Band Tattoos

I don't think it's necessary to state this, but I'm going to anyway: I love music. Lots of kinds. I live and breathe it. I also love tattoos. I have nine of them, currently, and there may be more in my future. That being said, I've never wanted to have a tattoo that referenced or paid homage to a band. I have two music tattoos: A kanji symbol on my left shoulder and an eighth note on my right wrist. When it comes to specific bands, however, I just can't bring myself to get one permanently tattooed on me. Tastes change, people change, and though I don't think I'll ever stop loving my top few favorites...who knows? I've seen some very well done

band tatts, and I've seen some that were really gaudy and tacky. My husband has the artwork for The Clash's "Know Your Rights" album tattooed on his arm. I have two friends that have the Led Zeppelin "Zoso" symbols tattooed on them. All of those are really cool, I guess it's just not for me.

Do you have, or would you get, a band tattoo?

Songs You Dislike By Bands You Love

Even bands you absolutely adore have songs you'd rather not listen to. One of my all time favorites, Dave Matthews Band, has a song that makes me cringe when I hear it. It's called "Proudest Monkey". I've seem them live at least once, and often multiple times, every year for the last decade. Thankfully, I've never had to endure that one.

Sometimes it's not the cringe factor, but the cheese factor. Several bands I like have songs about their children, and they are nearly always trite and corny. Just because you can write a song about how great it is to be a parent, doesn't mean you should...or that anyone else will care.

Sometimes it's a case of a really odd musical pairing, (Chris Cornell produced by Timbaland, anyone?) other times it's a seemingly random guest vocalist. (Lil Wayne on a Weezer song? What the hell is that all about?)

My beloved Weezer is also guilty of another musical offense: Letting other members of your band sing vocals. Three tracks on 2008's Red Album have everyone singing, even the drummer. We saw how well that worked for the Beatles.

Thankfully, the drummer singing worked out well for Dave Grohl, who became the frontman for Foo Fighters after Nirvana. In turn, their drummer Taylor Hawkins sings lead vocals on one song that is a glowing example of this practice done right: "Cold Day in the Sun."

What is your least favorite track by a band you love, and why?

Sing It

I've been fascinated with singing for as long as I can remember. As a child, I sang everywhere I went and to everyone I saw. The toys, the cat, whomever would listen.
As a teenager, I mused over what life would be like if it was a giant musical. As much as I love musicals, I always found the idea of randomly bursting into song while performing everyday activities a bit off-putting.
That being said, as an adult, I do just that. I often find myself singing along to music in the grocery store, mall, or doctor's office.
Most frequently, however, it's when I'm in the studio at the radio station alone. I turn up the monitor as loud as I can without blowing the speaker, and shout to Self Esteem or Song 2.
Do you find yourself singing to yourself in public?

Trouble With You

Music is poetry, plain and simple. I can't tell you the last time I heard this song, but it's been following me around all day like a shadow. Enjoy these lyrics :)

The brightest star on a cloudless night
Some kind of miracle, almost empty sky
Infact as sure as God is a monkey's dream
And ate that mushroom and believe what he sees

Trouble with you is you always wanna find the fire
Sittin' warmin' your hands by the fireside
Trouble with you is you're always lookin way outside (way outside)
Oh why not enjoy yourself by the fireside?

Just as the bite of the blade wakes the absent mind
There's time to dream and there's time to open your eyes
She said, just as the warmth of a kiss brings the love alive
It's right here by the fire where the answers lie

Trouble with you is you always wanna find the fire
Oh when you're warmin' your hands by the fireside
Trouble with you is you're always lookin' far and wide (way outside)
Oh why not enjoy yourself by the fireside

She said why you always lookin', always lookin'?
She said why you always lookin' outside?
She said

The trouble with you is you're always lookin' for the fire
When you're warmin' your hands by the fireside
The trouble with you is you're always lookin' far and wide (way outside)
Oh why not enjoy yourself by the fireside? (way outside)

The trouble with you is you're always lookin' somewhere else (way outside)
Oh then what you see there beside yourself
The trouble with you is you're always lookin' for the fire (way outside)
Oh why not enjoy yourself by the fireside?
Oh why not enjoy yourself by the fireside?
She said, oh why not enjoy yourself sittin' by the fire?
She said
The trouble with you
The trouble with you

~DJM

Five Musicals I Love

Moulin Rouge- A lot of critics skewered this movie, but it's one of my favorites, musical or otherwise. Ewan McGregor is a dream to watch and hear, and Baz Luhrmann makes visually stunning movies. A winning combination, in my opinion.

Rocky Horror Picture Show- I've watched this on Halloween every year since long before I realized just how fucked up it truly is. My favorite number is the highly underrated "Hot Patootie". You can make fun of me all you want, but Meatloaf OWNS in that scene. Though I love this movie, I rarely make it to the end. It drags, and the stage/pool scene is weird and kind of out of place to me.

The Music Man- Perhaps I'm partial because it was the first play I performed in as a teenager, but The Music Man is great. Wholesomeness, good songs, and the charismatic Harold Hill. I knew for the first time I wasn't alone in my Music Man geekery when I saw the entire "Shipoopi" number made into a Family Guy routine. Seth McFarlane also nods to Music Man with Lois as the piano teacher, just like Marion.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch- Because how many other musicals do you know that have a transgendered rockstar from communist East Berlin? Best song? Sugar Daddy, hands down.

Phantom of the Opera- A classic that never goes out of style. Solid story, beautifully composed music, need I say more?

Honorable Mention: The Fantasticks.

What is your favorite musical?

Missing Metallica Fan Found

http://www.mtairynews.com/view/full_story/5704672/article-Lessons-can-be-learned-from-Morgan-Harrington-case?instance=secondary_opinion_left_column

I was absolutely appalled when I was searching for Metallica news online last night in preparation for my radio show and stumbled across the above article. I realize it's called an opinion column for a reason, but this man is still a reporter and should know better. The basic gist he states in the column is that Morgan Harrington, the woman who was kidnapped and killed when she left a Metallica concert late last year, is to blame for her own disappearance and death. Should she have used discretion and not hitchhiked home with a complete stranger? Absolutely. But we've all been 20 years old, and sometimes our judgement is poor. The author accuses her of wanting to be a part of the "party crowd". I've been going to concerts since the age of five, and I would hardly call myself part of the "party crowd" because I enjoy going to shows. This woman was murdered, but shame on her for making a bad decision?

Absolutely uncalled for.

What do YOU think?

2010 Grammys

So, the Grammy Awards show is being aired this weekend, and I will celebrate by not watching.

Since the invention of this magical creation known as the internet, I've been able to watch the highlights and recaps of crap that I don't want to sit through for three hours of my life.

If my beloved Dave Matthews Band wins Album of the Year for Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King, I will shed tears of joy and search for the clip on YouTube.

The other "artists" in this category? Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and The Black Eyed Peas. How on earth did DMB end up in that mix?!?! How many of those artists even know what a gramophone is?

Beyond that, Green Day and Linkin Park would be excellent wins in their respective categories. But in all actuality, the awards will probably go to Nickelback or someone equally awful that I couldn't give a damn about.

I guess I must be getting old, because all I can think about regarding Grammys is: "Remember fifteen or twenty years ago, when you'd camp out in front of the television, waiting to see your favorite artists accept their awards and perform?"

Now? Not so much...

Are any of you going to watch? Any favorites you want to see win?