daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-10-25)

1. Depeche Mode (31) 
2. Elvis Presley (31) 
3. The Beatles (29) 
4. Arcade Fire (10) 
5. Brand New (10) 

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

Of course Mrs. Reznor is an Asian.

A post that is not about U2 but still about U2

Last night I went to the Union to watch Pete’s band cover five U2 songs. As one would imagine, it filled me with utter glee. And it was super neat to see everyone happily bopping around, for the most part. But then, of course, my happiness dissipated considerably when, in the interim between songs, people started shouting things like, “Great job! Not shitty like the real U2!” etc. Pardon me if I just misunderstood, but isn’t a cover band suppose to be acknowledging, by simple performance of the songs, that the covered artist is worthy enough to be studied and covered? And, if you’re listening along and enjoying, aren’t you sort of saying that they’re worthy enough too? This weekend was full of situations in which I was on the defense for my favorite band… and it gets old. It especially gets old when people uninvitingly come up to me and offer their opinion out of nowhere. Sure, everyone is allowed to have an opinion. But why approach me, an obvious admirer of the band, and tell me, when it’s completely irrelevant, that U2 sucks? This has happened to me so many times, not only with U2 but with Pearl Jam, another of my favorite bands. I suppose people get really confused as to why I care so much and why it upsets me so.

To me, U2 is more than a band. I actually got into a pretty silly argument about it with Charles a few nights ago, but the resolution came when Charles told me that he understood that it wasn’t just music to me. U2 is stories, my dad and my sister, my childhood, getting ready for school, my adolescence, getting excited about music, writing shitty poetry, break-ups, friendships, concerts, road trips, grieving, celebrating, struggling… growing up into me. That may seem so corny. U2 is just important. I realize not everyone has this connection with the music that they like. Not everyone has liked the same band for twelve years. But, I have. So, please, cut me some slack and just smile and nod. And I won’t feel so compelled to keep tumbling about it ridiculously. Well, at least as much as I have been. ;)

In other news, it’s Sunday. Bloody Sunday. I have homework and laundry and Life cereal. And lots of beautiful music to soundtrack my day. It isn’t really so bad.

Too Much Sugar

A million little trickles of thoughts entertain my skull and maybe it’s the stimulation of my overly sweetened tea, or Simon meowing incessantly because his mama left home for the studio a few moments ago. Or maybe it’s that I’d like a good cuddle right now, but I have so much to do… always so much to do, and never ever adequate conditions for getting it all done (so I come here and write this — very counterintuitive). I want to snuggle up in my bed and listen to a beautiful song and have a nice hearty cry. And not because I’m sad. But because it would feel so wonderful to have a conceited moment in the middle of a messy school week.

I look at my little Tumblr page, and it is a meaningless corner of the Internet (and one in which I should make no apologies), but like all other facets of my life, I find myself taking it personally. I am sorry if you think U2 are a bunch of old lame-os, and I am sorry that they have big, expensive stage shows and don’t play small-town bars and pubs anymore, and I’m sorry that they are on a major label, and I’m sorry that Bono has been catapulted to celebrity status because of his worldly sociopolitical affairs, but I am flattered that you have tolerated my love for them and have not stopped following me just yet. I think that they are beautiful, and I delight in any small interest/tolerance you have for them or my liking them. And liking me. Because, really, I am going to take it personally. I feel a swelling pride when I walk down Court Street with my Bono tote bag — partly because I know that some people are scoffing — partly because I advertise to the world that I love this band that has been unhip to the superhip since the mid-90s. Some things never change. It is both endearing and amusing that I am, in so many ways, the same person I was at age 12. I can even wear the same pairs of jeans.

So, I have no clue why I interrupted my own thought process to defend myself against an anonymous, nonexistent critic.

I have to edit photos now.

My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-10-11)

1. U2 (56) 
2. Placebo (25) 
3. Madonna (25) 
4. Spoon (18) 
5. Chuck Berry (16) 

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

Playboy Playmate Centerfolds 1953-2008

Sometime during the mid-to-late nineties women decided that pubic hair was no longer in fashion.

This makes me sad.