see than the following:
1) People straining desperately to be different. It's paradoxical to even bother. Not in a nihilistic way, but simply that the end result is that you join a different crowd, rather than the one before. Relax. Accept the inevitability of being prejudged, and if you really have to, just try to refine the preconceptions that ultimately dictate your decisions.
2) Pretention & claims of originality. Again, you are not novel, or different. We are all of one species. So, we have a pre-programmed, biological imperative to react to certain situations. Basically, on some level, we are all the same, so the arguments fall apart. On what level are we meant to assess individuality? To what degree do we have the right to claim to be so?
Again - Please do not assume for one minute that I believe myself to be original. I know I am not. The only thing I'm doing here is making an observation. (In itself, hardly an original idea... See what I mean?). I'm simply one of those people whose choices are motivated, for the most part, according to my own preferences. I'm not consciously trying to make myself fit in all the time. But neither am I straining to stand out. I'm happy to make the choices that will make me happy, without bothering about whether it's been done before or not.
So, earlier I mentioned the idea that individuality was not entirely a myth - And here's why:
Innovations. I don't mean the iPhone - That's just the refinement of a pre-existing concept. I'm referring to true innovations. Ideas so mind-bending that it takes someone truly unique to even begin to think of them. Forgive me, but if you had presented me with a lump of iron-ore, I could have spent the rest of my life staring at it without thinking "I wonder if I could heat this up, go through a complex series of purification processes, and end up with a hard, strong, shiny substance?".
True innovators are the people who change the way we perceive the world around us:
Before learning about the Newtonian theory of Gravity, I never once looked around and thought "I wonder thy we stay on the ground, and things fall downwards?"
Before learning about Alexander Graham Bell, I thought it was perfectly natural to transmit my voice through a cable to someone miles away without a second's pause. Again, if presented with a length of copper wire, average Joe - or average Tet? - wouldn't think to create a signal path converting sound to electricity and back again.
Anyway... This is the point. Individualism isn't something you can force. It's immutable, unpredictable and occasionally unwelcome.
Well, anyway...
Time for me to say Au Revoir, once more!
Tet x
Saturday, 9 October 2010
It's no surprise to me...
That you're classless, clever and free...
Hello!
Now, my regular reader Aaron (yes - in the singular, since he's the only one that I know reads these regularly!) asked why I haven't posted for ages; and so here I find myself once again, typing with speed born of a year's data entry experience! Simple fact is, I forget to write them with any real regularity. Things happen, and I just forget, or prioritise other things ahead of this.
I'm a fan of Autobiographies, particularly when they're the story of musicians or bands that I like - I'm a big fan of "Scar Tissue", Anthony Kiedis' (RHCP Frontman) biography (and, incidentally, the one huge influence on me to never even want to be anywhere near drugs if I can help it. The man went to hell and back, I don't want that in my life.) and also "Nothing to Lose", an (admittedly, unauthorised) biography of Dave Grohl. But then, Grohl is always going to be pretty high up on my list of "Musicians I Admire" - Drums for Nirvana and Guitar/Vocals for Foo Fighters? Yes. =]
Anyway; I got to wondering tonight (it's Saturday night) whether anybody else occasionally thinks as I do. What I mean by that is, occasionally I'll look back at my life and find myself putting important events into biographical language; "He looked blankly at the river flowing past and the distant shore, and knew in that moment that all things come to an end eventually", for example.
Ok, so that's really, really pretentious, but it's not like I'm going to be writing a full autobiography is it? I wouldn't have given an example, if it wasn't for the need to clarify what exactly I mean. The rest of it will stay in the privacy of my own mind!
Simply, I was just wondering if anyone else novelises their own experiences, in the privacy of their own mind?
Well, I'm in quite a lot of pain at the moment. At the best of times, being in the computer room here isn't a comfortable experience. A broken office chair, and ridiculously low keyboard tray make for bad posture... But I'm actually in pain tonight. Although, I'm inclined to say that it's worth it; it's the result of a gig I went to in The Masque last night: DINOSAUR PILE-UP, supported by BOW & ARROW and APPLE CANNON.
To be honest, that line-up, even without my favourite prehistoric-road-accident-based riff machines playing, would have been huge incentive to go, but the combination of the three was immense, and I'm really glad that I've been to two gigs in a row now where I've really enjoyed hearing every band playing - The first being Owls, Stone City, Screaming Citizens, and Xander & The Peace Pirates.
So, why am I in pain? Well, quite simply, I was head-banging and screaming the words along to every DPU song, hahahah. It's rare that I get so into a band, but these guys really are brilliant. Not only is their new album (and, in my opinion, all of their previous releases) superb listening, but they really manage to bring things to life on the stage: Acrobatics, jokes and real passion. What a gig! =]
Anyroad, I started work on the 4th... Finally! So, my being unemployed has probably featured more than once in my blogs, but you know, it genuinely is an important thing, and I was starting to despair of actually managing to get a job. However, I am now employed, and what wonders it's done for my confidence! I've sort of steamrollered into training and gone to some lengths to make sure I'm in with everyone there; We seem to have naturally split into three groups, the boys, girls A and girls B, so that's all ticking over nicely. Took my first call on Friday - It seems mad that on Monday, I had no experience whatsoever of call centre work, and then there I was, four and a half days of training later, chatting to customers. Anyway, I won't bore you (or subject myself to disciplinary action) by going into any more detail, but I'll tell you this: It's my second job (the first being the stint of bar work in the Mount Vernon) where I've enjoyed the prospect of going in, and enjoyed being there doing the work too. What I've taken from this is, I'm actually a people person. =]
Also, it's been a week of taking opportunities, or having them presented to me. I've spoken to a few friends who I've been completely out of contact with (thanks to being poor, basically) and it's nice to get back into their lives. =]
Au revoir all,
Tet x
Hello!
Now, my regular reader Aaron (yes - in the singular, since he's the only one that I know reads these regularly!) asked why I haven't posted for ages; and so here I find myself once again, typing with speed born of a year's data entry experience! Simple fact is, I forget to write them with any real regularity. Things happen, and I just forget, or prioritise other things ahead of this.
I'm a fan of Autobiographies, particularly when they're the story of musicians or bands that I like - I'm a big fan of "Scar Tissue", Anthony Kiedis' (RHCP Frontman) biography (and, incidentally, the one huge influence on me to never even want to be anywhere near drugs if I can help it. The man went to hell and back, I don't want that in my life.) and also "Nothing to Lose", an (admittedly, unauthorised) biography of Dave Grohl. But then, Grohl is always going to be pretty high up on my list of "Musicians I Admire" - Drums for Nirvana and Guitar/Vocals for Foo Fighters? Yes. =]
Anyway; I got to wondering tonight (it's Saturday night) whether anybody else occasionally thinks as I do. What I mean by that is, occasionally I'll look back at my life and find myself putting important events into biographical language; "He looked blankly at the river flowing past and the distant shore, and knew in that moment that all things come to an end eventually", for example.
Ok, so that's really, really pretentious, but it's not like I'm going to be writing a full autobiography is it? I wouldn't have given an example, if it wasn't for the need to clarify what exactly I mean. The rest of it will stay in the privacy of my own mind!
Simply, I was just wondering if anyone else novelises their own experiences, in the privacy of their own mind?
Well, I'm in quite a lot of pain at the moment. At the best of times, being in the computer room here isn't a comfortable experience. A broken office chair, and ridiculously low keyboard tray make for bad posture... But I'm actually in pain tonight. Although, I'm inclined to say that it's worth it; it's the result of a gig I went to in The Masque last night: DINOSAUR PILE-UP, supported by BOW & ARROW and APPLE CANNON.
To be honest, that line-up, even without my favourite prehistoric-road-accident-based riff machines playing, would have been huge incentive to go, but the combination of the three was immense, and I'm really glad that I've been to two gigs in a row now where I've really enjoyed hearing every band playing - The first being Owls, Stone City, Screaming Citizens, and Xander & The Peace Pirates.
So, why am I in pain? Well, quite simply, I was head-banging and screaming the words along to every DPU song, hahahah. It's rare that I get so into a band, but these guys really are brilliant. Not only is their new album (and, in my opinion, all of their previous releases) superb listening, but they really manage to bring things to life on the stage: Acrobatics, jokes and real passion. What a gig! =]
Anyroad, I started work on the 4th... Finally! So, my being unemployed has probably featured more than once in my blogs, but you know, it genuinely is an important thing, and I was starting to despair of actually managing to get a job. However, I am now employed, and what wonders it's done for my confidence! I've sort of steamrollered into training and gone to some lengths to make sure I'm in with everyone there; We seem to have naturally split into three groups, the boys, girls A and girls B, so that's all ticking over nicely. Took my first call on Friday - It seems mad that on Monday, I had no experience whatsoever of call centre work, and then there I was, four and a half days of training later, chatting to customers. Anyway, I won't bore you (or subject myself to disciplinary action) by going into any more detail, but I'll tell you this: It's my second job (the first being the stint of bar work in the Mount Vernon) where I've enjoyed the prospect of going in, and enjoyed being there doing the work too. What I've taken from this is, I'm actually a people person. =]
Also, it's been a week of taking opportunities, or having them presented to me. I've spoken to a few friends who I've been completely out of contact with (thanks to being poor, basically) and it's nice to get back into their lives. =]
Au revoir all,
Tet x
Monday, 27 September 2010
Just another day...
Evenin'!
Ahh, it's been strange times since the last blog. Had a couple of little bits of good news, which I'll elaborate on if they work out.
So, the main news, I suppose, has to be that I've been into the studio over the weekend just gone with The Trestles. It was hard work, and I'm still feeling a bit tired after it, but it was very much worthwhile!
Went to Alan's (Vocals, guitar) on Friday night, to work on some vocals, and to stay over to facilitate an early start on Saturday morning. Was cool; I sang the harmony I'd come up with for one of the tracks, and it went down particularly well, hahaha.
So anyway, we went to Whitby Studios next morning, and then... well, sat round whilst the drums were set up and recorded. That's traditional though! Howard, being the consummate professional he is, had it nicely wrapped up by around mid-day, so I went to do my bass...
Ok, so I'm not going to go step by step through our recording process. Frankly, it's boring to write, and that's never going to bode well for your reader, is it? So, I'll pick out the anecdotes and amusements, arguments and arrangements, then I can return to my, uh, "existential" ramblings. =]
We went for breakfast in a small greasy spoon... And were kept entertained by a crazy cat lady (apparently, she's well known to locals), who was telling her horrified listeners on the next table (mercifully, we were on the opposite side of the café) how she was an animal lover; "My neighbour has 9 cats!"... "Anyone who isn't an animal lover is getting STABBED."... Needless to say, we were suitably amused =']
Tom C was recording his guitar parts for Maggie's Farm (one of the two tracks we worked on), and played us his solo idea. I had an idea for a bit of a different rythm to play, so he handed me the guitar, and told me to do it... Not in an annoyed way, just in an "Ok then, let's hear it", and it worked, so we kept it... Then THE GREAT DEBATE kicked off... In short, I heard a harmony for the guitar solo that I thought would work quite well, so we recorded it, and played in back, to an instant 50-50 split in the band - Tom and How took an instant dislike to it, Alan and I loved it... So, since it was left to Alan and I to do the remaining work in the Sunday session, we kept it in, on the rough mixes... We'll see if it survives the final mix! =p
We had a drink with Mark D from The Dead End Kids on Saturday night... Now, I know I have the tendancy (and, yes, the inclination) to waffle in the course of writing these entries, but by God, I was shown that I still have a lot to learn on that score, by the infamous Johnny Mac.
Beyond mentioning his name, I REFUSE to enter into any description of his conversation; suffice it to say that if I did, you'd fall asleep within approximately thirty seconds of reading the transcript. Words cannot describe the somnolent effect that man has; he was repetitious, drunk, and worst of all (in a way), friendly. It all added up to making him a very difficult character to be rid of, short of a blunt dismissal, which each one of us was waiting for from one of the others! =p
Anyway, I sent the rough tracks to my dad last night, and he seems very pleased with them - I had a feeling he might be, especially with the addition of the Hammond organ sound - He used to play one of those beasts himself!
A quick word on the local bands if I may?
Ok, so I know I keep returning to this subject, but new things keep cropping up that I want to talk (or, well, rant) about.
This time, it's attitudes. Personally, I've never tried to make anyone in any band I've come across feel small, or in any way belittle them. I keep any negative comments I might have to myself, and only give constructive criticism; and that only when I'm asked to - I don't march around making suggestions, because I'm not in a position to do that. So, I ask myself, why do other bands/members feel the need to start believing their own hype, and looking down on everyone around them? It's kind of ridiculous. Ok, so you're confident in your abilities and the music your band is making: Brilliant! Good for you! But don't start acting like you've reached the pinnacle of modern music when you're at the same level as the people you're looking down your nose at. Fuck me, but that's irritating to witness.
Nothing particularly existential to add today, I suppose. I have a few wandering thoughts, but until they're brought into conjunction and start to feed off each other in the fertile petri dish that is my mind, I'm not going to add them here.
My final comment is this:
Leah (bless her) said yesterday that I remind her of Stephen Fry. Any of you who are aware of my interests and tastes will know that I was quite ecstatic about this comparison; she said something along the lines of:
"You remind me of Steven Fry, in that, if you told me the world was flat, I'd believe you like I would him."
That made me smile, and I thought it was a nice note to end this assortment of odds and ends with. =]
Much love y'all,
Tet x
Ahh, it's been strange times since the last blog. Had a couple of little bits of good news, which I'll elaborate on if they work out.
So, the main news, I suppose, has to be that I've been into the studio over the weekend just gone with The Trestles. It was hard work, and I'm still feeling a bit tired after it, but it was very much worthwhile!
Went to Alan's (Vocals, guitar) on Friday night, to work on some vocals, and to stay over to facilitate an early start on Saturday morning. Was cool; I sang the harmony I'd come up with for one of the tracks, and it went down particularly well, hahaha.
So anyway, we went to Whitby Studios next morning, and then... well, sat round whilst the drums were set up and recorded. That's traditional though! Howard, being the consummate professional he is, had it nicely wrapped up by around mid-day, so I went to do my bass...
Ok, so I'm not going to go step by step through our recording process. Frankly, it's boring to write, and that's never going to bode well for your reader, is it? So, I'll pick out the anecdotes and amusements, arguments and arrangements, then I can return to my, uh, "existential" ramblings. =]
We went for breakfast in a small greasy spoon... And were kept entertained by a crazy cat lady (apparently, she's well known to locals), who was telling her horrified listeners on the next table (mercifully, we were on the opposite side of the café) how she was an animal lover; "My neighbour has 9 cats!"... "Anyone who isn't an animal lover is getting STABBED."... Needless to say, we were suitably amused =']
Tom C was recording his guitar parts for Maggie's Farm (one of the two tracks we worked on), and played us his solo idea. I had an idea for a bit of a different rythm to play, so he handed me the guitar, and told me to do it... Not in an annoyed way, just in an "Ok then, let's hear it", and it worked, so we kept it... Then THE GREAT DEBATE kicked off... In short, I heard a harmony for the guitar solo that I thought would work quite well, so we recorded it, and played in back, to an instant 50-50 split in the band - Tom and How took an instant dislike to it, Alan and I loved it... So, since it was left to Alan and I to do the remaining work in the Sunday session, we kept it in, on the rough mixes... We'll see if it survives the final mix! =p
We had a drink with Mark D from The Dead End Kids on Saturday night... Now, I know I have the tendancy (and, yes, the inclination) to waffle in the course of writing these entries, but by God, I was shown that I still have a lot to learn on that score, by the infamous Johnny Mac.
Beyond mentioning his name, I REFUSE to enter into any description of his conversation; suffice it to say that if I did, you'd fall asleep within approximately thirty seconds of reading the transcript. Words cannot describe the somnolent effect that man has; he was repetitious, drunk, and worst of all (in a way), friendly. It all added up to making him a very difficult character to be rid of, short of a blunt dismissal, which each one of us was waiting for from one of the others! =p
Anyway, I sent the rough tracks to my dad last night, and he seems very pleased with them - I had a feeling he might be, especially with the addition of the Hammond organ sound - He used to play one of those beasts himself!
A quick word on the local bands if I may?
Ok, so I know I keep returning to this subject, but new things keep cropping up that I want to talk (or, well, rant) about.
This time, it's attitudes. Personally, I've never tried to make anyone in any band I've come across feel small, or in any way belittle them. I keep any negative comments I might have to myself, and only give constructive criticism; and that only when I'm asked to - I don't march around making suggestions, because I'm not in a position to do that. So, I ask myself, why do other bands/members feel the need to start believing their own hype, and looking down on everyone around them? It's kind of ridiculous. Ok, so you're confident in your abilities and the music your band is making: Brilliant! Good for you! But don't start acting like you've reached the pinnacle of modern music when you're at the same level as the people you're looking down your nose at. Fuck me, but that's irritating to witness.
Nothing particularly existential to add today, I suppose. I have a few wandering thoughts, but until they're brought into conjunction and start to feed off each other in the fertile petri dish that is my mind, I'm not going to add them here.
My final comment is this:
Leah (bless her) said yesterday that I remind her of Stephen Fry. Any of you who are aware of my interests and tastes will know that I was quite ecstatic about this comparison; she said something along the lines of:
"You remind me of Steven Fry, in that, if you told me the world was flat, I'd believe you like I would him."
That made me smile, and I thought it was a nice note to end this assortment of odds and ends with. =]
Much love y'all,
Tet x
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Misanthrope? Far from it!
Hey,
Been a while since my last post once again. Just a wee bit too much going on, you know? I've been cherishing every spare minute I've had to, yes, listen to music...
You'd think with me being in two bands, I'd feel less like that, wouldn't you? Fact is, I absolutely love what I might tentatively refer to herein as "zero time". That is, a space of time in which you are called upon for absolutely nothing. Absolute Leisure time, I suppose you could say.
So, I've been constantly and consistently adding to my iPod, trying to remember the cream of the music (*Note to self: Get Eric Clapton/Cream music*) I had on the ol' faithful Sony Walkman MP3. Gods bless that thing, it lasted for YEARS before starting to turn funny. I got a load of Metallica and a load of Nirvana, most recently. Oh, and some Smashing Pumpkins too, courtesy of Kev (No - I don't mean I received a selection of high-quality squashes. Tut.) =]
I've been on my own a lot recently. Hence the title! But it's not really by choice. I've had a hell of a time with my Dole, and as a consequence, had no money, so what little I've had hasn't really been enough to fund any sort of social situation that would cost more than bus fare =S
This is really starting to get to me. I want to see people, go out, have drinks, live life! And God knows I don't always feel like this, so...
In the past I have had issues with being in social situations. Not so much a feeling of Misanthropy (Basic definition: Hating other members of the human species, objectively) as, well, a phobia. Genuinely being unable to face certain situations, and, in the rare circumstance of being forced to, feeling claustrophobic and on-edge.
I remember going to town for little Claire's birthday last year, with all the gang, and it came time for us to go to the K, and I literally couldn't bring myself to go there. I turned round and went home, cursing myself for an idiot all the way up Wood St, but something in my head just said "No. You can't go there now."
I think I know why this is - I can actually trace it back to a certain point - but I'm not saying anything in such a public domain. For me to write it here is enough, without going into the whys and wherefores. Suffice to say, people that I trust already know, or are free to enquire.
"It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us."
Friends. There's an interesting one. You can have friends that aren't really friends. Friends that really are friends. Friends you don't see for months, but when you do, pick up where you left off. And Friends who claim the appellation undeservingly...
So, have you ever been in that situation (I'm mainly speaking to male readers here, though that's not to say that others won't feel the same) where you're good friends with someone, but you'd like it to be more? I'm fairly sure there's a quote that runs along the lines of "All the best relationships are built on good friendships", but that's a confusing one... Does it mean that friendship is necessary prior to the engagement of a relationship, or that at the start of a relationship, you should work on your friendship as a priority, or that friendship develops over time with them?
(And, don't I just know it, there will be someone reading this who thinks "Oh, this is about me". Yes, humanity has the curse of arrogance, or I suppose, paranoia. Anyway, for one person, they'll be right!)
My question to you though, O readers of Blogs, is:
Should you take a step and possibly make a good friendship awkward? Or should you be satisfied at having a good friend?
You know, I've been here once before. Granted, she had to kind of metaphysically cuff me around the head a bit before I realised what she was intimating, and it sort of fizzled out, but d'you know what? I think we're better friends than ever for the experience. It's hard to feel bitter, or hold a grudge against anyone who's been in your life for a certain amount of time...
Anyway, I'll leave that to you to muse over, and possibly shout at me for. =p
So, onto one of my favourite subjects:
JESUS!
No, but seriously, I was having a little ponder the other day... (Intelligence + Being bored sifting through job applications = Profound introspection)
Now, despite my outspoken heretical views about, well, religion in general, I think that the underlying message of most (if not all) religions is pretty much the same, a sort of plea of: "Hey, look, we're all basically the same, Homo Sapiens, you know? Wouldn't it be nice if we all just rubbed along together and swerved the ol' "persecution" stuff? Hmm?"
I was considering, anyway, the nature of the Big J, good ol' Jesus. Now, the Bible (more specifically, the New Testament) is replete with fables of Jesus' deeds. Anyone who paid even the least attention in R.E. can name a few of these, the feeding of the 5000, raising Lazarus from the dead, etc, etc.
Imagine, then, if what happened, about 1980 years ago (by modern reckoning), was in fact a version of Chinese Whispers, taken to an unimaginably over-inflated conclusion?
Picture the scene in modern terms: A group of "educated" southerners (Yes - I am picturing Satan - I MEAN Mr. Cameron and his Oxford chums) travelling north through Britain, telling all that they meet that they have heard of - or are followers of - this great man, who is a few days behind them, who can raise people from the dead, walk on water. A humble carpenter's son, in fact, who was immaculately conceived! Might it not be the case that there would be some gullible people who'd be taken in by this story of this human with extraordinary powers? Let's face it - How many people are there who'd love, in their heart-of-hearts, to believe that there really are super heroes, or X-men, or whatever?
Could it be the case that Jesus, and thus, the New Testament, was based on a brilliant prank?
Think about it. =]
Now... I have something else to say! Ok, ok, so it's been a RIDICULOUSLY long blog so far, but this is about a months worth of pent-up words! Besides which, I've taken to reading Dickens (it's only taken 22 years!), so I'm feeling particularly verbose. =p
Right. It is my firm belief that the nature of the universe is cyclical; an endlessly repeating pattern of endlessly repeating patterns, from the movement of the smallest possible matter, through to the universe itself. Concentric loops, starting, existing, ending, and repeating patterns ad infinitum. Proof? It's in the everyday, all around us. Humans are naturally programmed to follow a certain daily pattern, with sunrise and sunset dictating our sleeping patterns (there's that word again). Why do we do this? Because the Earth itself follows a pattern, or orbit, which in turn is part of a greater pattern, which IN TURN is part of a greater pattern... You can see where I'm going there, right?
So, let us swing our thoughts to weighty subjects, such as global warming, polar ice caps melting, and, I'm afraid, even our very existance. Why, oh why, do these fusty, priggish people insist upon worrying about the environmental damage we're causing as a race? Let me quote from Wikipedia - and before you ask, no, I don't actually use it as some sort of information balm. I just find that Wikipedia sometimes provides nice, clear definitions, that I simply couldn't phrase better. So:
"The Earth's climatic history has been divided, in intervals of millions of years, into Ice Ages and Interglacial Ages."
If I may draw your attention to the word "Interglacial Ages"... That's what we currently inhabit. And thus, as sure as there has been an Ice Age before now, there will be one again. So, chill your beans, y'all. We're a hardy race. Supposedly the most intelligent that has yet walked on our planet... I think we'd be able to deal with it. I mean, come on, what sort of damage would a super-volcanic eruption cause? And that's from a natural bloody source. So, we're accelerating the process; So what? These things are a slow process! It's hardly like we'll go to bed, nice and cosy one night, and then wake up next morning in an arctic wasteland, as though billions of tons of ice have (figuratively) sneaked in through the back door and settled down for a millenia.
So, bearing this pattern in mind, I'd like to bring your attention to the theory of universal expansion. I mean, I think it makes sense (being a believer in the Big Bang Theory - No, not the comedy, though I am a fan) that the universe is continuing to expand outwards. Will this process reverse someday? Yes, I'm also sure of that. And then we'll have Big Bang the II: This time it's personal. Or Big Bang III. Or X. Or L. The point being, the universe could have repeated this pattern a practically infinite number of times before now; over a span of "time" that we, as humans, find near impossible to fathom. In short, our existance on this here planet, this minute speck of space and time we're allowed to occupy, should be worthwhile, and full, and you should, above all, ENJOY life! You only get one!
... Or do you...?
Ok, Ok, I'll talk about reincarnation another time. =p This has been ridiculously lengthy, but hey, I enjoyed it. I hope you've reached this point without, well, falling asleep. Thank you, so much, for bothering to plough through my musings.
Much love, credit, hugs and kudos!
Shalom, my friends, peace! Bismillah!
Tet x
Been a while since my last post once again. Just a wee bit too much going on, you know? I've been cherishing every spare minute I've had to, yes, listen to music...
You'd think with me being in two bands, I'd feel less like that, wouldn't you? Fact is, I absolutely love what I might tentatively refer to herein as "zero time". That is, a space of time in which you are called upon for absolutely nothing. Absolute Leisure time, I suppose you could say.
So, I've been constantly and consistently adding to my iPod, trying to remember the cream of the music (*Note to self: Get Eric Clapton/Cream music*) I had on the ol' faithful Sony Walkman MP3. Gods bless that thing, it lasted for YEARS before starting to turn funny. I got a load of Metallica and a load of Nirvana, most recently. Oh, and some Smashing Pumpkins too, courtesy of Kev (No - I don't mean I received a selection of high-quality squashes. Tut.) =]
I've been on my own a lot recently. Hence the title! But it's not really by choice. I've had a hell of a time with my Dole, and as a consequence, had no money, so what little I've had hasn't really been enough to fund any sort of social situation that would cost more than bus fare =S
This is really starting to get to me. I want to see people, go out, have drinks, live life! And God knows I don't always feel like this, so...
In the past I have had issues with being in social situations. Not so much a feeling of Misanthropy (Basic definition: Hating other members of the human species, objectively) as, well, a phobia. Genuinely being unable to face certain situations, and, in the rare circumstance of being forced to, feeling claustrophobic and on-edge.
I remember going to town for little Claire's birthday last year, with all the gang, and it came time for us to go to the K, and I literally couldn't bring myself to go there. I turned round and went home, cursing myself for an idiot all the way up Wood St, but something in my head just said "No. You can't go there now."
I think I know why this is - I can actually trace it back to a certain point - but I'm not saying anything in such a public domain. For me to write it here is enough, without going into the whys and wherefores. Suffice to say, people that I trust already know, or are free to enquire.
"It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us."
Friends. There's an interesting one. You can have friends that aren't really friends. Friends that really are friends. Friends you don't see for months, but when you do, pick up where you left off. And Friends who claim the appellation undeservingly...
So, have you ever been in that situation (I'm mainly speaking to male readers here, though that's not to say that others won't feel the same) where you're good friends with someone, but you'd like it to be more? I'm fairly sure there's a quote that runs along the lines of "All the best relationships are built on good friendships", but that's a confusing one... Does it mean that friendship is necessary prior to the engagement of a relationship, or that at the start of a relationship, you should work on your friendship as a priority, or that friendship develops over time with them?
(And, don't I just know it, there will be someone reading this who thinks "Oh, this is about me". Yes, humanity has the curse of arrogance, or I suppose, paranoia. Anyway, for one person, they'll be right!)
My question to you though, O readers of Blogs, is:
Should you take a step and possibly make a good friendship awkward? Or should you be satisfied at having a good friend?
You know, I've been here once before. Granted, she had to kind of metaphysically cuff me around the head a bit before I realised what she was intimating, and it sort of fizzled out, but d'you know what? I think we're better friends than ever for the experience. It's hard to feel bitter, or hold a grudge against anyone who's been in your life for a certain amount of time...
Anyway, I'll leave that to you to muse over, and possibly shout at me for. =p
So, onto one of my favourite subjects:
JESUS!
No, but seriously, I was having a little ponder the other day... (Intelligence + Being bored sifting through job applications = Profound introspection)
Now, despite my outspoken heretical views about, well, religion in general, I think that the underlying message of most (if not all) religions is pretty much the same, a sort of plea of: "Hey, look, we're all basically the same, Homo Sapiens, you know? Wouldn't it be nice if we all just rubbed along together and swerved the ol' "persecution" stuff? Hmm?"
I was considering, anyway, the nature of the Big J, good ol' Jesus. Now, the Bible (more specifically, the New Testament) is replete with fables of Jesus' deeds. Anyone who paid even the least attention in R.E. can name a few of these, the feeding of the 5000, raising Lazarus from the dead, etc, etc.
Imagine, then, if what happened, about 1980 years ago (by modern reckoning), was in fact a version of Chinese Whispers, taken to an unimaginably over-inflated conclusion?
Picture the scene in modern terms: A group of "educated" southerners (Yes - I am picturing Satan - I MEAN Mr. Cameron and his Oxford chums) travelling north through Britain, telling all that they meet that they have heard of - or are followers of - this great man, who is a few days behind them, who can raise people from the dead, walk on water. A humble carpenter's son, in fact, who was immaculately conceived! Might it not be the case that there would be some gullible people who'd be taken in by this story of this human with extraordinary powers? Let's face it - How many people are there who'd love, in their heart-of-hearts, to believe that there really are super heroes, or X-men, or whatever?
Could it be the case that Jesus, and thus, the New Testament, was based on a brilliant prank?
Think about it. =]
Now... I have something else to say! Ok, ok, so it's been a RIDICULOUSLY long blog so far, but this is about a months worth of pent-up words! Besides which, I've taken to reading Dickens (it's only taken 22 years!), so I'm feeling particularly verbose. =p
Right. It is my firm belief that the nature of the universe is cyclical; an endlessly repeating pattern of endlessly repeating patterns, from the movement of the smallest possible matter, through to the universe itself. Concentric loops, starting, existing, ending, and repeating patterns ad infinitum. Proof? It's in the everyday, all around us. Humans are naturally programmed to follow a certain daily pattern, with sunrise and sunset dictating our sleeping patterns (there's that word again). Why do we do this? Because the Earth itself follows a pattern, or orbit, which in turn is part of a greater pattern, which IN TURN is part of a greater pattern... You can see where I'm going there, right?
So, let us swing our thoughts to weighty subjects, such as global warming, polar ice caps melting, and, I'm afraid, even our very existance. Why, oh why, do these fusty, priggish people insist upon worrying about the environmental damage we're causing as a race? Let me quote from Wikipedia - and before you ask, no, I don't actually use it as some sort of information balm. I just find that Wikipedia sometimes provides nice, clear definitions, that I simply couldn't phrase better. So:
"The Earth's climatic history has been divided, in intervals of millions of years, into Ice Ages and Interglacial Ages."
If I may draw your attention to the word "Interglacial Ages"... That's what we currently inhabit. And thus, as sure as there has been an Ice Age before now, there will be one again. So, chill your beans, y'all. We're a hardy race. Supposedly the most intelligent that has yet walked on our planet... I think we'd be able to deal with it. I mean, come on, what sort of damage would a super-volcanic eruption cause? And that's from a natural bloody source. So, we're accelerating the process; So what? These things are a slow process! It's hardly like we'll go to bed, nice and cosy one night, and then wake up next morning in an arctic wasteland, as though billions of tons of ice have (figuratively) sneaked in through the back door and settled down for a millenia.
So, bearing this pattern in mind, I'd like to bring your attention to the theory of universal expansion. I mean, I think it makes sense (being a believer in the Big Bang Theory - No, not the comedy, though I am a fan) that the universe is continuing to expand outwards. Will this process reverse someday? Yes, I'm also sure of that. And then we'll have Big Bang the II: This time it's personal. Or Big Bang III. Or X. Or L. The point being, the universe could have repeated this pattern a practically infinite number of times before now; over a span of "time" that we, as humans, find near impossible to fathom. In short, our existance on this here planet, this minute speck of space and time we're allowed to occupy, should be worthwhile, and full, and you should, above all, ENJOY life! You only get one!
... Or do you...?
Ok, Ok, I'll talk about reincarnation another time. =p This has been ridiculously lengthy, but hey, I enjoyed it. I hope you've reached this point without, well, falling asleep. Thank you, so much, for bothering to plough through my musings.
Much love, credit, hugs and kudos!
Shalom, my friends, peace! Bismillah!
Tet x
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Dearest constellation, heaven surroundin' you...
... Stay there, soft and blue...
=]
Hi!
It's been time since the last post, has it not? My apologies for that, I believe I finished the last post by saying how I was going over to Ireland, and looking forward to gigging with the Trestles, so I shall turn first...
TO IRELAND!:
Always a pleasure to return to the emerald isle! I do love that place, but my ties with Liverpool are still stronger - Standing on the ferry on my own, watching the Liverpool waterfront sliding slowly away, a myriad of lights stretching into the distance, fronted by those all-too-familiar outlines, seen so often that they're etched into my memory... Well, it causes a pang, even though I know I'm coming back soon enough!
Anyway, me and my dad went up to Achill - in the extreme North-West of Ireland - to basically mess about for a weekend, playing music and enjoying the scenery. Achill is pretty much the last stop before the Atlantic (and features "The Most Westerly Pub in Ireland"!)
So, last time I was there, there was this music festival sort of thing happening, and I got to admire some of the AMAZING musicians that play the traditional music there (I actually text Danny last time saying "I'm surrounded by 8 of the best musicians I've ever seen", hahaha), and this time, on the last night we were there, I had the opportunity to join in... Enter the Gibson J-200, and me frantically trying to follow the changes and feel of the songs. Don't think I did too badly, at that. =D
Was really nice to be able to just chill with my dad though. I don't see him as often as I'd like. =/
Soo... I return from Ireland overnight and stay awake on Monday, to make sure my sleep pattern is ok, and when my mum comes in from work, do I get a "welcome home!"? Nope. I am given 90 days notice to, basically, get the fuck out of her life.
Ok, so maybe she doesn't see it that way, but I certainly do, I'm afraid... So yes. I have 90 days - less, now - to find somewhere to live. As previously mentioned, I'm attached to Liverpool for a number of reasons, and I really want to stay here, if it's possible. We'll see!
To this end (that is, of moving out), I've started absolutely ripping into my bedroom, throwing out/selling EVERYTHING that isn't going to be needed. And by GOD, but I have a lot of shit that's surplus to requirements. =|
It's nice though. Sort of therapeutic to go to sleep each night and see less and less stuff just lying around. =]
Anyway:
Thursday 12th provided my first gig with my new band, The Trestles! We played a "warm-up" gig in The Carter's Arms in Kirkby. I really enjoyed it, actually, despite a little bit of an issue with my bass/the bass amp (I still haven't established which).
Entertaining events unfolded outside, after the gig too.... But I won't go into detail about them. =']
We're playing the Mathew St Fringe Festival on August 30th, anyway. Free entry gig, innit, and it promises to be HEAVING in the Zanzibar that night. Can't wait! We also have our single, "Sing On" being released on iTunes the same date!
On top of this, we've had radio play recently from Billy Butler and Dave Monks on BBC Radio Merseyside, which I'm more than happy about! Especially since, thanks to Dave Monks, I'm a little bit famous... If I may just extract the quote:
"...Michael Tetlow, better known as 'Tet' on the music scene; he plays bass in The Trestles."
;]
I've been going to the Monday night Jam Nights in Chameleon regularly... It's always a brilliant atmosphere there, everyone is always just chilled and enjoying playing and listening to the music that everyone else is coming up with. Always worth it! I really like going there. Bit of an issue about going to the next one though... My beloved LIVERPOOL FC are playing on the Monday night; quite a big game against Man City... So I'm in two minds as to whether to watch the game, or go to play music. Unfair: I can't choose between two of my passions like this! =[
(Ok, so we all know I'll end up playing music, but...)
Right. I've just had a bit of a rant on the ol' Facebook, so I'm going to transfer it over to here and expand:
MUSIC. BANDS. THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE.
A friend of mine (they're going to remain nameless, saves trouble) is playing a gig. Trouble is, the gig they're playing is with a fucking AWFUL excuse for a promotions company (again, they will remain nameless. Although, if you've spoken to me about the scene, you'll probably know who I'm talking about. Nevertheless... To remain within the bounds of the law...)
This friend is playing a gig alongside a Rock band and a Metal band, when they're quite mellow. I can't help but think that this is a fucking stupid idea for a gig.
What the local scene needs is for bands to come together and create a mutual fan base. Bands of a similar genre sticking together, gigging together, etc. That will cause the best outcome for both the bands themselves and the scene they're a part of.
(For anyone in doubt, I love Metal, as I do most music, and am IN a rock band, and a more mellow poppy band!)
But no, these greedy, stupid promoters are happy to throw any combination of bands together and make them "pay to play" (A concept, by the way, that is high up on my personal list of "Should never have even been conceived as a possibility", topped by "Hitler looking at a map of Europe and thinking "Poland, hey?" *rubs chin reflectively*... Anyway, I digress.)
In short, I have a vision of how the music scene in Liverpool COULD be... And once again, another idea that will benefit lots of people is defeated by greed. *sighs*
In more pleasant news:
What do you think of Russell Brand?
I've been listening to his (now very) old podcasts, from when he was a Radio 6, then a Radio 2 presenter... And I've been laughing almost incessantly. The man lives in an insane world, that's only loosely connected to this one. I'd love to talk to him!
My new iPod (well, I got it for my birthday, anyway) is filling up nicely. I transferred the remaining Foo Fighters albums onto it today, along with Death From Above 1979's "You're a Woman, I'm a Machine" album (I'm as in love with that as I was in 2005...)
Listening to the eponymous debut album from the Foo Fighters now... I do love my grunge/rock. =D
Right, anyway my friends, it's time to crack on with packing my life away!
Speak to/See you all soon, I hope!
À Bientôt,
Tet x
=]
Hi!
It's been time since the last post, has it not? My apologies for that, I believe I finished the last post by saying how I was going over to Ireland, and looking forward to gigging with the Trestles, so I shall turn first...
TO IRELAND!:
Always a pleasure to return to the emerald isle! I do love that place, but my ties with Liverpool are still stronger - Standing on the ferry on my own, watching the Liverpool waterfront sliding slowly away, a myriad of lights stretching into the distance, fronted by those all-too-familiar outlines, seen so often that they're etched into my memory... Well, it causes a pang, even though I know I'm coming back soon enough!
Anyway, me and my dad went up to Achill - in the extreme North-West of Ireland - to basically mess about for a weekend, playing music and enjoying the scenery. Achill is pretty much the last stop before the Atlantic (and features "The Most Westerly Pub in Ireland"!)
So, last time I was there, there was this music festival sort of thing happening, and I got to admire some of the AMAZING musicians that play the traditional music there (I actually text Danny last time saying "I'm surrounded by 8 of the best musicians I've ever seen", hahaha), and this time, on the last night we were there, I had the opportunity to join in... Enter the Gibson J-200, and me frantically trying to follow the changes and feel of the songs. Don't think I did too badly, at that. =D
Was really nice to be able to just chill with my dad though. I don't see him as often as I'd like. =/
Soo... I return from Ireland overnight and stay awake on Monday, to make sure my sleep pattern is ok, and when my mum comes in from work, do I get a "welcome home!"? Nope. I am given 90 days notice to, basically, get the fuck out of her life.
Ok, so maybe she doesn't see it that way, but I certainly do, I'm afraid... So yes. I have 90 days - less, now - to find somewhere to live. As previously mentioned, I'm attached to Liverpool for a number of reasons, and I really want to stay here, if it's possible. We'll see!
To this end (that is, of moving out), I've started absolutely ripping into my bedroom, throwing out/selling EVERYTHING that isn't going to be needed. And by GOD, but I have a lot of shit that's surplus to requirements. =|
It's nice though. Sort of therapeutic to go to sleep each night and see less and less stuff just lying around. =]
Anyway:
Thursday 12th provided my first gig with my new band, The Trestles! We played a "warm-up" gig in The Carter's Arms in Kirkby. I really enjoyed it, actually, despite a little bit of an issue with my bass/the bass amp (I still haven't established which).
Entertaining events unfolded outside, after the gig too.... But I won't go into detail about them. =']
We're playing the Mathew St Fringe Festival on August 30th, anyway. Free entry gig, innit, and it promises to be HEAVING in the Zanzibar that night. Can't wait! We also have our single, "Sing On" being released on iTunes the same date!
On top of this, we've had radio play recently from Billy Butler and Dave Monks on BBC Radio Merseyside, which I'm more than happy about! Especially since, thanks to Dave Monks, I'm a little bit famous... If I may just extract the quote:
"...Michael Tetlow, better known as 'Tet' on the music scene; he plays bass in The Trestles."
;]
I've been going to the Monday night Jam Nights in Chameleon regularly... It's always a brilliant atmosphere there, everyone is always just chilled and enjoying playing and listening to the music that everyone else is coming up with. Always worth it! I really like going there. Bit of an issue about going to the next one though... My beloved LIVERPOOL FC are playing on the Monday night; quite a big game against Man City... So I'm in two minds as to whether to watch the game, or go to play music. Unfair: I can't choose between two of my passions like this! =[
(Ok, so we all know I'll end up playing music, but...)
Right. I've just had a bit of a rant on the ol' Facebook, so I'm going to transfer it over to here and expand:
MUSIC. BANDS. THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE.
A friend of mine (they're going to remain nameless, saves trouble) is playing a gig. Trouble is, the gig they're playing is with a fucking AWFUL excuse for a promotions company (again, they will remain nameless. Although, if you've spoken to me about the scene, you'll probably know who I'm talking about. Nevertheless... To remain within the bounds of the law...)
This friend is playing a gig alongside a Rock band and a Metal band, when they're quite mellow. I can't help but think that this is a fucking stupid idea for a gig.
What the local scene needs is for bands to come together and create a mutual fan base. Bands of a similar genre sticking together, gigging together, etc. That will cause the best outcome for both the bands themselves and the scene they're a part of.
(For anyone in doubt, I love Metal, as I do most music, and am IN a rock band, and a more mellow poppy band!)
But no, these greedy, stupid promoters are happy to throw any combination of bands together and make them "pay to play" (A concept, by the way, that is high up on my personal list of "Should never have even been conceived as a possibility", topped by "Hitler looking at a map of Europe and thinking "Poland, hey?" *rubs chin reflectively*... Anyway, I digress.)
In short, I have a vision of how the music scene in Liverpool COULD be... And once again, another idea that will benefit lots of people is defeated by greed. *sighs*
In more pleasant news:
What do you think of Russell Brand?
I've been listening to his (now very) old podcasts, from when he was a Radio 6, then a Radio 2 presenter... And I've been laughing almost incessantly. The man lives in an insane world, that's only loosely connected to this one. I'd love to talk to him!
My new iPod (well, I got it for my birthday, anyway) is filling up nicely. I transferred the remaining Foo Fighters albums onto it today, along with Death From Above 1979's "You're a Woman, I'm a Machine" album (I'm as in love with that as I was in 2005...)
Listening to the eponymous debut album from the Foo Fighters now... I do love my grunge/rock. =D
Right, anyway my friends, it's time to crack on with packing my life away!
Speak to/See you all soon, I hope!
À Bientôt,
Tet x
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