#3

3rd RollingStone.com contest entry:

The idea is to write a 300-word review of a concert you went to after Jan.1.... since I haven't been to a concert in the last month (geeze, how sad!,) this is what I chose to do....


The space is small: four squeaky doors lead into a smoky gray interior. The windows are foggy. Expired air fresheners hang from the mirror. The sound coming from old speakers is muffled and the treble is up too high. But still, the audience is excited.

The crowd consists of two twenty-something females, who sit in the front seats of a 2000 Ford Focus. Their bodies are uninhibited, even without the first cocktail of the evening. Matisyahu always gets their heads bobbing, their shoulders shaking and their hips humping. That sure is pretty impressive, considering the fact that the twenty-seven year old Hasidic rapper isn’t even present. But for this audience, he doesn’t have to be.

Matisyahu’s 2005 release, “Live at Stubb’s” is an inspiring medley of reggae-rock fusion that defies you to stand still… even if you’re listening to the album in your car.

From the first track, Matisyahu skillfully delivers an unconventional spirituality, with “Sea to Sea.” Even with Josh Werner’s funky bass, a steady reggae beat from Jonah David, and a light, uplifting riff coming from the guitar of Aaron Dugan, the focus still remains on Matisyahu, who croons, “Open up my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise.” Even with an audience who doesn’t share his religious beliefs, his inspiration is clear; his intention respected.

The audience is worn out by the fifth track, but they keep dancing along to “King Without A Crown,” an obvious favorite, from the way they react to the intro. His “Beat Box” silences the crowd, except for the occasional “holy shit…did you hear that?!”

The audience has kept moving for close to an hour when the CD shuts off. When you have no money in your pocket, (or your bank account,) the next best thing is a live show in your car.

'Well I was crazy about you then / And now the craziest thing of all.....'

I am so in love today. I had to sit in a parking lot and write down this feeling, because I always want to remember it. A song came on the radio, and it was a song playing somewhere, early in our days, when I was first realizing that I loved you. I remember thinking then that this song would always remind me of how your lips taste. It's a lame song, and I wouldn't like it otherwise, but hearing it today makes me smile so purposefully. Eight years of emotions. I think about reasons you're better off without me, and reasons I'm better off without you. But they don't even begin to compare to the reasons that result in the fact: we're in this now. I mean, can you imagine your life without me? I've tried.. for effort's sake. And it's nothing I want anything to do with. We were too young when we met. You've said that once, and I agree. A lot happens during those early years. They were intense. For everyone, I think. It's really difficult to sustain feeling for anything at that time, let alone a person. But the feeling.. it hasn't gone away. And perhaps it has dissipated a bit from time to time, but it's always been there. After the initial excitement, the initial delusion, the initial confusion.. after all of that beautiful nonsense.. years and years after that initial kiss.. thinking of you still makes me smile like it's the first time.

RollingStone.com

Have you heard about the reality show Rolling Stone is hosting? Well, you can also play along online. http://www.rollingstone.com/imfromrollingstone They have a weekly contest with the last episode's assignment, open to others who want to give it a shot.

This week, the contestants are to devise 10 questions they'd ask any living band or artist. I had to go with Ms. Gwen Stefani, former singer of No Doubt.

1.Let's begin by talking about some of your lyrics over the years.

1995’s Tragic Kingdom has a song entitled “Different People.” The first verse explains:

“Things can be broken down / In this world of ours. / You don’t have to be a famous person / Just to make your mark."

Your 2004 solo debut, Love.Angel.Music.Baby has a song entitled “Hollaback Girl.” The breakdown exclaims:

“Let me hear you say this shit is bananas. / B-A-N-A-N-A-S. / This shit is bananas.”

How do you explain your blatant lyrical regression?

2.I consider No Doubt’s music part of the Alternative scene, although many would disagree and consider it Ska. What do you regard it as, and why?

3.Tell us about the move from the offbeat [Ska/Alternative] scene to center stage of the Pop world. Why such a drastic shift?

4.Songwriting in mind, with your solo career, you need not compromise your artistic inclination with other musicians. However, you don’t have Tom’s, or Tony’s, or Adrian’s brilliant minds to complement your own. Which method of songwriting is more complicated: solo or group? Which is more rewarding?

5.How do your former band mates react to your move into Pop-stardom?

6.When you were younger, you were a soul searcher. Now you present yourself as centered and pleased with your life. Between these two, which brings more artistic inspiration?

7.Have you really only ever wanted a “Simple Kind of Life?”

8.Hypothetical: Kingston (Stefani's son) grows up and wants to be a musician. He is God-awful. How do you handle this?

9.If you were to have lunch with any one person, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

10."If [you] had a chance to go back now, would [you] redeem [your] moral vows, or would [you] repeat for [your] own laughter?" ("Sometimes" from No Doubt)


I don't expect to win... there were over 500 entries last week... but it's a hell of a lot of fun to play! Check it out!

marching to the beat of a...

Have you ever heard someone else's account of your current life? It's such a crazy thing. Today, I was sitting near by when my grandma called my other grandmother. She reported the usual stuff, I suppose, and when she got to the topic of me, I heard all this news for the first time. I mean, I know I'm working a job that I don't love, for the sake of financial survival. But when I heard her say that, I got defensive. I don't know if I would have said it any differently, but I wanted to dispute it, coming from her.

I guess I have a complex about how fast my life is progressing. I graduated from college last May. I'm living at my mom's. I have three jobs: one mindless and moderately amusing, one morally fulfilling, and one creative and challenging. I'm honestly doing more than I thought I would be doing at this point. Grad school was always out of the immediate question. I knew that I wouldn't have my own place this soon. I have all of my debt in order. So what's my problem?

I guess I get a little anxious. I try not to compare myself to my friends, but sometimes it's unavoidable. I get nervous when I see friends who have been out of college for a while and still don't have a direction, and I get nervous when I see friends who are just out of school and are already on their way towards a career. I know everyone goes that their own pace. But I suppose I just feel my stride slowing, and it creeps me out a bit.

I'm on a Plane

It’s a very odd feeling when somebody leaves you behind. It can happen in so many different ways that I couldn’t possibly touch on half of them with the energy I have tonight. But when you realize that the plans you had with someone are no longer accessible, it leaves a stale taste in your mouth and an absolute confused distortion on your face. Lip curled up. Brow turned down.

You couldn’t possibly blame them for living their own life. Hell, you’ve done this to others in the past. You feel guilty for keeping silent on the other end; Feel guilty because you don’t want them to feel guilt. But you know they do. And you think they should, maybe just a little. Not like it was a promise. But it was promising plan. And although you’ve known for some time that it’s not going to work out the way you once thought it might, it still hurts to hear it out loud.

And just because your friend is on a completely different plane, you have to sit their and silently analyze your own unleveled ground.

And you see so many people wanting to be on that same plane as your friend. And you think there’s something wrong with you for not wanting to be. You know that life is short. Others know that too. But they live it out a completely different way than you do. They think about it in different terms. You’re twenty-two. You feel so damn young to be hearing those words come out of your friend’s mouth. What’s the worst is that you didn’t think it would come so soon… didn’t think that so many people would want these things so soon… didn’t think that you weren’t going to be one of them.

It’s such an odd feeling when you realize you’re on a completely different plane than a friend you always thought would be at the same level as you. And you have to be okay with the fact that they are going to live their own life. But now… you just don’t know who you’re going to slip off the edge of the world with. It’s a bit daunting… a bit sad.

How Alarming

The best way to possibly wake up is without an alarm. That ease into consciousness is oh so refreshing. And it helps when you have the day off, and it's all sorts of raining, and you don't have to deal with any of it. It's best when you don't need coffee to start the day, but drink it to complement the morning...

So. I have a blog. So far I've copy and pasted a No Doubt song, and talked about alarm clocks and coffee. I swear there was a time I was much more interesting than this... right? I suppose not.

Well, how about this?: The other day, when it was 65 degrees and sunny in the middle of fucking January in New York, it got me thinking about the end of the world. Nice, right? Don't get me wrong, I love the summer more than any season, and I'm pleased about the winter beach weather... but it scares the hell out of me. I know ozone depletion takes time. But what if the time is up? Where will I be when the world ends? Based on my daily routine, chances are I will not be somewhere I want to be. So that's a kick in the ass. Just have to figure out in what direction my ass is being kicked.

Blog it Out, Bitch.

Though I know I don't have to explain. I think I'd like to.


"A Little Something Refreshing"- No Doubt

"Yeah yay ohI'm hungry yeahI said I'm starving yeahI want some Pizza Coke and ice cream popcorncotton candyMarshmallows milkshake and peanuts would beso greatPies chips candy apples Twinkies FrostedFlakes And donuts french fries and some chocolatecake with mustardCookies avocados pancakes pineapple juiceWhipped cream on some raw meatThat's not all I could...EatI'm hungryI want some food for my tumI want some honey roasted walnuts pepperonislicesPasta and burritos different kinds of ricesCherries dipped in chocolate cottage cheeseand jellyColonel Sander's chicken still won't fill mybellyBroccoli sticky syrup churros dipped in sauceDrippy sloppy joes then I'm full at lastOh oh oh oh oh oh I'm full at lastAnd I'm full at I'm really really full at And I'm full at lastI'm full at I'm really really full at I'm full at lastAnd I'm full at I'm really really full atI'm full at lastFull(BURP!)"

If you really got through that whole thing, I applaud you!
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