Silence
by Thomas Hood
There is a silence where hath been no sound,
There is a silence where no sound may be,
In the cold grave - under the deep deep sea
Or in wide desert where no life is found,
Which hath been mute, and still must sleep profound;
No voice is hushed - no life treads silently,
But clouds and cloudy shadows wander free,
That never spoke, over the idle ground:
But in green ruins, in the desolate walls
Of antique palaces, where man hath been,
Though the dun fox, or wild hyena, calls,
And owls, that flit continually between,
Shriek to the echo, and the low winds moan,
There true silence is, self-conscious and alone.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Friday, March 04, 2011
Conversations with a cat (probably part 1)
So I live with two cats. They do not belong to me... nor do I belong to them. They are the cats of my house mates. That said, I am animal people, so I do like the cats. And I am studying, so I am at home a lot. This has lead me to have a vast quantity of onesided conversations with the cats; conversations that become twosided when I relay them to my housemates when they come home from work.
Herein lie re-tellings of common conversations with a cat. Names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Ginger: Oh hey, that looks tasy. You should give me some.
Me: Hunny, this is Weetbix. You wont like it.
Ginger: How do you know? I haven't tried it.
Me: You like meat. This isn't meat. You wont like it.
Ginger: But it looks tasty. You should give me some.
Me: You wont like it.
Ginger: Come on, come on, come on. I love you, now give me some.
Me: Look... Eh, alright, here.
Ginger: OH MY GOD. POISON!!! YOU JUST TRIED TO GIVE ME POISON. WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO POISON ME WITH YOUR EVIL POISON?!?!?!
Me: I told you that you wouldn't...
Ginger: POOOOIIIIISON. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. I... what are you eating?
Me: Still Weetbix.
Ginger: Hey, that looks tasty. You should give me some.
Me: ...
Me: Better close up the house soon, going out in about an hour.
Tortie: Ahahahahehehehehahaha I saw you heading to the door and LOOK now I am outside!
Me: Come inside Miss, I am closing this door.
Tortie: Teeheeheeheeheehahahaha No, I am outside, you can't make me, I am going on an adventure!
Me: Come on kitty.
Tortie: *more giggling* I know what you want but I am ignoring you!
Me: fine *closes the door*
-10 minutes later-
Tortie: Please let me in! PLEASE let me in! I am DYING out here!
Me: Well hello, look who changed her mind.
Tortie: The most terrible thing happened! The door closed, and I couldn't open it, and I was STUCK! Let me in please please I will be a good kitty and love you forever.
Me: *opens door* Ok, in you come.
Tortie: Thanks, I am busting for the litter tray!
Me: *looks at grass in confusion* But... but...
Ginger: Hey, this door is closed, please open it.
Me: No kitty, I'm getting changed, that door needs to be closed.
Ginger: No, but see, it is closed, and I can't open it, so you need to.
Me: Kitty, in a minute ok? I need to get changed.
Ginger: Open it, OPEN IT, open it, open it, OPEN IT. I am dieing, dieing, come on OPEN OPEN OPEN...
Me: Ok ok *opens door half naked*
Ginger: Oh finally, thanks.
Me: bye kitty. *closes door*
Ginger: *almost immediately from other side of the door* Hey, this door is closed, open it.
Herein lie re-tellings of common conversations with a cat. Names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Ginger: Oh hey, that looks tasy. You should give me some.
Me: Hunny, this is Weetbix. You wont like it.
Ginger: How do you know? I haven't tried it.
Me: You like meat. This isn't meat. You wont like it.
Ginger: But it looks tasty. You should give me some.
Me: You wont like it.
Ginger: Come on, come on, come on. I love you, now give me some.
Me: Look... Eh, alright, here.
Ginger: OH MY GOD. POISON!!! YOU JUST TRIED TO GIVE ME POISON. WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO POISON ME WITH YOUR EVIL POISON?!?!?!
Me: I told you that you wouldn't...
Ginger: POOOOIIIIISON. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. I... what are you eating?
Me: Still Weetbix.
Ginger: Hey, that looks tasty. You should give me some.
Me: ...
Me: Better close up the house soon, going out in about an hour.
Tortie: Ahahahahehehehehahaha I saw you heading to the door and LOOK now I am outside!
Me: Come inside Miss, I am closing this door.
Tortie: Teeheeheeheeheehahahaha No, I am outside, you can't make me, I am going on an adventure!
Me: Come on kitty.
Tortie: *more giggling* I know what you want but I am ignoring you!
Me: fine *closes the door*
-10 minutes later-
Tortie: Please let me in! PLEASE let me in! I am DYING out here!
Me: Well hello, look who changed her mind.
Tortie: The most terrible thing happened! The door closed, and I couldn't open it, and I was STUCK! Let me in please please I will be a good kitty and love you forever.
Me: *opens door* Ok, in you come.
Tortie: Thanks, I am busting for the litter tray!
Me: *looks at grass in confusion* But... but...
Ginger: Hey, this door is closed, please open it.
Me: No kitty, I'm getting changed, that door needs to be closed.
Ginger: No, but see, it is closed, and I can't open it, so you need to.
Me: Kitty, in a minute ok? I need to get changed.
Ginger: Open it, OPEN IT, open it, open it, OPEN IT. I am dieing, dieing, come on OPEN OPEN OPEN...
Me: Ok ok *opens door half naked*
Ginger: Oh finally, thanks.
Me: bye kitty. *closes door*
Ginger: *almost immediately from other side of the door* Hey, this door is closed, open it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Moments two : Musical Epiphany.
I love that moment where you find a musician (or band, or even piece of music, you know what I mean) that you have not known of before, or you did not know much of before. And you realise that this musician is musically brilliant, exceptionally talented, and also really speaks to you. And you realise that you may have found a new wonderful music to add to the soundrack that is your life, the jukebox that is your mind (and/or your mp3 player of choice). And generally you then want to tell everyone you know because it is so brilliant and wonderful and inspiring and other positive adjectives. I like to call this moment the external musical epiphany, to differentiate it from the internal musical epiphany; wherein you (usually spontaniously) compose a brilliant piece of music, musical theory, or your musical composition 'comes together'.
So here are some of my best external musical epiphany moments.
hhhhhmmmmmmm, ok, in retrospect, allow me to reclarify that statement. By my best, I don't actually mean my best total, I mean my best non-mainstream moments. Because I am sure that everyone of our sort of generation had one of those moments listening to Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, U2, Green Day, RHCP etc. Those sort of bands are life changing, genre defining, and highly significant; definately fit into this paradigm. But they are also known by everyone (and if they aren't known to you, stop reading and go listen!), and adding them to the list makes the list longer, but not more interesting or novel. Likewise, I can list a hundred musicians from classical, jazz, blues, folk songs, war and rock'n'roll eras that have been character forming for me, but people these days often don't relate to that kind of music so I am trying to keep that to a minimum. I am hoping that this list might exemplify my point but also introduce some new music into your lives.
Also, I can't really include any music that I haven't listened to for more than a least a year so this isn't a list of the current crazy indie music on my playlist. Maybe I will make a crazy indie playlist some other time.
Old school music
Music your older siblings, your mum and dad... or perhaps your grandparents might know but you might have missed. I am going to cheat here, and add some modern blues and jazz into this section because I figure if you don't like the odd stuff you wont like the new stuff anyways.
Bobby McFerrin. Often refered to as the Don't Worry, Be Happy guy. I heard and took on board the Don't worry, be happy message like I think everyone did, but I have since learnt more about him. The man is amazing. He is a very talented human beatbox, my two favourite examples of this being his Bach 1st Prelude/Ave Maria and I can see clearly now with Judy Donahy though he also sings very well and does some wonderful improvisations. He can performed with some very cool classical musicians. But one particular performance amazed me since I first saw it, and impressed me with the universality of human nature; his demonstration of the power of the pentatonic scale at the 2009 World science festival is very beautiful, clever and insightful.
Duke Ellington. Hearing Caravan for the first time changed my life. I'd never realised how much power jazz music with no lyrics could have, how music alone could create imagry.
Katie Melua. Little girl, big voice, very nice and mellow blues. Particularly her first album as I am not very familiar with her newer ones. I found her at a fairly pivotal time in my life, I was feeling pretty numb and it was a big relief to find something that I had an emotional reaction to.
Jonny Lang. So when I was a teenager... wait, lets begin differently. When I was a child I shared a room with my sister, and our parents used to put on a cassette from our draw full of cassettes for us to listen to as we went to sleep. I can't remember if it was in lieu of a story or what. But, when my sister and I became teenagers and still shared a room this created a bit of a problem, because I liked all sorts of weird and mainstream music, but my sister pretty much just liked everything I didn't and vice versa, so putting on music before bed became an issue. Then we both worked at the opening of a video store and were allowed to take home some of the prizes. We got a stack of posters etc, and one of us (probably my sister since I don't remember... which means I probably shouldn't now have it, but I do...) picked up the cd single of this guy. And it was the only thing we could agree on (which is so daft cause I am pretty sure blues isn't her normal thing at all), so we had the one song play on repeat... No idea how this guy managed to get that voice but it gives me chills.
Modern music
Music from the last 20 years.
One Eskimo. Do love these guys... I first heard them watching Bones on tv, and was so struck by "the song in the background" that I zerged the internet to identify what I had heard. Adapting a classic old song into a classic soulful new song... mmmm love, and they created a theme album, which contains a video for each song telling the story visually as well as musically - so awesome and so rarely done these days. The other songs I have heard from the album are beautiful too.
Jack White. May be a little mainstream nowdays but still... The first time I heard the White Stripes (yes yes, I do remember who first got me onto them) I was blown away, and I continue to be impressed with their simple and yet very energetic and evokative music. I also really like The Raconteurs. I watched this great documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White called It might get loud where the three discuss their different methods, backgrounds, inspirations, priorities, projects and sound, and it was really great. I like all three artists, but I think if you didn't like one of them prior you'd come out if not liking at least respecting them. Jack White talked about his favourite song and how really that is what he is trying to emulate, and when you listen back on the White Stripes back catalogue you can actually detect that influence.
Our Lady Peace. One of those bands where you have heard some of the songs before and yet don't realise that they are all by the same artist. Probably my favourite band. I first heard their music at a party at a friends place when I was 16 or 17, and I have loved them ever since, purchased all their albums and have not been disappointed with any of them, though their sound has changed over time. I am a bit old school in my love of concept albums, and these guys have one of my favourites... I tried to write a list of all the reasons I love this band, but basically I love everything about them... except that I have to read their wiki to know when their albums come out when there should be sky writers and billboards.
Great Big Sea. Another band that I first heard at one of our rowdy teen parties and couldn't get enough of. They have these great, quite upbeat, catchy songs. But they have this other side to them, where they play rock versions of traditional sea shanties, some very silly - it reminds me a little of Lonnie Donegan (That blend of part normal and part nonsense). I love that they work traditional instruments like the fiddle, the mandolin and the bodhran. Just learn the words and then TRY not to sing along at the top of your lungs, TRY not to smile when you hear them.
Dropkick Murphys. On a similar note... Celtic punk band, who have a great range of original music with heavy celtic inspiration and some amazing punk covers of traditional celtic songs. They capture the old Irish anger of the rebal music (like the Wolfe Tones) and incorporate traditional irish folk music, and some new expatriate anger. I found them because I am irish. I might love them because I am irish too...
Youtube musicians
I have found a lot of music I really like through Youtube. Music I consider good enough to pay for. I am pretty eclectic so there is a range of course... And given the current trend (Darren Cris, Justin Beibs (I am not linking this...) and Others) potentially the future music section.
Garfunkel and Oates - my favourite comedy duo (if you recognise either of them, it is because they are both actresses as well, Kate is most notable as The Gooch on scrubs; and Riki was (I believe) most hysterical as Ramona, the grad student who bullied Sheldon into working instead of procrastinating. My favourite of their song is Me, You and Steve, though I am also partial to their song Sex with Ducks.
Sons of Admirals - I love these guys independantly, and I love them together. I tried to find a typical example of each. Charlie is mostly a vlogger/comedic musician/teenheart throb. Tom is a little eccentric but totally brilliant. Edd does rock with so much soul it hurts (well in my opinion anyway). Alex is an ideas man, his music is a bit more pop-ish, but very listenable. And they are all involved in each others projects, like Chameleon Circuit and Chartjackers and each others albums which they sell through DFTBA records (a label put together by and exclusively for Youtube musicians).
HeyHiHello! - These guys aren't really in my usual taste, but there is just something about them I really like. Perky, and sweet, and I find myself listening to them over and over.
So here are some of my best external musical epiphany moments.
hhhhhmmmmmmm, ok, in retrospect, allow me to reclarify that statement. By my best, I don't actually mean my best total, I mean my best non-mainstream moments. Because I am sure that everyone of our sort of generation had one of those moments listening to Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, U2, Green Day, RHCP etc. Those sort of bands are life changing, genre defining, and highly significant; definately fit into this paradigm. But they are also known by everyone (and if they aren't known to you, stop reading and go listen!), and adding them to the list makes the list longer, but not more interesting or novel. Likewise, I can list a hundred musicians from classical, jazz, blues, folk songs, war and rock'n'roll eras that have been character forming for me, but people these days often don't relate to that kind of music so I am trying to keep that to a minimum. I am hoping that this list might exemplify my point but also introduce some new music into your lives.
Also, I can't really include any music that I haven't listened to for more than a least a year so this isn't a list of the current crazy indie music on my playlist. Maybe I will make a crazy indie playlist some other time.
Old school music
Music your older siblings, your mum and dad... or perhaps your grandparents might know but you might have missed. I am going to cheat here, and add some modern blues and jazz into this section because I figure if you don't like the odd stuff you wont like the new stuff anyways.
Bobby McFerrin. Often refered to as the Don't Worry, Be Happy guy. I heard and took on board the Don't worry, be happy message like I think everyone did, but I have since learnt more about him. The man is amazing. He is a very talented human beatbox, my two favourite examples of this being his Bach 1st Prelude/Ave Maria and I can see clearly now with Judy Donahy though he also sings very well and does some wonderful improvisations. He can performed with some very cool classical musicians. But one particular performance amazed me since I first saw it, and impressed me with the universality of human nature; his demonstration of the power of the pentatonic scale at the 2009 World science festival is very beautiful, clever and insightful.
Duke Ellington. Hearing Caravan for the first time changed my life. I'd never realised how much power jazz music with no lyrics could have, how music alone could create imagry.
Katie Melua. Little girl, big voice, very nice and mellow blues. Particularly her first album as I am not very familiar with her newer ones. I found her at a fairly pivotal time in my life, I was feeling pretty numb and it was a big relief to find something that I had an emotional reaction to.
Jonny Lang. So when I was a teenager... wait, lets begin differently. When I was a child I shared a room with my sister, and our parents used to put on a cassette from our draw full of cassettes for us to listen to as we went to sleep. I can't remember if it was in lieu of a story or what. But, when my sister and I became teenagers and still shared a room this created a bit of a problem, because I liked all sorts of weird and mainstream music, but my sister pretty much just liked everything I didn't and vice versa, so putting on music before bed became an issue. Then we both worked at the opening of a video store and were allowed to take home some of the prizes. We got a stack of posters etc, and one of us (probably my sister since I don't remember... which means I probably shouldn't now have it, but I do...) picked up the cd single of this guy. And it was the only thing we could agree on (which is so daft cause I am pretty sure blues isn't her normal thing at all), so we had the one song play on repeat... No idea how this guy managed to get that voice but it gives me chills.
Modern music
Music from the last 20 years.
One Eskimo. Do love these guys... I first heard them watching Bones on tv, and was so struck by "the song in the background" that I zerged the internet to identify what I had heard. Adapting a classic old song into a classic soulful new song... mmmm love, and they created a theme album, which contains a video for each song telling the story visually as well as musically - so awesome and so rarely done these days. The other songs I have heard from the album are beautiful too.
Jack White. May be a little mainstream nowdays but still... The first time I heard the White Stripes (yes yes, I do remember who first got me onto them) I was blown away, and I continue to be impressed with their simple and yet very energetic and evokative music. I also really like The Raconteurs. I watched this great documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White called It might get loud where the three discuss their different methods, backgrounds, inspirations, priorities, projects and sound, and it was really great. I like all three artists, but I think if you didn't like one of them prior you'd come out if not liking at least respecting them. Jack White talked about his favourite song and how really that is what he is trying to emulate, and when you listen back on the White Stripes back catalogue you can actually detect that influence.
Our Lady Peace. One of those bands where you have heard some of the songs before and yet don't realise that they are all by the same artist. Probably my favourite band. I first heard their music at a party at a friends place when I was 16 or 17, and I have loved them ever since, purchased all their albums and have not been disappointed with any of them, though their sound has changed over time. I am a bit old school in my love of concept albums, and these guys have one of my favourites... I tried to write a list of all the reasons I love this band, but basically I love everything about them... except that I have to read their wiki to know when their albums come out when there should be sky writers and billboards.
Great Big Sea. Another band that I first heard at one of our rowdy teen parties and couldn't get enough of. They have these great, quite upbeat, catchy songs. But they have this other side to them, where they play rock versions of traditional sea shanties, some very silly - it reminds me a little of Lonnie Donegan (That blend of part normal and part nonsense). I love that they work traditional instruments like the fiddle, the mandolin and the bodhran. Just learn the words and then TRY not to sing along at the top of your lungs, TRY not to smile when you hear them.
Dropkick Murphys. On a similar note... Celtic punk band, who have a great range of original music with heavy celtic inspiration and some amazing punk covers of traditional celtic songs. They capture the old Irish anger of the rebal music (like the Wolfe Tones) and incorporate traditional irish folk music, and some new expatriate anger. I found them because I am irish. I might love them because I am irish too...
Youtube musicians
I have found a lot of music I really like through Youtube. Music I consider good enough to pay for. I am pretty eclectic so there is a range of course... And given the current trend (Darren Cris, Justin Beibs (I am not linking this...) and Others) potentially the future music section.
Garfunkel and Oates - my favourite comedy duo (if you recognise either of them, it is because they are both actresses as well, Kate is most notable as The Gooch on scrubs; and Riki was (I believe) most hysterical as Ramona, the grad student who bullied Sheldon into working instead of procrastinating. My favourite of their song is Me, You and Steve, though I am also partial to their song Sex with Ducks.
Sons of Admirals - I love these guys independantly, and I love them together. I tried to find a typical example of each. Charlie is mostly a vlogger/comedic musician/teenheart throb. Tom is a little eccentric but totally brilliant. Edd does rock with so much soul it hurts (well in my opinion anyway). Alex is an ideas man, his music is a bit more pop-ish, but very listenable. And they are all involved in each others projects, like Chameleon Circuit and Chartjackers and each others albums which they sell through DFTBA records (a label put together by and exclusively for Youtube musicians).
HeyHiHello! - These guys aren't really in my usual taste, but there is just something about them I really like. Perky, and sweet, and I find myself listening to them over and over.
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