I've written before about how music can stay with you. Songs can bring up memories and stories that you can't help but share with others. Whether it's a fun story about riding in a car with a bunch of friends or using music to help get through a tough time in your life, music will always be there for you. That fact has been clear to me in my adult life and I had another instance of this yesterday morning with a co-worker.
It was just the two of us at work yesterday morning. I brought my ipod to listen to before the store opened. My wife bought me this cool little speaker that looks like a guitar amp that you plug your phone or ipod into and it plays music for all to hear. We were there for four hours before we opened and not having anything to listen to just makes the hours pass so slowly. Normally the team listens to the radio, but I wanted to listen to music that doesn't suck. So I made up a playlist of music that is work appropriate and just hit the shuffle button.
When a David Bowie song was playing, her head popped up and she practically shouted 'Ziggy Stardust! Oh, we use to listen to him when we were in Berlin when my husband was stationed there.' And then we talked about her living there and how my parents lived in Germany when my dad was stationed there when he was in the army. See people, connections! And memories! So we talked about Bowie and Germany for a bit.
A few hours later, a Led Zeppelin song came on. As it turned out, she saw them in St. Paul when she was younger. She shared a story about waiting in line for hours because it was a first come first seated type of show where everyone rushed once the doors opened. Lots of people standing around, drinking, smoking, dropping acid. All that fun stuff. They would go use the bathroom and there were people everywhere. Puking, drinking more, passed out. Not a luxurious scene or memory, but a memory nonetheless. And she said they were amazing. (of course because LED ZEPPELIN!) She laughed about it because it was fun to think back on. I'm assuming that all the puking that was witnessed wasn't fun, but still the rest of it must have been pretty awesome.
So, if anyone ever tells you that music is just songs and notes or musicians are nothing more than rich, pampered, self centered, self destructive people that are doing their job just because they want to be popular feel free to throat punch them. Because it is more than that. Anyone that says different just doesn't get it.
28 January 2017
22 January 2017
New Music
If it's one thing that can really get me through a long day or a bad day it has to be music. As the days vary, so too does the music I want to hear. From The Beatles and Led Zeppelin to The Roots, Kendrick Lamar, hell even Adele. My musical taste has a wide range. If you were to ask me what would be the ten albums I would want to take with me on a deserted island it would change from month to month. I shouldn't say that as I would have a few albums that no matter what I would take with me, so the lineup would change a little but there are mainstays. Music allows you to escape. It shuts out the world around you for just a little bit of time. Or it passes the time as you drive on a road trip. It doesn't always have to have a meaningful message behind it. Sometimes it can be just fun. It can bring a smile to your face for no other reason than getting to belt out lyrics in your car to no one. Except maybe the person in the car next to you at the stop light.
I don't have a tendency to listen to the radio mainly because I hate music being interrupted by commercials or senseless talking from the DJs. Sure, you can change the station, but they always seem to be on commercial at the same time. Funny how that happens. Plus, their musical selection seems very limited. So any time my wife talks about a song she heard that she really likes, for the most part I haven't heard it. I leave finding new pop music to her. She hears it and has good taste. Mostly....we ended up with a Selena Gomez song in our catalogue. So there's that. At least it wasn't Pitbull. I'll never forget this one time when we were living in Wichita and 'Hey There Delilah' by the Plain White Tees came on the radio in her car. I had bought their album not that long before and I hadn't really heard their music on the radio. I said something like 'oh hey, I really like this song.' and her response was 'ugh, it's on the radio like all the time.'
I try not to stick to just one type of music when searching for something new. If you do that, all the music starts to sound the same. I believe a great band or artist will change their music or style over time. That's what makes good music great. Can they show you a different style or sound? The White Stripes are a modern example of this. They start out straight up garage band rock and end their time together kind of blusey/alternative. Over the course of their career, their sound changed. It shows growth. It got so much better. Icky Thump is worlds apart from White Blood Cells. Want a classic example? Listen to Led Zeppelin I and II then go listen to In Through the Out Door.
Some rap music I've found is from Doomtree. They're a collective rap group out of Minneapolis and all the members have put out solo albums. I've found two of their members, Sims and Dessa, that I really like. I bought two of their EPs (Wildlife and False Hopes) on iTunes. EPs are nice because you get to hear five or six songs for relatively cheap (usually in the five dollar range) as opposed to spending eleven or twelve dollars on an artist you might not end up liking. Other members of the group, Cecil Otter, P.O.S, and Mike Mictlan, I've listened to and from their samples are great, but I just haven't bought any of their stuff yet. I suggest listening to songs Jordan 5'S or Mineshaft if you want to hear something of theirs.
A few rock/alternative bands I've found recently are Shout Out Louds and Spoon. Shout Out Louds are a band out of Sweden while Spoon comes from Texas and both bands have been around for a while. I just stumbled across both of them looking for something different. And while you could listen to both bands and mistake one of them for the other, it's stuff you don't hear on the radio. It's borderline underground, but well done underground music. Not poorly written songs and poorly played instruments. Both albums that I have are solid (Howl Howl Gaff Gaff and They Want My Soul). You can't find a track you won't like. You know how there's usually that one track on an album, even your most favorite, that when it starts playing you let out an exasperated sigh because you can't stand it? Yeah, there isn't one of those on either album I have. Check out The Comeback or Do You to check out their sound.
Have any suggestions? Let's hear 'em.
I don't have a tendency to listen to the radio mainly because I hate music being interrupted by commercials or senseless talking from the DJs. Sure, you can change the station, but they always seem to be on commercial at the same time. Funny how that happens. Plus, their musical selection seems very limited. So any time my wife talks about a song she heard that she really likes, for the most part I haven't heard it. I leave finding new pop music to her. She hears it and has good taste. Mostly....we ended up with a Selena Gomez song in our catalogue. So there's that. At least it wasn't Pitbull. I'll never forget this one time when we were living in Wichita and 'Hey There Delilah' by the Plain White Tees came on the radio in her car. I had bought their album not that long before and I hadn't really heard their music on the radio. I said something like 'oh hey, I really like this song.' and her response was 'ugh, it's on the radio like all the time.'
I try not to stick to just one type of music when searching for something new. If you do that, all the music starts to sound the same. I believe a great band or artist will change their music or style over time. That's what makes good music great. Can they show you a different style or sound? The White Stripes are a modern example of this. They start out straight up garage band rock and end their time together kind of blusey/alternative. Over the course of their career, their sound changed. It shows growth. It got so much better. Icky Thump is worlds apart from White Blood Cells. Want a classic example? Listen to Led Zeppelin I and II then go listen to In Through the Out Door.
Some rap music I've found is from Doomtree. They're a collective rap group out of Minneapolis and all the members have put out solo albums. I've found two of their members, Sims and Dessa, that I really like. I bought two of their EPs (Wildlife and False Hopes) on iTunes. EPs are nice because you get to hear five or six songs for relatively cheap (usually in the five dollar range) as opposed to spending eleven or twelve dollars on an artist you might not end up liking. Other members of the group, Cecil Otter, P.O.S, and Mike Mictlan, I've listened to and from their samples are great, but I just haven't bought any of their stuff yet. I suggest listening to songs Jordan 5'S or Mineshaft if you want to hear something of theirs.
A few rock/alternative bands I've found recently are Shout Out Louds and Spoon. Shout Out Louds are a band out of Sweden while Spoon comes from Texas and both bands have been around for a while. I just stumbled across both of them looking for something different. And while you could listen to both bands and mistake one of them for the other, it's stuff you don't hear on the radio. It's borderline underground, but well done underground music. Not poorly written songs and poorly played instruments. Both albums that I have are solid (Howl Howl Gaff Gaff and They Want My Soul). You can't find a track you won't like. You know how there's usually that one track on an album, even your most favorite, that when it starts playing you let out an exasperated sigh because you can't stand it? Yeah, there isn't one of those on either album I have. Check out The Comeback or Do You to check out their sound.
Have any suggestions? Let's hear 'em.
21 January 2017
What Is Fair?
Remember how when the Winter Meetings started in December that there were rumblings of the Detroit Tigers burning everything to the ground? There was talk about the possibility of moving just about every player on the roster to restock the farm system and prepare to be better in the future. Remember those sleepless nights when you thought about Justin Verlander or Miguel Cabrera in another uniform? I remember. And Pepperidge Farm remembers too. Obviously they did no such thing. They were insufferably quiet during the Winter Meetings. How would you feel if your team decided to do this? Moreover, how would you feel if you were a player that was traded?
After the White Sox traded away Adam Eaton and Chris Sale, I started to think about this. They've gone full rebuild. They traded away excellent players to restock their farm system and build for the future. It works out for both parties. Eaton and Sale got traded away to teams that will be in contention for the next few years. It's good for them and good for the Tigers for the next few years. Eaton and Sale are perennial thorns in the side. The prospects that got sent to Chicago are seen as the future of the organization, they can play along side each other in the minors and come up and, ideally, play at a top level for years to come. That is how you rebuild a team. Get four or five top prospects and fill in the rest with serviceable players.
But is this fair to the other players on the roster of the White Sox? I know that you have to be somewhat competitive while you wait for the prospects to develop, but is it fair to the other MLB players? It's like 'you guys aren't good enough to trade, so you're stuck with us for the time being. Have fun losing ninety games a year for the next two to three years! If these players are younger and at the start of their career, while it might be painful for them to endure, they'll be fine. They'll be the leadership of the team when they become competitive again. What if you're at the peak or just past it though? Would you take some offense to that? I know it's part of baseball and these types of things happen, but that would be tough to deal with.
After the White Sox traded away Adam Eaton and Chris Sale, I started to think about this. They've gone full rebuild. They traded away excellent players to restock their farm system and build for the future. It works out for both parties. Eaton and Sale got traded away to teams that will be in contention for the next few years. It's good for them and good for the Tigers for the next few years. Eaton and Sale are perennial thorns in the side. The prospects that got sent to Chicago are seen as the future of the organization, they can play along side each other in the minors and come up and, ideally, play at a top level for years to come. That is how you rebuild a team. Get four or five top prospects and fill in the rest with serviceable players.
But is this fair to the other players on the roster of the White Sox? I know that you have to be somewhat competitive while you wait for the prospects to develop, but is it fair to the other MLB players? It's like 'you guys aren't good enough to trade, so you're stuck with us for the time being. Have fun losing ninety games a year for the next two to three years! If these players are younger and at the start of their career, while it might be painful for them to endure, they'll be fine. They'll be the leadership of the team when they become competitive again. What if you're at the peak or just past it though? Would you take some offense to that? I know it's part of baseball and these types of things happen, but that would be tough to deal with.
18 January 2017
Handful of Snack
I have always had a sweet tooth. I do my best to not buy things like ice cream, favorite candy, or cookies. If they're in the house, it's only a matter of time before they all disappear. My favorite dessert has to be ice cream. It could be seen as an addiction if I wasn't careful. That's why we don't have a tendency to buy it. As far as candy goes, I have always loved peanut butter cups. Arguably the best combination of food out there. It doesn't matter if it's one that you buy from the local candy store or buy a Resse's Cup from the store, it is just a great combination. In fact, I remember as a kid dipping our chocolate Easter bunnies in the peanut butter. It wasn't just me, my siblings did it as well.
The past several years around Christmas time, Reese's produces these massive peanut butter cups. I always joke with my wife that I need to buy one. Just to have one. To my surprise, this was wrapped and underneath the tree Christmas morning....
I unwrapped the present and just laughed. We both know how terrible for you and I never expected to ever get one. Note: I did not look at the nutrition facts other than to see the serving size so I did not die from eating these.
THEY ARE LITERALLY THE SIZE OF MY HAND! These could feed an entire country. This could be the ultimate test in willpower. How long can I go before wanting another piece. And another. And another? I had to use a santoku knife to break it into pieces. Despite the size, the taste is no different. It is still delicious.
The past several years around Christmas time, Reese's produces these massive peanut butter cups. I always joke with my wife that I need to buy one. Just to have one. To my surprise, this was wrapped and underneath the tree Christmas morning....
I unwrapped the present and just laughed. We both know how terrible for you and I never expected to ever get one. Note: I did not look at the nutrition facts other than to see the serving size so I did not die from eating these.
THEY ARE LITERALLY THE SIZE OF MY HAND! These could feed an entire country. This could be the ultimate test in willpower. How long can I go before wanting another piece. And another. And another? I had to use a santoku knife to break it into pieces. Despite the size, the taste is no different. It is still delicious.
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