MY REACTION WHEN SOMEONE GOES ON AND ON ABOUT THEMSELVES
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Yo homies. Sup?
I'm currently very pre occupied with attempting to stuff my entire room into one suitcase considering the fact that I'm moving continents for good this time, plus I have a new hobby which is honking down every son of a nice lady in this city who comes even remotely close to my car. LICENCE IN THREE DAYS WADDUP?
But I have a few things to post tonight so do excuse the absence.
Here's something to fill the void I have created in your lives.
The latest Darkane album. The Swedish melodeath metallers really put the BOOM into Metal Bomb. Don't ask me what that meant, I just said what popped into my head.
It's absolutely maddening. I've listened to it twice already. But that's just a fraction of what I think! Check it out HERE. The sheer brutality of it all.
Also, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, stay tuned for the latest addition to my blog. =) You'll see soon enough!
Cheers bobbleheads!
Tweet?
So I got back on Twitter on a sunny, rather mundane afternoon in April. I signed in with a thought in my head going, if Twitter was a person, the first thing I'd say to it was, " Enchante, I've heard SO much about you". I signed up for Twitter a few years ago because someone told me I had not lived until I had used Twitter. I pinched the sod and wiped the remnants of my Hershey's bar or any food that I ate for the next few days to prove that I was very much alive without yet another social networking obligation. I never knew what Twitter was nor did I know what it's purpose was. I found it rather awkward and on a very large scale creepy, that you could actually 'follow' people. At least Twitter's open about the whole 'following' deal. Facebook uses the guise of 'Add as a 'friend' ' to cover up one's desire to stalk or innate sense of curiosity.
At first, I was like a crazed waiting-to-be-socially-acceptable teen with a brand new cellular phone, waiting to prove to the world the wonders of her texting abilities and the extent to which she can misspell simple words and make them sound so extremely disastrous yet equally cool. I followed every band I could think of, every brand I used, every show I've ever watched and every sportsperson I've been in awe of. I tweeted and retweeted everything that was tweetable, until two months later I was like, "What are you doing with your life?"
I get social media. I will not criticize it to the extent of saying that it is bad because it does indeed have it's advantages. Twitter is one such example, you get updates on everything you possibly could, you meet people with similar interests, it is fun! The whole 140 character limit stirs up one's creative juices too. What I did realize however but didn't take notice of is that you're interacting mostly with complete strangers. People you don't know follow you. And without noticing, the more I followed, the more followed me. The turning point of my Twitter usage was when I got some really weird messages in my inbox, and pictures of someone who was obviously rather desperately attempting to give people a lesson in biology. Not my first choice of a wake up call but hoo boy I couldn't sleep the rest of that morning which was my initial plan.
Something I've learnt over the years is that anything that you do, must be done in moderation and kept in check. Clearly I didn't follow that as I went over board MANY MANY times with a variety of things. I'm talking junk, too many push ups which led to a twisted shoulder, too much socializing, don't think dirty you lot! Like Liza says in 'My Fair Lady', "Am a good gurl eye am".
Unfortunately, social media is a waste of time. I've been off Facebook for a few months now. I was tempted to get back on every now and again, but I really didn't see the point. I talk to everyone I need to via other means, and I now know that I can productively use my time for other more important things than check who has been where and what the rest of the world is upto. We tend to get lost in everyone else's world and completely lose track and sight of the fact that we have our own to live.
As philosophical as I may sound, it is the truth. I don't miss Facebook, and now I've learnt how and when to use Twitter. If you want your focus to be 200 %, I'd say no social media at all. It works wonders. It's so easy to get distracted, even if it's just a 'two-minute break', which in this day and age actually means a two hour break.
I actually like Twitter more than Facebook. You get updates on only the things and people you follow, discover new bands, people and other shizz, you look like a first class nutter talking to yourself on your profile which suits me just fine because that's what I'm doing for the most part of my time; talking to myself. If you know how to balance all of these modern day techies and the shenanigans they come along with, brilliant! It's a good way to wind down after a hard long day of doing not-a-whole-lot.
I shall end this post by saying, Tweet people the way you want to Tweeted. It is essential in this mysterious Twittersphere.
Have a Tweet day.
I'm done now.
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
The Classics
So clearly, when I said " my hint for TOMORROW'S post, I meant like 4 days later. Forgive me. I've been a little 'busy', if I may say so myself. Here it is!
Apart from listening to 'Spice Up Your Life' by the Spice Girls constantly, I grew up listening to some of the best bands and artists of all time. Those bands that set the trend for the much heavier, distorted and versatile music that I listen to today. I'm talking bands from the 60's, 70's and 80's who created waves in the music world with simple riffs and lyrics. The parent genre for all the music that's come around today. These bands revolutionized the music scene completely forming a pathway between the earlier swing and jazz-oriented styles to rock 'n' roll and the much more modern sub genres of rock, metal and the like. At this point I'd like to mention my parents, especially my Dad for their/his absolutely commendable taste in music. A lot of the classy stuff I listen to is all thanks to those endless numbers of tapes and cassettes that my parents devoted much of their free time to creating and recording!
Can you believe that audio tapes are a thing of the past? I miss them to be very frank. I used to love stacking up all my favourite tapes together, and of course, the destructive side of me would pull one out from underneath to make my audio tape skyscraper come crashing down which I found positively hilarious. I remember how excited I used to get every time I had saved up enough money to buy a cassette of my very own. That's another thing I'd like to thank my Mum and Dad for. Teaching me that you don't just get things when you ask for them. You have to blood, sweat and tear your way there. I'm quite the extravagant individual, I like pretty, shiny, loud, tasty and expensive things, But I know that I can't have any of that posh world unless I work my caramel coloured arse off for it. I'd do odd little jobs around the house, help them with anything that had to be stuck, typed, plucked at, burned. You name it, I've done it. And it's because of them that I have a decent amount of respect and value for money. I'm hoping to improve on that!
Back in 2006, during the FIFA World Cup in Germany, I was desperate to get the Official FIFA audio tape that had a mix of football songs and anthems as a part of the 2006 World Cup promotion. I was beyond psyched when the parentals took me to a music store and told me I could pick it up. Life was always so simple. That one audio tape gave me so much happiness I listened to it over and over and over again till I actually had to put back the spools myself due to over usage. Those were the days.
The bands I'm talking about here cannot even be remotely compared to any others. They're in a league of their own which is why I have an entirely separate HD just for music from that era. Classic Rock, Rock n Roll, Hard Rock, Heavy metal, Blues, Jazz, Grunge, Country. I loved it all. Still do. A lot of the things that I know today are because of the awesome lyrical themes that most of these bands based their music on. For instance, Pink Floyd's deep and philosophical lyrics about war, exploitation, empathy,with an obvious dark element, subjects that we do not dare to approach in everyday life, the Beatles discussing perception, love, spirituality and joy through their masterpieces, to more political and rebellious themes by the likes of bands such as U2 and The Clash. There's so much more! With all the music I listen to, I absolutely love analysing the themes that a band's music centers, which brings me to another one of my favourite subjects: Mythology. A lot of the Scandinavian metal bands, other European bands too, bring alive through their music the wonders and mysteries of those fascinating mythologies from centuries ago. I'll probably do an entire post just on that.
This isn't something I can cover in the confines of a single post, plus I thought it'd be fun to do it over a period of time, looking into all of my favourite bands from what I would call the Golden Era of Music. To start off with, today I just want to mention my top 30 band's from the 60's to the 80's. I took a long, long time to decide this and after much thought, cookies and sore ears, I listed my favorites. But my favoritism only differs from one to another on a very VERY minute scale.
1.
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AC/DC ( or as I affectionately refer to them - Acca Dacca ) - =) My first ever proper band that I started listening to. I love them. Absolutely. They're what got me into the whole genre of rock, hard rock and the like. And I liked them even more when I discovered they're from Sydney, Australia. ^_^ AND the Young brothers are Scottis. Hee. Kidding. Jokes apart, AC/DC are so much more than just a band to me. Just like Gojira. They're all about rocking out and living life the way you want. Although their lyrical themes aren't exactly of the UG category, every single one of their albums is listener-friendly (just made that up). Anyone who listens to these powerhouses will want to get up, break and then jump on something. I listened to all the Brian Johnson albums initially, I think the first AC/DC album I listened to was Ballbreaker or Flick Of The Switch. There's always debate on who the better vocalist is, that is putting aside Dave Evans who was the original vocalist of the band. But he wasn't around for very long. Both Scott and Johnson have their own special and unique styles but they are both absolutely mad vocalists. Of course, Cliff Williams (love the man's hair) ,Angus and Malcom Young are among some of my favourite guitarists, with some major, powerful and groovy riffs. The same can be said about the three drummers that the band has had over the years. Each one contributed different elements to the albums but what I love the most about my favourite rock band, is the fact that despite the number of line-up changes and the death of someone close, they pulled through to become absolute legends, maintaining a loyal fan base and constantly evolving in the kind of music they create.
Favourite Albums: Highway To Hell, Back In Black, High Voltage, Let There Be Rock
"For Those About To Rock, We Salute You". - AC/DC
2.
THE BEATLES - The Beatles are like putting salt in your food and sprinkles on your ice cream. MUST-HAVE. I've always loved the simplicity of their music, the range of themes that their songs are about. It's always so full of love, the realities of life, and aptly represents what each one of the band's members stood for and what they faced. The Beatles were known for their rather posh and high society yet rather controversial lives and faced many ups and downs throughout their career together. But in spite of all the negativity, they took it in their stride and created a legacy as well as platform, not only for musicians of the 60's but are a major influence for many bands even today. Like I said, their simple yet versatile musical style made them the favourites of millions and also one of mine.
My top Beatles albums include, Help!, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road and Yellow Submarine.
3.
LED ZEPPELIN - Led Zep Led Zep. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to them. But I'm going to try. They. are. Led Zeppelin. I'm not quite sure how to elaborate on the sheer awesomeness of this quartet, but they are just that: the personification of awesome and the redefinition of perfection. Of all bands, LedZep are definitely the most versatile, with their brilliant mix of blues, folk rock and being considered one of the pioneers in the genre of heavy metal. I remember the first songs I heard by these guys: Kashmir and The Immigrant Song. OH MY FRIGGIN LORD. I DIED. came back to life and then lost my head again. I still love singing the opening to The Immigrant Song and pretend like I'm swinging from vine to vine in the Amazon. What a song! What lyrics! You know what the best part is? ALL their music is like this. I am such a hardcore LedZep fan I can't put it in words how much I love them. Not only did their music become the influence for many many bands of the 70's and 80's later on such as Sabbath, Megadeth, Dream Theater etc, but their style in general was and still is unmatched. Page and Plant are among my favourite muscians. =)
Favourite Albums: Houses of The Holy, Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV
4.
THE DOORS - Jim Morrison's husky, crisp and strong voice always got me into this weird trance. Needless to say, The Doors are one of my all-time favourites and a must-have on anyone's classic rock playlist. Or any playlist for that matter. Morrison Hotel, L.A.Woman, An American Prayer, they don't make it like that anymore. The pure goodness of psychedelic and classic rock with the vibrant melodies of more blues-y, jazz and swing elements. I remember these guys being one of my first ever classic rock bands that I'd love chilling to. Versatile and fun, their music is for anyone! I have listened to some stuff by The Butts Band which was formed by Krieger and Densmore, the guitarist and drummer of The Doors respectively, but nothing matches up to the awesomeness of all four talents collaborating together. I love them!
Favourite Albums: Strange Days, Morrison Hotel, Doors
5.
GUNS N ROSES - I have a major attachment to this band because it was Guns N Roses tunes that I first started learning to play on my initial adventures with my guitar. Definitely one of the most successful bands of the 80's and the 90's. Classic hard rock, crazy lyrics and videos. Their music is like a mix of all of my other favourite bands such as Acca Dacca, Led Zep, Van Halen, Guns N Roses tunes have it all. Honestly, they've got a pretty mad but weird line up now. And I hazd a sad when Slash and Axl Rose decided to be a bunch of stuck up snobs. ( Slash I love you). Neverthless, Guns N Roses still remain on the top of my list because of the influence they had on my early music taste.
Favourite Album: Appetite For Destruction DEFINITELY.
6.
CREEDANCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - I fell in love with the name. So you can imagine how I feel about their music. =) John Fogerty's lyrics are unbelievable. So simple yet so deep. It gives me so much peace listening to these guys. Their songs primarily being about the Southern culture led me to discover another awesome sub genre: Southern Rock, with bands/artists such as ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers Band, Black Oak Arkansas, Bo Diddley, Lynrd Skynrd, Canned Heat and so many more. I'm aware of only a few of these bands but I love Southern rock. So peaceful and really fun music. I haven't heard all the CCR albums in their entirety but I love Green River and tracks such as Have You Ever Seen The Rain?, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Bad Moon Rising, Pagan Baby and Susie Q. Definitely should be on your playlist!
7.
BLACK SABBATH - I don't think I need to say a whole lot here. The band's name says it all. Sabbath have been one of my all time 70's metal band's to listen to and they're now back with a bang with their latest album '13', after 18 years, which, btw, TOPPED THE BILLBOARD 200 CHART. That is saying SOMETHING in the music world! So proud! The first time I heard 'Crazy Train' I had a coronary and went ballistic. Became my caller tune for a year and a half before I had people threatening to never call me again. Didn't stop me. Gloomy, bluesy, dem downtuned guitars, Sabbath are a must have on your classic rock/classic heavy metal playlist. They're a treat to listen to once in a while given their unique sounds.
Favourite Sabbath albums: Paranoid, Heaven and Hell, Seventh Star.
8.
PINK FLOYD - Whatever knowledge I have of Pink Floyd and their music, has been engraved into my pretty little brain probably since I was crouched in a fetal position as a fetus. Venu (my dad) is one hardcore Floyd fan if I've ever seen one. I used to watch, if I remember correctly, it was 'The Wall tour' which Venu had recorded on video tape. What a psyched out video! I know for a fact if I ever watched Floyd live, It'd be hard to get me back to reality for quite sometime, even if you happened to be Irish. There is only one word I always use to describe their music : frigginmadasspsychedelicshizz. WHAT. It is a word. Well, now I've made it one! The eerie, bone-chilling voices of Waters, Gilmour and Co, the perfectly synchronized drumming of Mason ( love him ), SYD BARRETT. Is it just me or does Barrett look like the human version of that guy in 'The Corpse Bride'? But if anything, the band's major strength was the themes on which they based their lyrics. Mum still gets the heebie-jeebies listening to them, but I really like how open they are! They're lyrics for 'Brain Damage' and 'Welcome To The Machine', have been, as I read recently compared to Karl Marx's 'Alienation theory. I absolutely flipped when I read that! That's another thing I recommend to people who really like to get into their music, read the lyrics of a band you really like. You'll be taken aback by some of the much deeper, underlying meanings that are hidden in the realms of the very song itself. Read up on Floyd's lyrical themes. Good stuff. Favourite albums: Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall, Ummagumma.
9.
AEROSMITH - Tyler and co. I swear are by far the band personification of 'rocking out'. Every time I listen to a typical Aerosmith tune, I start jumping around, using my leg as a guitar, it just gets you into that whole mood. I've always been a fan of Steven Tyler's extremely versatile voice. That man can reach notes that can start earthquakes. It's not that uncomfortably, ear-bleeding high pitch, but a really husky sort. First ever Aerosmith song I heard was 'Dude looks like a lady' when I watched 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Such an epic song. Mum reckons it should be my theme song. Reasons are because I am apparently the son of the family. A post on that later maybe?
They are without a doubt one of the greatest rock n roll bands ever and cannot be missed! Favourite Albums: Nine Lives, Music Fromm Another Dimension, Rock In A Hard Place. They've got some really beautiful soft tracks too which I love!
10.
CREAM: Definitely one of the most underrated bands from the 60's. People today are not even aware that there was a band called Cream, much less aware of the fact that my man Eric Clapton was an integral part of it! They were really big during their time though so that's comforting. World's first super group that had some major success which reflects in their music. 'Sunshine Of Your Love, 'Crossroads', 'Sitting On Top Of The World', so beautiful. When it comes to blues rock, these guys are what you want to listen to. I mean come on, it's Clapton, need I say anymore? well collaborated with the likes of Bruce and Baker, cream will (canIpleasebecheeseyhere?) make you feel all creamy in the head. And happy. *cheesey grin*
11.
KISS - These guys are the 70's rock version of ' Ghost'. The black and white make up, the loud outfits the crazy live performances with the fire breathing, the levitating drum kits. Yes I said levitating drum kit, I don't know what shenanigans is up there but if you don't believe me, look down south. Even if it is all shenanigans, it's still bloody cool! Simmons is a badass! Love his style! The whole band in fact are leagues apart from their contemporaries with their loud, rockstar, unorthodox rock demeanor. To be honest, I miss the vocals of Frehley, such a fun guy. Their newer stuff 'Monster' and 'Sonic Boom' aren't all bad, but I'm more attached to the original KISS style from the 70's. Again, I haven't listened to all their albums, something I have on my to-do list for the next few months.
Favourite Albums: Alive!, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over and KISS.
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12.
CHUCK BERRY - When I think multi-talented and the King of Rock and Roll, I think Chuck Berry. Instantly. He's songs are upbeat, rhythmic, crisp guitar sounds, his music has it all! All the hits, Johnny B Goode, Rock and Roll music, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Too Much Monkey Business. You haven't heard classic music if you haven't heard Mr Charles. Absolutely brilliant man!
13.
HOWLIN' WOLF/MUDDY WATERS - When it comes the blues, I turn to Waters and the Wolf. They're amazing. You need to listen to them to know what I mean. Someday, and it's on my bucketlist, I want to go to New York like Tom Hanks in The Terminal, and chill out to some classy blues and jazz music at one of them jazz bars. The life man.
14.
JIMI HENDRIX - It's Hendrix. Need I say a word more? But I will. He's an insane muddah. I don't have a favourite Hendrix album but I love tons of his songs. So friggin unique. Such an amazingly talented guitarist and musician.
15.
NIRVANA - I wanted to marry Cobain until my dreams as a 13 year old were shattered and I realized he was dead. Oh well. Cobain's music came straight from the heart. I was pretty taken aback when I read that for most of his songs, he wrote the lyrics just minutes before recording. If that isn't sheer talent, I don't know what is. Nirvana was the first grunge rock band I came across, actually that's where I even learnt what the word 'grunge' meant.
16.
JUDAS PRIEST- The band that led to my discovery of the twin-guitar sound. Halford's vocal range is like going into Haagen-Daas and looking at all the flavours. Priest created a genre of their own and are said to have created the basal point from which heavy metal grew in leaps and bounds. They truly have a unique style, a rather unpredictable band if I may, but in a good way of course, with the right balance of aggressive tempos and slower-paced tunes. Basically, you will never ever get tired of Judas Priest tunes. And that is why they're one of my favourites. I haven't listened to all of their albums, but I will get to it at some point! They are an absolutely brilliant band, especially if you're a fan of the classic heavy metal sound.
Favourite albums: Painkiller, Stained Class
17.
IRON MAIDEN - Can I just not say anything about these guys and muck up the moment? Perfection = Iron Maiden. I love this band so very much. Sheer class merged with brutality. Heard my first Maiden song on my first day of sixth grade at a new school. Definitely helped me get through the day and the days after that. That is all I will say.
Favourite Albums: The Number Of The Beast, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, Fear Of The Dark.
VS 
THE RAMONES/THE CLASH - I know this is sort of cheating but I can't help it. A choice cannot be made. They took punk rock to new heights. The Clash weren't around for too long, making waves in the rock scene for about ten years but those were some pretty massive waves. What I love most about The Clash is that they do live up to their name. Or did. Music by the band was based mainly on the members rather extreme views and political ideologies. Much like a lot of metal music today, this was a radical and unorthodox concept for a band of the 70's. But not surprising given the insane amounts of political affairs that were going down. Although they managed to create a hell of a lot of controversy with their music, it is bloody good music. It just echoes revolution, and is also evident with the names of some of their songs. Favourite album: London Calling.
The Ramones are my other favourite punk rock group. I would add in the Sex Pistols here as well but I heard them much later, so I have a natural attachment towards these two heh. I just love The Ramones for their unmatched uniqueness. You can spot a Ramones tune anywhere without thinking twice. Favourite albums: Rocket To Russia, Too Tough To Die.
19.
RUSH - Oh the epicness of this band. I loved them right from the very first song I heard. Rush, I remember a friend of mine introduced me to, back when I was a youngin still in school. We used to sit in class everyday and talk about all of the classic rock greats and then he asked me, " Have you heard of this band, Rush?" I'm like - "Not really, no". *jaw drops, ninja jumps to bag, pulls out iPod and almost shoves it up my nose in excitement and absolute disbelief* That would be a summary of said friend's reaction. And you do not want to know what my reaction was when the proggy, metal tunes of Rush captivated my ear drums for the next 15 minutes. Let's just say my excitement got me into trouble. SUCH A BIG FAN. The really interesting lyrics, the heavy sounds, the culmination of elements from various genres into just one track, beautiful! I've listened to a good amount of Rush and their style has definitely seen a shift over the years. Less heavy, more alternative and electronic, nevertheless any Rush tune is goodstuff. Geddy is a genius.
Favourite Albums: Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Fly By Night
20.
DEEP PURPLE - And as is the case with most people, I came across this amazing bunch when I heard 'Smoke On The Water' and 'Highway Star'. Those tracks NEVER get old. Deep Purple, might I just say ARE FRIGGIN CRAZY. I was reading about them a couple of days ago and they were apparently listed in the Guinness Book Of Records, 1975 for being "the Globe's Loudest Band". That's as high a milestone as it gets for a heavy metal band. Big fan of Ritchie Blackmore, the man is a genius. As is everyone in the band and no I'm not being diplomatic. One of the best band's I've ever heard in my 20 years, and they still remain so today. These classic rock maestros know how to make good music.
Favourite Albums: Machine Head, Stormbringer, In Rock
21.
THE SEX PISTOLS - PUNK PUNK PUNK. When a band has a member with a name like Sid Vicious, who wouldn't want to listen to them?
22.
JANIS JOPLIN- My favourite lady rocker. She had the most soulful voice I've ever heard and the first time I listened to one of her songs, I felt complete bliss. I love when some artists are just a 18621876817 in one and she's one of those specimens. It always inspires me and gives me hope.
23.
DURAN DURAN - When I watched a tribute concert held in honor of Princess Diana, I heard Duran Duran for the very first time. They most certainly do not make it like Duran Duran anymore. That mysterious air about them, their funky music, first pop band I really liked. I'd say they were the disciples of David Bowie. Pop-punk, glam, so many descriptions about these guys but whatever the opinion, absolutely fantastic music. You see the softer side of the band in some of their music and it makes you like them even more, to see a band maintaining such a balance. When it comes to elegance yet glamorously rebellious, Duran Duran are the band for you.
Favourite Albums: Duran Duran, Notorious, Seven And The Ragged Tiger
24.
OASIS - The Manchester Boys. One of the most successful alternative rock bands. It's like listening to The Who, Nirvana, The Six Pistols, Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd all in one. And that's why they're one of my favourites. I thought Bittersweet Symphony was originally by them. They sound EXACTLY like The Verve I can STILL never tell the difference. Hardly.
Favourite Albums: Heathen Chemistry, Dig Out Your Soul
25.
THE WHO -" People try to put us d-dowwwwn, talkin' 'bout my generation". WHAT.A.SONG. Not surprising, that was my very first The Who song I heard, when I watched an episode of Full House and Jesse was singing it with his band. I love their music solely because they're just fun to listen to! That's also how I discovered that there was a genre called 'art rock' which I found really, really fancy! Pete Townshend is an awesome musician too! I love some of his solo albums. Really good, soothing and creative music! The Who's are a definite must-have on a Classics playlist.
Favourite Albums: My Generation, Who Are You
26.
MOTORHEAD: To be honest, I never actually listened to Motorhead initially, I found out about them because I randomly saw Lemmy on some website and I was all =O DAT DUDE IS COOL. Motorhead's one of my other favourites from the 70's/80's era when Metal was just coming to the fore and Motorhead's insane energy and completely wild attitude was converting people into what they call their fans: The Motorheadbangers. Motorhead tracks are loud, gritty, supersonic, with Lemmy's completely unorthodox style of bass guitar. Absolutely love this band. If you're into thrash metal, Motorhead's the way to go!
Favourite albums: Bastards, Ace Of Spades, Inferno
27.
U2 - IRISH. ROCK. SAYS IT ALL. This band is all about the rock + punk feel. U2's music has the perfect balance between melodic, heavy punk rock and to make everything a whole lot more awesome (that doesn' sound grammatically correct to me but I can't be bothered right now. I'm cocoa-deprived and freezing my arse off) their lyrical themes are what made me a big fan of them! I think it's a punk thing, rebel against anything that is even remotely connected to or involves the government. Also, Bono is DA MAN. Hardcore humanitarian with such an ardent passion. When I grow up I want to be just like him. Yes when I want to grow up. I'm only 20, not sagging and wrinkly. Anyway, first ever U2 song I heard was 'Elevation' and I basically acted like I had just seen the ghost of a skimpily clad Hitler. U2 are so upbeat but can be the softest sounding band. Favourite albums: The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby
28.
GENESIS - PHIL COLLINS PHIL COLLINS PHIL COLLINS. That is all. The band is pretty awesome too! Perfect for when you want to go for long drives and pretend like you're in a Disney movie. Truly beautiful, symphonic rock. Their albums slowly evolved into more progressive music which made me like them even more. Did I mention I love Phil Collins? He's awesome. 'Invisible Touch', 'Dance On A Volcano', 'Follow you follow me', 'Supper's ready', Just kick back, listen to Genesis and get all trippy.
29.
BOB MARLEY - Would you look at that face? I'm not quite sure why he's on the bottom of this list because I love him the most. Apart from being one of the most celebrated reggae artists, Marley is one of the most inspiring human beings I know. I absolutely love the Rasta culture and it was all because of him! This man was all about the love. Love for music, for his tiny little island of a country, for football, for the Rasta culture. And it all reflected 100% in his music. Apparently there's a Carribean parasite species named after Marley. Talk about impact. 'Buffalo Soldier', 'Iron Lion Zion', 'No Woman No Cry', 'Three Little Birds', I can go on. He's one of my idols. Ya blooodthaangs gotsta get yoself some Marlay on ya museek leest. Bloodfiyaah maan. Oh he was an Aquarian. *does the happy dance*
30.
VAN HALEN - I think in terms of stage presence and performances, no one takes the cake like Van Halen. This band is so full of life and energy and it reflects in their music 120%. They've probably enjoyed the most success among all of their contemporaries. They're are incredibly unique which I know is what I say about a lot of the bands I talk about, but that's the beauty, each one is different from the next! Especially during the 60's to the 80's era, each band had their own style, so much so you could never mix them up. David Lee Roth and Eddie are again, two of my favoruites, Roth can play the Sax! Something I'm desperate to learn! Eddie Van Halen is just a beast!
Favourite albums: Van Halen, 5150
Well there you have it. My TOP 30 from the decades before I was born. I shall of course repeat here that all of these above mentioned artists are just SOME of my favourites.
The best part about my top 30 is that none of them are very genre specific, extremely versatile, revolutionized their respective decades with a style that they could call their very own. There's something special about all of these bands, it's probably the fact that I'm a 90's kid and this is the first kind of music I listened to. I love it! Real music, real lyrics, the crisp sounds of maddening guitar solos and killer drum beats, not to mention all them glamorous outfits and rebellious attitudes, the classics shall forever occupy a large cubicle in my heart. It is without a doubt, the base on which all of today's awesome hard rock and of course my love, metal has been created. One big happy family if you may. I'm not going to say much more except that, those of you who haven't really heard what music from the 60's is, you should. You're honestly missing out on a whole other world, one that you'll find yourself getting attached to rather quickly if you know what to listen to and have an open mind as well as the patience to explore.
Apart from listening to 'Spice Up Your Life' by the Spice Girls constantly, I grew up listening to some of the best bands and artists of all time. Those bands that set the trend for the much heavier, distorted and versatile music that I listen to today. I'm talking bands from the 60's, 70's and 80's who created waves in the music world with simple riffs and lyrics. The parent genre for all the music that's come around today. These bands revolutionized the music scene completely forming a pathway between the earlier swing and jazz-oriented styles to rock 'n' roll and the much more modern sub genres of rock, metal and the like. At this point I'd like to mention my parents, especially my Dad for their/his absolutely commendable taste in music. A lot of the classy stuff I listen to is all thanks to those endless numbers of tapes and cassettes that my parents devoted much of their free time to creating and recording!
Can you believe that audio tapes are a thing of the past? I miss them to be very frank. I used to love stacking up all my favourite tapes together, and of course, the destructive side of me would pull one out from underneath to make my audio tape skyscraper come crashing down which I found positively hilarious. I remember how excited I used to get every time I had saved up enough money to buy a cassette of my very own. That's another thing I'd like to thank my Mum and Dad for. Teaching me that you don't just get things when you ask for them. You have to blood, sweat and tear your way there. I'm quite the extravagant individual, I like pretty, shiny, loud, tasty and expensive things, But I know that I can't have any of that posh world unless I work my caramel coloured arse off for it. I'd do odd little jobs around the house, help them with anything that had to be stuck, typed, plucked at, burned. You name it, I've done it. And it's because of them that I have a decent amount of respect and value for money. I'm hoping to improve on that!
Back in 2006, during the FIFA World Cup in Germany, I was desperate to get the Official FIFA audio tape that had a mix of football songs and anthems as a part of the 2006 World Cup promotion. I was beyond psyched when the parentals took me to a music store and told me I could pick it up. Life was always so simple. That one audio tape gave me so much happiness I listened to it over and over and over again till I actually had to put back the spools myself due to over usage. Those were the days.
The bands I'm talking about here cannot even be remotely compared to any others. They're in a league of their own which is why I have an entirely separate HD just for music from that era. Classic Rock, Rock n Roll, Hard Rock, Heavy metal, Blues, Jazz, Grunge, Country. I loved it all. Still do. A lot of the things that I know today are because of the awesome lyrical themes that most of these bands based their music on. For instance, Pink Floyd's deep and philosophical lyrics about war, exploitation, empathy,with an obvious dark element, subjects that we do not dare to approach in everyday life, the Beatles discussing perception, love, spirituality and joy through their masterpieces, to more political and rebellious themes by the likes of bands such as U2 and The Clash. There's so much more! With all the music I listen to, I absolutely love analysing the themes that a band's music centers, which brings me to another one of my favourite subjects: Mythology. A lot of the Scandinavian metal bands, other European bands too, bring alive through their music the wonders and mysteries of those fascinating mythologies from centuries ago. I'll probably do an entire post just on that.
This isn't something I can cover in the confines of a single post, plus I thought it'd be fun to do it over a period of time, looking into all of my favourite bands from what I would call the Golden Era of Music. To start off with, today I just want to mention my top 30 band's from the 60's to the 80's. I took a long, long time to decide this and after much thought, cookies and sore ears, I listed my favorites. But my favoritism only differs from one to another on a very VERY minute scale.
1.
.
AC/DC ( or as I affectionately refer to them - Acca Dacca ) - =) My first ever proper band that I started listening to. I love them. Absolutely. They're what got me into the whole genre of rock, hard rock and the like. And I liked them even more when I discovered they're from Sydney, Australia. ^_^ AND the Young brothers are Scottis. Hee. Kidding. Jokes apart, AC/DC are so much more than just a band to me. Just like Gojira. They're all about rocking out and living life the way you want. Although their lyrical themes aren't exactly of the UG category, every single one of their albums is listener-friendly (just made that up). Anyone who listens to these powerhouses will want to get up, break and then jump on something. I listened to all the Brian Johnson albums initially, I think the first AC/DC album I listened to was Ballbreaker or Flick Of The Switch. There's always debate on who the better vocalist is, that is putting aside Dave Evans who was the original vocalist of the band. But he wasn't around for very long. Both Scott and Johnson have their own special and unique styles but they are both absolutely mad vocalists. Of course, Cliff Williams (love the man's hair) ,Angus and Malcom Young are among some of my favourite guitarists, with some major, powerful and groovy riffs. The same can be said about the three drummers that the band has had over the years. Each one contributed different elements to the albums but what I love the most about my favourite rock band, is the fact that despite the number of line-up changes and the death of someone close, they pulled through to become absolute legends, maintaining a loyal fan base and constantly evolving in the kind of music they create.
Favourite Albums: Highway To Hell, Back In Black, High Voltage, Let There Be Rock
"For Those About To Rock, We Salute You". - AC/DC
2.
THE BEATLES - The Beatles are like putting salt in your food and sprinkles on your ice cream. MUST-HAVE. I've always loved the simplicity of their music, the range of themes that their songs are about. It's always so full of love, the realities of life, and aptly represents what each one of the band's members stood for and what they faced. The Beatles were known for their rather posh and high society yet rather controversial lives and faced many ups and downs throughout their career together. But in spite of all the negativity, they took it in their stride and created a legacy as well as platform, not only for musicians of the 60's but are a major influence for many bands even today. Like I said, their simple yet versatile musical style made them the favourites of millions and also one of mine.
My top Beatles albums include, Help!, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road and Yellow Submarine.
3.
LED ZEPPELIN - Led Zep Led Zep. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to them. But I'm going to try. They. are. Led Zeppelin. I'm not quite sure how to elaborate on the sheer awesomeness of this quartet, but they are just that: the personification of awesome and the redefinition of perfection. Of all bands, LedZep are definitely the most versatile, with their brilliant mix of blues, folk rock and being considered one of the pioneers in the genre of heavy metal. I remember the first songs I heard by these guys: Kashmir and The Immigrant Song. OH MY FRIGGIN LORD. I DIED. came back to life and then lost my head again. I still love singing the opening to The Immigrant Song and pretend like I'm swinging from vine to vine in the Amazon. What a song! What lyrics! You know what the best part is? ALL their music is like this. I am such a hardcore LedZep fan I can't put it in words how much I love them. Not only did their music become the influence for many many bands of the 70's and 80's later on such as Sabbath, Megadeth, Dream Theater etc, but their style in general was and still is unmatched. Page and Plant are among my favourite muscians. =)
Favourite Albums: Houses of The Holy, Led Zeppelin I, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV
4.
THE DOORS - Jim Morrison's husky, crisp and strong voice always got me into this weird trance. Needless to say, The Doors are one of my all-time favourites and a must-have on anyone's classic rock playlist. Or any playlist for that matter. Morrison Hotel, L.A.Woman, An American Prayer, they don't make it like that anymore. The pure goodness of psychedelic and classic rock with the vibrant melodies of more blues-y, jazz and swing elements. I remember these guys being one of my first ever classic rock bands that I'd love chilling to. Versatile and fun, their music is for anyone! I have listened to some stuff by The Butts Band which was formed by Krieger and Densmore, the guitarist and drummer of The Doors respectively, but nothing matches up to the awesomeness of all four talents collaborating together. I love them!
Favourite Albums: Strange Days, Morrison Hotel, Doors
5.
GUNS N ROSES - I have a major attachment to this band because it was Guns N Roses tunes that I first started learning to play on my initial adventures with my guitar. Definitely one of the most successful bands of the 80's and the 90's. Classic hard rock, crazy lyrics and videos. Their music is like a mix of all of my other favourite bands such as Acca Dacca, Led Zep, Van Halen, Guns N Roses tunes have it all. Honestly, they've got a pretty mad but weird line up now. And I hazd a sad when Slash and Axl Rose decided to be a bunch of stuck up snobs. ( Slash I love you). Neverthless, Guns N Roses still remain on the top of my list because of the influence they had on my early music taste.
Favourite Album: Appetite For Destruction DEFINITELY.
6.
CREEDANCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - I fell in love with the name. So you can imagine how I feel about their music. =) John Fogerty's lyrics are unbelievable. So simple yet so deep. It gives me so much peace listening to these guys. Their songs primarily being about the Southern culture led me to discover another awesome sub genre: Southern Rock, with bands/artists such as ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers Band, Black Oak Arkansas, Bo Diddley, Lynrd Skynrd, Canned Heat and so many more. I'm aware of only a few of these bands but I love Southern rock. So peaceful and really fun music. I haven't heard all the CCR albums in their entirety but I love Green River and tracks such as Have You Ever Seen The Rain?, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Bad Moon Rising, Pagan Baby and Susie Q. Definitely should be on your playlist!
7.
BLACK SABBATH - I don't think I need to say a whole lot here. The band's name says it all. Sabbath have been one of my all time 70's metal band's to listen to and they're now back with a bang with their latest album '13', after 18 years, which, btw, TOPPED THE BILLBOARD 200 CHART. That is saying SOMETHING in the music world! So proud! The first time I heard 'Crazy Train' I had a coronary and went ballistic. Became my caller tune for a year and a half before I had people threatening to never call me again. Didn't stop me. Gloomy, bluesy, dem downtuned guitars, Sabbath are a must have on your classic rock/classic heavy metal playlist. They're a treat to listen to once in a while given their unique sounds.
Favourite Sabbath albums: Paranoid, Heaven and Hell, Seventh Star.
8.
PINK FLOYD - Whatever knowledge I have of Pink Floyd and their music, has been engraved into my pretty little brain probably since I was crouched in a fetal position as a fetus. Venu (my dad) is one hardcore Floyd fan if I've ever seen one. I used to watch, if I remember correctly, it was 'The Wall tour' which Venu had recorded on video tape. What a psyched out video! I know for a fact if I ever watched Floyd live, It'd be hard to get me back to reality for quite sometime, even if you happened to be Irish. There is only one word I always use to describe their music : frigginmadasspsychedelicshizz. WHAT. It is a word. Well, now I've made it one! The eerie, bone-chilling voices of Waters, Gilmour and Co, the perfectly synchronized drumming of Mason ( love him ), SYD BARRETT. Is it just me or does Barrett look like the human version of that guy in 'The Corpse Bride'? But if anything, the band's major strength was the themes on which they based their lyrics. Mum still gets the heebie-jeebies listening to them, but I really like how open they are! They're lyrics for 'Brain Damage' and 'Welcome To The Machine', have been, as I read recently compared to Karl Marx's 'Alienation theory. I absolutely flipped when I read that! That's another thing I recommend to people who really like to get into their music, read the lyrics of a band you really like. You'll be taken aback by some of the much deeper, underlying meanings that are hidden in the realms of the very song itself. Read up on Floyd's lyrical themes. Good stuff. Favourite albums: Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall, Ummagumma.
9.
AEROSMITH - Tyler and co. I swear are by far the band personification of 'rocking out'. Every time I listen to a typical Aerosmith tune, I start jumping around, using my leg as a guitar, it just gets you into that whole mood. I've always been a fan of Steven Tyler's extremely versatile voice. That man can reach notes that can start earthquakes. It's not that uncomfortably, ear-bleeding high pitch, but a really husky sort. First ever Aerosmith song I heard was 'Dude looks like a lady' when I watched 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Such an epic song. Mum reckons it should be my theme song. Reasons are because I am apparently the son of the family. A post on that later maybe?
They are without a doubt one of the greatest rock n roll bands ever and cannot be missed! Favourite Albums: Nine Lives, Music Fromm Another Dimension, Rock In A Hard Place. They've got some really beautiful soft tracks too which I love!
10.
CREAM: Definitely one of the most underrated bands from the 60's. People today are not even aware that there was a band called Cream, much less aware of the fact that my man Eric Clapton was an integral part of it! They were really big during their time though so that's comforting. World's first super group that had some major success which reflects in their music. 'Sunshine Of Your Love, 'Crossroads', 'Sitting On Top Of The World', so beautiful. When it comes to blues rock, these guys are what you want to listen to. I mean come on, it's Clapton, need I say anymore? well collaborated with the likes of Bruce and Baker, cream will (canIpleasebecheeseyhere?) make you feel all creamy in the head. And happy. *cheesey grin*
11.
KISS - These guys are the 70's rock version of ' Ghost'. The black and white make up, the loud outfits the crazy live performances with the fire breathing, the levitating drum kits. Yes I said levitating drum kit, I don't know what shenanigans is up there but if you don't believe me, look down south. Even if it is all shenanigans, it's still bloody cool! Simmons is a badass! Love his style! The whole band in fact are leagues apart from their contemporaries with their loud, rockstar, unorthodox rock demeanor. To be honest, I miss the vocals of Frehley, such a fun guy. Their newer stuff 'Monster' and 'Sonic Boom' aren't all bad, but I'm more attached to the original KISS style from the 70's. Again, I haven't listened to all their albums, something I have on my to-do list for the next few months.
Favourite Albums: Alive!, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over and KISS.
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CHUCK BERRY - When I think multi-talented and the King of Rock and Roll, I think Chuck Berry. Instantly. He's songs are upbeat, rhythmic, crisp guitar sounds, his music has it all! All the hits, Johnny B Goode, Rock and Roll music, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Too Much Monkey Business. You haven't heard classic music if you haven't heard Mr Charles. Absolutely brilliant man!
13.
HOWLIN' WOLF/MUDDY WATERS - When it comes the blues, I turn to Waters and the Wolf. They're amazing. You need to listen to them to know what I mean. Someday, and it's on my bucketlist, I want to go to New York like Tom Hanks in The Terminal, and chill out to some classy blues and jazz music at one of them jazz bars. The life man.
14.
JIMI HENDRIX - It's Hendrix. Need I say a word more? But I will. He's an insane muddah. I don't have a favourite Hendrix album but I love tons of his songs. So friggin unique. Such an amazingly talented guitarist and musician.
15.
NIRVANA - I wanted to marry Cobain until my dreams as a 13 year old were shattered and I realized he was dead. Oh well. Cobain's music came straight from the heart. I was pretty taken aback when I read that for most of his songs, he wrote the lyrics just minutes before recording. If that isn't sheer talent, I don't know what is. Nirvana was the first grunge rock band I came across, actually that's where I even learnt what the word 'grunge' meant.
16.
JUDAS PRIEST- The band that led to my discovery of the twin-guitar sound. Halford's vocal range is like going into Haagen-Daas and looking at all the flavours. Priest created a genre of their own and are said to have created the basal point from which heavy metal grew in leaps and bounds. They truly have a unique style, a rather unpredictable band if I may, but in a good way of course, with the right balance of aggressive tempos and slower-paced tunes. Basically, you will never ever get tired of Judas Priest tunes. And that is why they're one of my favourites. I haven't listened to all of their albums, but I will get to it at some point! They are an absolutely brilliant band, especially if you're a fan of the classic heavy metal sound.
Favourite albums: Painkiller, Stained Class
17.
IRON MAIDEN - Can I just not say anything about these guys and muck up the moment? Perfection = Iron Maiden. I love this band so very much. Sheer class merged with brutality. Heard my first Maiden song on my first day of sixth grade at a new school. Definitely helped me get through the day and the days after that. That is all I will say.
Favourite Albums: The Number Of The Beast, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, Fear Of The Dark.
VS THE RAMONES/THE CLASH - I know this is sort of cheating but I can't help it. A choice cannot be made. They took punk rock to new heights. The Clash weren't around for too long, making waves in the rock scene for about ten years but those were some pretty massive waves. What I love most about The Clash is that they do live up to their name. Or did. Music by the band was based mainly on the members rather extreme views and political ideologies. Much like a lot of metal music today, this was a radical and unorthodox concept for a band of the 70's. But not surprising given the insane amounts of political affairs that were going down. Although they managed to create a hell of a lot of controversy with their music, it is bloody good music. It just echoes revolution, and is also evident with the names of some of their songs. Favourite album: London Calling.
The Ramones are my other favourite punk rock group. I would add in the Sex Pistols here as well but I heard them much later, so I have a natural attachment towards these two heh. I just love The Ramones for their unmatched uniqueness. You can spot a Ramones tune anywhere without thinking twice. Favourite albums: Rocket To Russia, Too Tough To Die.
19.
RUSH - Oh the epicness of this band. I loved them right from the very first song I heard. Rush, I remember a friend of mine introduced me to, back when I was a youngin still in school. We used to sit in class everyday and talk about all of the classic rock greats and then he asked me, " Have you heard of this band, Rush?" I'm like - "Not really, no". *jaw drops, ninja jumps to bag, pulls out iPod and almost shoves it up my nose in excitement and absolute disbelief* That would be a summary of said friend's reaction. And you do not want to know what my reaction was when the proggy, metal tunes of Rush captivated my ear drums for the next 15 minutes. Let's just say my excitement got me into trouble. SUCH A BIG FAN. The really interesting lyrics, the heavy sounds, the culmination of elements from various genres into just one track, beautiful! I've listened to a good amount of Rush and their style has definitely seen a shift over the years. Less heavy, more alternative and electronic, nevertheless any Rush tune is goodstuff. Geddy is a genius.
Favourite Albums: Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Fly By Night
20.
DEEP PURPLE - And as is the case with most people, I came across this amazing bunch when I heard 'Smoke On The Water' and 'Highway Star'. Those tracks NEVER get old. Deep Purple, might I just say ARE FRIGGIN CRAZY. I was reading about them a couple of days ago and they were apparently listed in the Guinness Book Of Records, 1975 for being "the Globe's Loudest Band". That's as high a milestone as it gets for a heavy metal band. Big fan of Ritchie Blackmore, the man is a genius. As is everyone in the band and no I'm not being diplomatic. One of the best band's I've ever heard in my 20 years, and they still remain so today. These classic rock maestros know how to make good music.
Favourite Albums: Machine Head, Stormbringer, In Rock
21.
THE SEX PISTOLS - PUNK PUNK PUNK. When a band has a member with a name like Sid Vicious, who wouldn't want to listen to them?
22.
JANIS JOPLIN- My favourite lady rocker. She had the most soulful voice I've ever heard and the first time I listened to one of her songs, I felt complete bliss. I love when some artists are just a 18621876817 in one and she's one of those specimens. It always inspires me and gives me hope.
23.
DURAN DURAN - When I watched a tribute concert held in honor of Princess Diana, I heard Duran Duran for the very first time. They most certainly do not make it like Duran Duran anymore. That mysterious air about them, their funky music, first pop band I really liked. I'd say they were the disciples of David Bowie. Pop-punk, glam, so many descriptions about these guys but whatever the opinion, absolutely fantastic music. You see the softer side of the band in some of their music and it makes you like them even more, to see a band maintaining such a balance. When it comes to elegance yet glamorously rebellious, Duran Duran are the band for you.
Favourite Albums: Duran Duran, Notorious, Seven And The Ragged Tiger
24.
OASIS - The Manchester Boys. One of the most successful alternative rock bands. It's like listening to The Who, Nirvana, The Six Pistols, Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd all in one. And that's why they're one of my favourites. I thought Bittersweet Symphony was originally by them. They sound EXACTLY like The Verve I can STILL never tell the difference. Hardly.
Favourite Albums: Heathen Chemistry, Dig Out Your Soul
25.
THE WHO -" People try to put us d-dowwwwn, talkin' 'bout my generation". WHAT.A.SONG. Not surprising, that was my very first The Who song I heard, when I watched an episode of Full House and Jesse was singing it with his band. I love their music solely because they're just fun to listen to! That's also how I discovered that there was a genre called 'art rock' which I found really, really fancy! Pete Townshend is an awesome musician too! I love some of his solo albums. Really good, soothing and creative music! The Who's are a definite must-have on a Classics playlist.
Favourite Albums: My Generation, Who Are You
26.
MOTORHEAD: To be honest, I never actually listened to Motorhead initially, I found out about them because I randomly saw Lemmy on some website and I was all =O DAT DUDE IS COOL. Motorhead's one of my other favourites from the 70's/80's era when Metal was just coming to the fore and Motorhead's insane energy and completely wild attitude was converting people into what they call their fans: The Motorheadbangers. Motorhead tracks are loud, gritty, supersonic, with Lemmy's completely unorthodox style of bass guitar. Absolutely love this band. If you're into thrash metal, Motorhead's the way to go!
Favourite albums: Bastards, Ace Of Spades, Inferno
27.
U2 - IRISH. ROCK. SAYS IT ALL. This band is all about the rock + punk feel. U2's music has the perfect balance between melodic, heavy punk rock and to make everything a whole lot more awesome (that doesn' sound grammatically correct to me but I can't be bothered right now. I'm cocoa-deprived and freezing my arse off) their lyrical themes are what made me a big fan of them! I think it's a punk thing, rebel against anything that is even remotely connected to or involves the government. Also, Bono is DA MAN. Hardcore humanitarian with such an ardent passion. When I grow up I want to be just like him. Yes when I want to grow up. I'm only 20, not sagging and wrinkly. Anyway, first ever U2 song I heard was 'Elevation' and I basically acted like I had just seen the ghost of a skimpily clad Hitler. U2 are so upbeat but can be the softest sounding band. Favourite albums: The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby
28.
GENESIS - PHIL COLLINS PHIL COLLINS PHIL COLLINS. That is all. The band is pretty awesome too! Perfect for when you want to go for long drives and pretend like you're in a Disney movie. Truly beautiful, symphonic rock. Their albums slowly evolved into more progressive music which made me like them even more. Did I mention I love Phil Collins? He's awesome. 'Invisible Touch', 'Dance On A Volcano', 'Follow you follow me', 'Supper's ready', Just kick back, listen to Genesis and get all trippy.
29.
BOB MARLEY - Would you look at that face? I'm not quite sure why he's on the bottom of this list because I love him the most. Apart from being one of the most celebrated reggae artists, Marley is one of the most inspiring human beings I know. I absolutely love the Rasta culture and it was all because of him! This man was all about the love. Love for music, for his tiny little island of a country, for football, for the Rasta culture. And it all reflected 100% in his music. Apparently there's a Carribean parasite species named after Marley. Talk about impact. 'Buffalo Soldier', 'Iron Lion Zion', 'No Woman No Cry', 'Three Little Birds', I can go on. He's one of my idols. Ya blooodthaangs gotsta get yoself some Marlay on ya museek leest. Bloodfiyaah maan. Oh he was an Aquarian. *does the happy dance*
30.
VAN HALEN - I think in terms of stage presence and performances, no one takes the cake like Van Halen. This band is so full of life and energy and it reflects in their music 120%. They've probably enjoyed the most success among all of their contemporaries. They're are incredibly unique which I know is what I say about a lot of the bands I talk about, but that's the beauty, each one is different from the next! Especially during the 60's to the 80's era, each band had their own style, so much so you could never mix them up. David Lee Roth and Eddie are again, two of my favoruites, Roth can play the Sax! Something I'm desperate to learn! Eddie Van Halen is just a beast!
Favourite albums: Van Halen, 5150
Well there you have it. My TOP 30 from the decades before I was born. I shall of course repeat here that all of these above mentioned artists are just SOME of my favourites.
The best part about my top 30 is that none of them are very genre specific, extremely versatile, revolutionized their respective decades with a style that they could call their very own. There's something special about all of these bands, it's probably the fact that I'm a 90's kid and this is the first kind of music I listened to. I love it! Real music, real lyrics, the crisp sounds of maddening guitar solos and killer drum beats, not to mention all them glamorous outfits and rebellious attitudes, the classics shall forever occupy a large cubicle in my heart. It is without a doubt, the base on which all of today's awesome hard rock and of course my love, metal has been created. One big happy family if you may. I'm not going to say much more except that, those of you who haven't really heard what music from the 60's is, you should. You're honestly missing out on a whole other world, one that you'll find yourself getting attached to rather quickly if you know what to listen to and have an open mind as well as the patience to explore.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt.
I did a little what-should-I-blog-about analysis and came to the conclusion that it is important at this point to explain to all those absolutely brilliant people who read my blog, who are trying to figure out what the hell is up with my blog's name. Why couldn't it be something as simple and exciting as "Prarthana's Poppy Poopy Life" or " My Shenanigan-filled Life by Prarthana" or even "Prarthana". I get chills, chills of awesomeness just saying the last one. Narcissism. Indeed.
Here it is. Not the narcissism. The explanation. My name is Prarthana if you were not already aware of this very important detail. It means 'Prayer' in Sanskrit. So you can imagine the joy with which I prance around saying y own name to people and going "I'm in your life and your life and YOUR life. So HA." Although I'm still yet to figure out what to say to the atheists. But all dem atheist peeps luv me and shizz. So iz al gud. I shall stop now.
Somehow, during high school, my beautiful, serene, spiritual, and extremely life-appropriate name was shrunk and reduced to 'Prat'. As you can see, the name stuck. EVERYONE calls me Prat. I'm not even kidding. Friends, teachers, acquaintances, parentals, the sister, I'm pretty sure I've even heard my dogs bark out a 'Prat' every now and again. I do like the name because a lot of lazy sons of nice ladies find my name too long to say. And this is the extent to which the human race's mouth has proven their laziness. The same can't be said when it comes to eating.
I'm going to just get to the point. My universal nickname in the English language means an 'arse'. No not the animal, I'm talking Maximus Gluteus. Or in less scientific words, your butt. My name means 'The Butt'. No don't laugh now, you wouldn't be doing a lot of things without your hiney I can assure you. Therefore by my calculations, NO ONE, yet again, can live without me, The Prayerful Butt.
It also means, as per the English of the Middle Ages, a prank. Another meaning I take great pride in. The number of prank calls I have made in my day is enough to put me in the slammer. However, it also means a complete idiot. I am such. But of the wiser kind. I act like an idiot to those deserving idiocy. Fair enough aye? Urban Dictionary as I just saw, seems to adore the word 'prat'. And right at the bottom I see the word Narcissism. Remind me to send a bouquet of roses to the website if that's even possible. Apparently it Dutch it means 'fun' or 'gaiety'. DOUBLE HA.
So there you have it. Welcome to the blog of 'The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt'. I've been writing for a long long time but 'The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt' blog is only a few months old. The successor to my previous blog. Come to think of it, this is a more apt and enticing title is it not? I'm thinking a name change is in order. Not for me, for my blog. Or for me maybe? One can only wonder.
TPNGPButt has hit 2000 views and I'm really happy that there are people actually reading. I love sharing all I have to say, know, think about the components of what we call 'This World', and it's nice to know that people are having a glimpse at what I have to say. Hugs, plectrums and baby Leprechauns to the lot of you. Keep reading, I believe strongly in loyalty. Maybe someday you might be as buttfaced as me.
Buttloads of Love,
The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt.
Here it is. Not the narcissism. The explanation. My name is Prarthana if you were not already aware of this very important detail. It means 'Prayer' in Sanskrit. So you can imagine the joy with which I prance around saying y own name to people and going "I'm in your life and your life and YOUR life. So HA." Although I'm still yet to figure out what to say to the atheists. But all dem atheist peeps luv me and shizz. So iz al gud. I shall stop now.
Somehow, during high school, my beautiful, serene, spiritual, and extremely life-appropriate name was shrunk and reduced to 'Prat'. As you can see, the name stuck. EVERYONE calls me Prat. I'm not even kidding. Friends, teachers, acquaintances, parentals, the sister, I'm pretty sure I've even heard my dogs bark out a 'Prat' every now and again. I do like the name because a lot of lazy sons of nice ladies find my name too long to say. And this is the extent to which the human race's mouth has proven their laziness. The same can't be said when it comes to eating.
I'm going to just get to the point. My universal nickname in the English language means an 'arse'. No not the animal, I'm talking Maximus Gluteus. Or in less scientific words, your butt. My name means 'The Butt'. No don't laugh now, you wouldn't be doing a lot of things without your hiney I can assure you. Therefore by my calculations, NO ONE, yet again, can live without me, The Prayerful Butt.
It also means, as per the English of the Middle Ages, a prank. Another meaning I take great pride in. The number of prank calls I have made in my day is enough to put me in the slammer. However, it also means a complete idiot. I am such. But of the wiser kind. I act like an idiot to those deserving idiocy. Fair enough aye? Urban Dictionary as I just saw, seems to adore the word 'prat'. And right at the bottom I see the word Narcissism. Remind me to send a bouquet of roses to the website if that's even possible. Apparently it Dutch it means 'fun' or 'gaiety'. DOUBLE HA.
So there you have it. Welcome to the blog of 'The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt'. I've been writing for a long long time but 'The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt' blog is only a few months old. The successor to my previous blog. Come to think of it, this is a more apt and enticing title is it not? I'm thinking a name change is in order. Not for me, for my blog. Or for me maybe? One can only wonder.
TPNGPButt has hit 2000 views and I'm really happy that there are people actually reading. I love sharing all I have to say, know, think about the components of what we call 'This World', and it's nice to know that people are having a glimpse at what I have to say. Hugs, plectrums and baby Leprechauns to the lot of you. Keep reading, I believe strongly in loyalty. Maybe someday you might be as buttfaced as me.
Buttloads of Love,
The Prayerful Narcissistic Gay Pranking Butt.
Cling On Wrap Syndrome.
Attachment. It's human nature. It's also a pain in the ass. But then again, it's normal. It happens to all of us at some point and when things suddenly blow up in your face, you're just all "What in the name of a monkey's uncle just went down?". We expect our best friends to call us all the time, we expect our boyfriends/girlfriends to shower us with constant undying love and to give it to no one else, we always want our mothers pampering us or our Dad's telling us how proud they are of their child prodigies. This is where, I have learnt time and again, and tried to share with people equally frequently, LIFE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. Honestly, it'll just lead to a lot of Ben and Jerry tubs and quite a turnover for tissue companies. Or you'll just come under the category of an epic sod.
Personally, I get attached to someone I think I can trust, immediately. I take a lot of time trusting people but once that happens, I'm like a baby koala. Not in the weird, creepy, stalkerish way, but more in an I luuuuuv you way. And even though at times, it's been nice to feel attachment towards someone, it really doesn't always lead to happiness in the end. Ironically, it leads to the exact opposite. Someone very close to me, a mentor if I may, told me, " Attachment causes unhappiness, detachment leads to peace of mind." And it is so true. We're always under the impression that if we have people to hang on to, people we can 'trust', we're fine. Which I won't completely disagree with. But you will never be 100 % fine until you ensure that that's because it's from you and not because you have people you're attached to and feeling safe with.
I call this particular trait of human nature the Cling On Wrap Syndrome. Basically, it's when one cannot help oneself from being a clingy little sod and attaches oneself to an even more pitiful individual due to an excessive amount of apparent love or just a sheer bout of insanity or insecurity. You tend to start acting like Cling On. You tend to get stuck to someone until you are ripped off, and I don't mean this financially.
To be honest, I was one of those people. I wouldn't go right to the extent of coming under the 'Cling-On' category but I did put my trust in people easily. I felt that everyone does have their rights to being flawed at times and it is necessary to overlook that. You can NOT change a person, nor would they want your opinion. By nature, I'm friendly, I mingle well with guy or girl, old or infant, mature or I-have-the-maturity-of-a-paper-clip. I'll talk to anyone. If I got along really well with someone, I wouldn't mind opening up immediately about how I feel this inexplainable fascination for leprechauns and cheesecake, or how I don't consider myself a girl, or just any old thing that happens to float around in my pretty little head.
“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.”
~Epictetus
Read that quote. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I have. I read it everyday and to be honest, I still do find it a little difficult sometimes to implement, but I know the tricks of the trade now. And that's what this post is all about. How not to be attached. Why it's not necessarily always a good thing. I write this from experience, from learning based on what I've seen and heard, based on the countless mistakes that have knocked me down, made me fall smack bang on my face but pushed e to get right back up and bulldoze my way through.
What's most important to rid yourself of this little imp of a trait, is to acknowledge and accept that you are in fact attached. It could be to your friend, your family, that bulletin board with all your bus tickets and concert stubs and weirdly cut out photos of you and your mates proving the extent of your insanity, to your favourite t-shirt, or just to anything that is 'external'. That isn't a part of you literally. When you feel attached, it almost always results in negative feelings such as anger, sadness, jealousy, insecurity, even fear. It's okai. It happens to everyone. I'm 20. Only 20. But I've been through this about a 25891028973,000000000 times. I exaggerate not oh young ones. Arite, maybe just a little. But a lot. I've experienced attachment way more than I can remember. And each time you know what I'd do? I'd tell myself to avoid all the things that do lead me to get attached and end up doing ONLY those things. Funny how the human mind works.
It took me a while to decide about whether to write this or not and I decided, there are so many other people out there who I know go through the same thing I do. And I thought that I must share. I don't know who I' sharing it with but I'm hoping that it reaches out to people and helps in some way.
My attachment has led me to some not so great times. Don't worry, I'm not the swallow-pills, slit-my-wrists or cut-myself-off-from-the-cruel-world type of person when I'm sad. I'm just that. Sad. I've lost people I considered best friends, I've lost pets, who were more than just pets to me, they were my family, and trust me losing family? Is hard. I've lost crap loads of money over the years, I've lost faith at times, I've lost the hope and happiness that I always live my life on, I've lost love. And every time I found it easy to blame someone or something else. Or sometimes I wouldn't blame anyone at all and come to the conclusion that y life just stinks more than everyone else's. But it's taken me years to realize that every time, I had only myself to blame. And why? Forget making mistakes, forget doing stupid things, it's because every single one of those times, I was attached. I mentioned money? Money seems like a silly thing to be attached to. But I really do value money, I can't just see it being pissed away. And I have a knack for being rather absent-minded. So when I've lost cash, I've felt like it's almost an apocalyptic event, especially money that I've earned.
Bottom line, whatever attachment it is that we have to an object, a person, a memory, anything, it does us more harm than we're ready to accept. This is something that's engraved in my brain now, and I'm happy I learnt this earlier than later. As annoying as this is, even simple things such as caring, adoration etc, are sure signs of emotional attachment. Don't get me wrong, we're sentient beings. It's natural. But sometimes we don't know where to draw the line. I just pictured lining up M&M's whenever I meet someone new. I'm not quite sure why. Anyhoo, yeah so attachment sucks. Just saying.
Personally, I get attached to someone I think I can trust, immediately. I take a lot of time trusting people but once that happens, I'm like a baby koala. Not in the weird, creepy, stalkerish way, but more in an I luuuuuv you way. And even though at times, it's been nice to feel attachment towards someone, it really doesn't always lead to happiness in the end. Ironically, it leads to the exact opposite. Someone very close to me, a mentor if I may, told me, " Attachment causes unhappiness, detachment leads to peace of mind." And it is so true. We're always under the impression that if we have people to hang on to, people we can 'trust', we're fine. Which I won't completely disagree with. But you will never be 100 % fine until you ensure that that's because it's from you and not because you have people you're attached to and feeling safe with.
I call this particular trait of human nature the Cling On Wrap Syndrome. Basically, it's when one cannot help oneself from being a clingy little sod and attaches oneself to an even more pitiful individual due to an excessive amount of apparent love or just a sheer bout of insanity or insecurity. You tend to start acting like Cling On. You tend to get stuck to someone until you are ripped off, and I don't mean this financially.
To be honest, I was one of those people. I wouldn't go right to the extent of coming under the 'Cling-On' category but I did put my trust in people easily. I felt that everyone does have their rights to being flawed at times and it is necessary to overlook that. You can NOT change a person, nor would they want your opinion. By nature, I'm friendly, I mingle well with guy or girl, old or infant, mature or I-have-the-maturity-of-a-paper-clip. I'll talk to anyone. If I got along really well with someone, I wouldn't mind opening up immediately about how I feel this inexplainable fascination for leprechauns and cheesecake, or how I don't consider myself a girl, or just any old thing that happens to float around in my pretty little head.
“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.”
~Epictetus
Read that quote. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I have. I read it everyday and to be honest, I still do find it a little difficult sometimes to implement, but I know the tricks of the trade now. And that's what this post is all about. How not to be attached. Why it's not necessarily always a good thing. I write this from experience, from learning based on what I've seen and heard, based on the countless mistakes that have knocked me down, made me fall smack bang on my face but pushed e to get right back up and bulldoze my way through.
What's most important to rid yourself of this little imp of a trait, is to acknowledge and accept that you are in fact attached. It could be to your friend, your family, that bulletin board with all your bus tickets and concert stubs and weirdly cut out photos of you and your mates proving the extent of your insanity, to your favourite t-shirt, or just to anything that is 'external'. That isn't a part of you literally. When you feel attached, it almost always results in negative feelings such as anger, sadness, jealousy, insecurity, even fear. It's okai. It happens to everyone. I'm 20. Only 20. But I've been through this about a 25891028973,000000000 times. I exaggerate not oh young ones. Arite, maybe just a little. But a lot. I've experienced attachment way more than I can remember. And each time you know what I'd do? I'd tell myself to avoid all the things that do lead me to get attached and end up doing ONLY those things. Funny how the human mind works.
It took me a while to decide about whether to write this or not and I decided, there are so many other people out there who I know go through the same thing I do. And I thought that I must share. I don't know who I' sharing it with but I'm hoping that it reaches out to people and helps in some way.
My attachment has led me to some not so great times. Don't worry, I'm not the swallow-pills, slit-my-wrists or cut-myself-off-from-the-cruel-world type of person when I'm sad. I'm just that. Sad. I've lost people I considered best friends, I've lost pets, who were more than just pets to me, they were my family, and trust me losing family? Is hard. I've lost crap loads of money over the years, I've lost faith at times, I've lost the hope and happiness that I always live my life on, I've lost love. And every time I found it easy to blame someone or something else. Or sometimes I wouldn't blame anyone at all and come to the conclusion that y life just stinks more than everyone else's. But it's taken me years to realize that every time, I had only myself to blame. And why? Forget making mistakes, forget doing stupid things, it's because every single one of those times, I was attached. I mentioned money? Money seems like a silly thing to be attached to. But I really do value money, I can't just see it being pissed away. And I have a knack for being rather absent-minded. So when I've lost cash, I've felt like it's almost an apocalyptic event, especially money that I've earned.
Bottom line, whatever attachment it is that we have to an object, a person, a memory, anything, it does us more harm than we're ready to accept. This is something that's engraved in my brain now, and I'm happy I learnt this earlier than later. As annoying as this is, even simple things such as caring, adoration etc, are sure signs of emotional attachment. Don't get me wrong, we're sentient beings. It's natural. But sometimes we don't know where to draw the line. I just pictured lining up M&M's whenever I meet someone new. I'm not quite sure why. Anyhoo, yeah so attachment sucks. Just saying.
Thought Catalog is sometimes one of the best stress busters. Or even just a fun past time. I love reading what people have to say or think. Here's one article in particular that I really liked, that makes so much sense. I absolutely love the way the writer has written it, strong, honest and just downright realistic.
7 THINGS TO TELL YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE HURTING:
7 THINGS TO TELL YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE HURTING:
Sunday, 16 June 2013
I had the best Sunday ever. I've been watching stand up pretty much all day. With the exceptional breaks for food, the dunny and to cross a rainbow with my leprechaun friend. Kidding. I kid you not I have been laughing for six hours straight. It is the best feeling in the world. It would come second to peeing though. And I'm sure it beats sex. Nothing like laughing till you feel your tummy toughen up and feel like an olden day washboard.
I watch comedy everyday. I like to laugh. I'm a happy person by nature and I always find ways to maintain that. I tried looking for the article but I remember reading ages ago that a guy with cancer actually survived much longer than the doctors had predicted, you know how? He'd watch comedy. Anything hilarious. I mean if he can survive cancer just by having a laugh everyday, I think we'll find that the problems we face on a regular basis are minuscule bits of the oh-my-gaadz-I-broke-a-nail category. If it's one thing I've learnt, it's to laugh your way forward!
I absolutely love all the guys I'm about to show you. To me, they're geniuses. And I've learnt a lot from watching them. How to see things from different perspectives, how even the smallest little itsy-bitsy little incidences that we're a part of everyday are actually significant accounts of pure humour that we're too blind to see because we're so caught up with trying to get the upper hand over. well, anything and everyone!
Here's some more of my favourite clips and shows =)
Disclaimer: I suggest you pee BEFORE you watch this. And the other videos in this post. And don't SIT ON ANYTHING. except your arse. That's a given.
So first up is ma maayne mehican maan. This guy is a riot! I'm biased to british comedians over any other kind but Gabriel Iglesias has a wickedass sense of humour. I've watched this particular bit over and over and I laugh like a jackal high on something every single time. He talks about cake and how it gets his son late for school. DAAAYUUUUMN =D hahahahaha. Gotta love him!
Rockstar. I'm talking major heights of coolnitude here. I LOVE this man. He's gorgeous, Greek-South African ( that is a deadly combo) and I love his approach to everyday life! You know it really does teach you to make fun of everything and move on. Which has worked out well for me so far ;) He's talking suicide bombers here and oh my word. Too much I say.
I suggest you don't consume anything edible while watching this one. It's quite gross =D DAT DON'T PUT ME OFF BRUH.
Omar The White Sudanese. That's right you heard me. He's half-Irish, and half-sudanese. There's a friggin awesome comedian right there.
Happy Cackling my pretties.
Hannibal Lecter
The very name said is enough to induce goosebumps in a person, even with a lack of knowledge of his background and the fact that he is indeed a cannibal. Hannibal Lecter, is one of my favorite fictional characters ever, definitely on my list of Top Five. I'm yet to read the novels, to be honest, I'm more of a movie person than books but I do like select books depending on the genre, theme and characters. If I come across a movie that has been based on a book, and I like said movie, I'm inclined to read the books as sometimes movies do not do complete justice to the story line of a really good novel.
I started watching Hannibal the series, a few days ago. I've been meaning to watch this show ever since it started airing in April, but I was pre occupied with other shows and I figured, "How much more different can the series be from the movies?". Shamed by my ignorance, Hannibal is by far one of the best television shows I have watched. And trust me , I've watched A LOT of shows in my time. I counted close to a 70 the other day along with my sister. It's everything I didn't expect, minus of course the usual roles and plots.
Hannibal Lecter played by Mads Mikkelsen, (who's got the most divine accent) keeps you thoroughly engrossed in the world of psychology and psychoanalysis. He's charming, has an ardent passion for food, wine and music (my kinda man, you hearing this fellas?) seems quite the elitist and is the personification of sophistication. In my mind, Hannibal is still Sir Anthony Hopkins, but now Mikkelsen has proved that he is indeed a worthy contender for this absolutely brilliant mastermind of a character. The series so far has been beyond engaging and psych, I watched 5 episodes in one day out of sheer awe of the man. I think he portrays the personality of a modern-day cannibalistic serial killer PERFECTLY with his near-stoic expression, his eerie calmness. I was quite overwhelmed, which I'm usually not when it comes to tv shows. I don't know what else to say except that even if you're not into the whole gore scene and theme, you MUST watch at least one episode just for Hannibal.
On a very general basis, the first thing someone watching Hannibal would notice is the purely psychological premise throughout the entire show, in varying levels from psychopathic behaviour to psychoanalysis to lots of other fancy yet gruesome sounding things that I can start naming because I'm a Psychology student. And that is probably why I'm primarily interested in crime and law related serials. It dwells into the minds of eccentricities and into things that are unknown to us. In all honesty, most of the stuff I know about medicine and law, I credit to the likes of House, Dexter, White Collar, CSI, you get the picture. Hannibal is now one among the many reasons I prefer to educate myself via television shows and not through reading pointlessly for a bunch of exams. What I say holds truth for any other person out there like me, who is more of a watch-and-learn kind of person.
Avid comparison has been made between Hannibal and another show based on serial killers, "The Following" with Kevin Bacon, and I have watched a few episodes of that but quite frankly, it is nothing compared to the astonishing brilliance of Hannibal. The first thing I absolutely loved about the show is how the pilot starts off strongly, introducing the main characters, forming a base story for the entire length of the show and ultimately proving that this show is not for the faint-hearted. It's gory, psychotic, in no way emanates excessive positivitity, and yet it is brilliant! It's a given that the movies have definitely paved the way for this show with the talents of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Gaspard Ulliel and Brian Cox, but I think Mads Mikkelsen has taken the character of psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer to new heights! HE IS SO FRIGGIN GOOD. He's a rather mysterious and guarded individual, and whenever I see him, or what he's upto, the only reaction I have is either a jaw-drop or a holy-mother-of-god-I-have-to-watch-more. I'm sort of obsessive like that. I get really involved with the shows/movies I'm watching, my mother thinks that's possibly one of the reasons why I'm all loopy in the head.
Hannibal focuses on about 10 main characters and it's easy to keep up and understand because you don't have a million different things going on. The series leads us into the early life of a young, cunning and highly posh Hannibal Lecter and how he is more or less an advisor of sorts to the FBI and the therapist of Will Graham, a criminal profiler with the ability to empathize with the serial killers and conclude the ways in which they have carried out their acts of gore and bloodshed. Graham is effortlessly portrayed by Hugh Dancy. The man's British! I love an actor who can switch accents and who actually make you believe it. ( Anyone remember Richard Gere in The Jackal? Sigh ). The pairing up of Mikkelsen and Dancy is genius, as the two complement each other very well. Despite Graham's razor sharp perception and accurate suspicions, the relationship he has with Hannibal is one thing that got me hooked onto the show. OMG hannibal is such a sneaky little bugger! Laurence Fishburne as Special Agent-in-charge Jack Crawford, and Dr. Alana Bloom played by Caroline Dhavernas provide apt supporting roles, making every episode more interesting. Initially I didn't like Freddy Lounds, who is a tabloid blogger but now I'm under the impression that she is in fact a very determined, bold woman with a purpose.
But it is complex in a way that, there is a lot of linking that you need to keep up with in terms of uncovering the plot. But I love that kind of stuff. It's a very very dark and eerie world you enter when you watch shows like Hannibal and Dexter,and it isn't just your run-of-the-mill knife cuts, sword fights and poison attempts. It is so much more than that. Even with Spartacus, after a point, I did get bored with the gory-ness because they freeze or rather slow motion every single scene where there's bloodshed which is pretty much the whole show. The blood doesn't even look all that realistic when they slow-mo the scene. Haha I remember I was watching one scene from Spartacus where a guy's gutts fell out and my mom saw that and goes, " What is wrong with you? How can you watch things like that? No wonder you're a nut." Mothers. She had no clue what to say when I said, " Are you kidding? This is getting boring. I'm just watching because I started". That was almost a year ago. I wonder what she'd say now if she knew I was watching a show about a psychopathic,sadistic, cannibal that likes to kill people under the guise of being a sophisticated, polished psychiatrist/therapist.
It's a brilliant, bone-chill inducing series that has been well captured considering the fact that Hannibal Lecter is a long-time known character and to re-enact the same thing with difference is pretty challenging. Not to be compared with the movies, because this is an entirely new approach to the concept of the brilliant closet-cannibal psychiatrist. I'm trying very hard not to further dwell into the awesomeness of this show to avoid spoilers, because to those of you who haven't watched it yet. You should. Atleast those of you who aren't put off by blood and kidneys being whipped up into delightful looking sausages. Definitely not a show for the faint-hearted but one for those with a keen interest in psychology, crime and a look into the life of a serial killer.
CANNOT WAIT FOR SEASON 2.
Friday, 14 June 2013
Yes I've been on hiatus for a few days, especially since I was coming out of shock. And this isn't just any kind of shock. This is the ZOMGZ- I-still-have-two-baby-teeth sort of shock. Oops, did I give it away? Well, I still have two baby teeth. I'm not quite sure if that's a triumph of going against the natural order of things as I seem to be a master at that, or if I should be concerned. I just reacted to that the way I do to most things, laugh myself silly. I mean, when the dentist summons you in very seriously and goes, "This is slightly bad news", and then with a face like a meteor crashing down at the speed of light on your freshly baked cherry pie, she informs me that I am still a kid because I possess two milk teeth which for some reason have decided to remain eternally loyal to my gums. And to think that I was initially under the impression that too much headbanging would get your teeth to fall out. ( Worked when I was 13! )
Although I must say that most certainly wasn't the highlight of my little adventure into a dentist's office for the first time in 17 years. ( I have some brutal teeth yo ). It was when this happened:
DENTIST TELLS ME I HAVE BABY TEETH:
ME WHEN HE INFORMS ME I MIGHT HAVE TO REMOVE SAID TEETH:
WHEN HE TELLS ME I CAN GET IMPLANTS:
At first:
2 seconds later:
ME TRYING TO BE A GOOD PATIENT:
All I'm saying here is, make sure you brush your teeth 172765 times a day and knock them suckers out if they don't come out themselves, because you don't EVER want to be in a situation where your dentist confronts you about implants. Just saying.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Weird? Yes please.
Everyone's got weird habits. And for once I would come under this category of 'everyone'.
These are my list of weird habits. Do not be afraid.
1. I spit bubble with my mouth when I'm bored.
2. I switch accents on a regular basis especially if it's someone new and I want to make a good first impression. ( and just mess with them )
3. I like saying inappropriate, 'taboo' words out loud in public such as 'sex', 'flatulence' and 'satan'. Heck even 'boobs' has gotten me quite a bit of attention.
4.I hardly ever sleep.
5. I always eat a plate more than I should or I just don't eat at all. It's really quite a useful gift.
6. I am forever commenting when I watch a movie with somebody else much to their annoyance or their indefinite need to pee due to constant laughter due to said comments.
7. I always put my iPod on shuffle, yet I pick the songs I want to listen to.
8. My volume-acceptance levels touch the red zone if there is such a thing as a volume-acceptance meter.
9. I chew my lower lip, sometimes because I love the flavour of my chapstick or because I am ready to get rid of that little arse of skin that just refuses to peel off or stick back on.
10. I must slurp as my drink comes to an end.
11. I always press my stomach to check if I need to pee before going out instead of just actually going to pee like normal people ( it is a useful tip though, saves some 'taking off your pants or lifting up your skirt time ). No innuendo intentions.
12. I talk to myself.
13. In fact I talk to inanimate objects. They do make great listeners.
14. I laugh like a hyena through a loudspeaker and usually end up on the floor clapping like I'm sort of a seal in an acapella group.
15. When at home, I look like a ball of rubberbands, the way I sit.
16. I almost always do not end up in the same position I was when I begin my REM cycle. Or I fall off the bed.
17. I grin in my sleep.
18. I like sticking pencils in my ear. It's comforting.
19. I love making it look like I'm using The Force (star wars reference), whenever a vehicle goes past me.
20. My brain is on constant 'chatter' mode and my mouth doesn't quite keep up so either I end up saying one quarter of every sentence or it's just a bunch of sounds that come out. I'm abstract that way if you will.
21. I like to use my toes to retrieve things if I can't be bothered to use my hands.
22. I do need a sheet at night, but it's almost always rolled up in about half an hour. And I don't cover my feet.
23. I need a pillow on my face to sleep and one to hug.
24. I am forever sarcastic.
25. I go into graphic detail of things.
26. I'm a species of pervert.
27. I like tasting blood, so it's useful when I get hurt.
28. If I find a video/scene/clip hilarious, I'll watch it over and over again and still laugh.
29. In fact anything that I like/love watching, reading, listening to I will watch,read,listen to over and over. And anything related to that I will watch,read,listen to over and over. Circle of life I believe.
30. Besides laughing like an idiot, I don't show out any emotions in public or what I'm feeling. Although I am rather animated when I talk, I don't count that as a feeling.
As of now, that's what I've got down. I'll keep adding to this as and when my abstract brain allows me to identify.
What are your weirdities? ( I know what word you just thought of in your heads you perverts.)
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