Music Became My Religion

Dave Grohl has summed up my view of music here. And although we still have the religion, the saints and the hymns, our churches are disappearing. Part of this is from online shops, part of it from technology no longer requiring us to purchase a physical CD, but just download the music instead. I will admit I buy all my music off Amazon now, but I refuse to download it, legally or illegally, because I want to have the actual CD in in my hands, not just a version of it on my laptop. I'll be the crazy old woman with a house full of CD's!

Rock 'N' Roll Music Is The True Religion - Top 10 Bands Part 2

The second half of my top ten bands.

1. Motley Crue - I'm waiting (very impatiently) for the announcement of the UK dates of their farewell tour, something that I will not miss. As some of my friends will tell you I'm determined I will see Motley Crue before its impossible to do so, even if I have to travel further than Glasgow and go on my own, I'll be there. Celebrating their 30th anniversary last month Motley Crue are an example that good bands will last. I can't see it being 30 years down the line and people still being excited for half the music that is released today. There just not made like they used to be any more.
2. The Subways - The Subways are another band that are (according again to Twitter) finishing up a new album, so another one I'm excited for this year. And we all know with a new album comes a tour to promote it, and this time I will see them. I caught the end of Rock & Roll Queen when they were supporting AC/DC in 2009 (it wasn't my fault we were late, I blame my Dad for that one!). 
3. Seether - Seether are a relatively new discovery of mine, despite having been around since 1999 (although named Saron Gas until 2002) thanks to Spotify and their constant suggestion of new bands. The influence Nirvana and Kurt Cobain had on vocalist Shaun Morgan can be heard in their music, a couple of their songs I actually thought could have been Nirvana covers. And their cover of Careless Whisper actually makes the song sound good!
4. Motorhead - A top ten list could never be complete without Motorhead, total legends in their own right. Between Lemmy's musical talents and debauched lifestyle he is a living legend. From controversial comments like people who play the bass are failed guitarists (which is ironic since he tried and failed at playing guitar) and his reported drinking habits, if you don't know who he is go hang your head in shame then Google it. Although he has gave up his daily litre of JD for the sake of his health. His distinctive gravely voice  and Ace of Spades had become a trademark for the band. Tomorrow would have been the 5th or 6th time I'd of seen them (I lost count) but the tour was cancelled to allow Lemmy to recuperate more from his recent health problems, so get well soon Lemmy, and instead I will play the songs as loud as my laptop will let me and pretend it's live.
5. I couldn't pick a final band. I have too many favourites to decided between and it was just too hard. I would probably drive myself insane trying to finish it, and that isn't something I want to do. I can just picture myself pulling a Shining on Lisa (my flatmate) and attacking her door with an axe shouting "Here's Johnny!" Although I would probably use a cultural reference I actually knew, like "Give me your tears gypsy" or "YOLO." So heads up Lisa, when I start saying YOLO....

And Just Maybe, I'm To Blame For All I've Heard - Top 10 Bands, Part 1

My last post has got me thinking, if I was to try and list my favourite bands I would be here all day, and constantly changing it depending on my mood, and my latest addiction of the week. I can get really obsessive when it comes to music, be it a band on repeat for weeks, sometimes an album that I just can't get enough of, or even sometimes just one song, over and over and over. Then I start to sing along, which my flatmate will tell you is not something you want to be hearing. But this is my attempt at picking out my top ten bands, in no particular order, because that would just be impossible!

1. Nirvana - As I mentioned before, one of my biggest regrets in life is that I never had the opportunity to see Nirvana live, but they still continue to be one of my favourite bands. My favourite song would probably be Lithium, but ask me this next week and I'll have a different answer for you. From the (often weird and nonsensical) lyrics to the guitar riffs, there is something magical about them. RIP Kurt Cobain.
2. Papa Roach - As you may have already guessed from previous posts, Papa Roach are a favourite of mine. As long as giving me the motivation to get on with uni work, they have a song for every mood, whether it's questioning life and society, a broken heart or feeling like giving up, I can put on Papa Roach and it all feels better. That's one of the key qualities music has to have in my book, the power to change your perspective.
3. Aiden - Like with Papa Roach, the first time I saw Aiden live was another of the best nights of my life. Meeting them before hand in One Up Records then being right at the front of the stage at Moshulu (totally showing my age here!) was just indescribable. Especially when Wil Francis took a "selfie" (back before it was cool) with the crowd in the background with my camera. I almost died. I was just searching through my external hard drive for the photos from that night, and of course I didn't back them up after transferring them to my old laptop, which is fucked! So unless I can get them off of there they may be lost forever. Aiden were just as good the second time around, as was the trip to Glasgow to see them. Aiden are a teenage favourite that may become forgotten in years to come by the music fans of today, but they will always have a place in my heart.
4. HIM - I started listening to HIM after Dark Light was released, and have never looked back since. There is just something about the sound of Ville Valo's voice that transcends into an experience of listening that no other has replicated, and it doesn't matter what he looks like (although I do think he's hot, I have a thing for tattoos!) you can't help but fall a little bit in love with him. HIM is a band that you constantly go back to and rediscover the enchantment of the music, as I discovered last year with the release of their latest album, "Tears on Tape", an amazing birthday gift from my dad who shares my love of music. 
5. Sixx AM - The band originally formed to provide the harrowing and emotional soundtrack to Nikki Sixx's book "The Heroin Diaries," but have now (according to Sixx's twitter) recorded their third album, a release that I can't wait for. I first heard them when the Life Is Beautiful video played on Kerrang! and instantly fell for the band. Years later and The Heroin Diaries is still one of my most played DVD's, and I know the book nearly word for word having read it so many times. Their second album, "This Is Gunna Hurt" is just as good, as is the book that accompanies it. I have no doubts what so ever that the next album will be great, especially after Sixx tweeted "I think we're topping ourselves..."

The second half will be up soon, apparently I have too much to say about each band, this is just scratching the surface of my very opinionated views.

Come As You Are

I just found this blog post, http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2013/10/nirvanas-eight-most-rock-n-roll-moments.html that list's Nirvana's eight most rock and roll moments, and I was probably overly amused by it. Easily pleased obviously. 

Nirvana are unarguably one of my favourite bands, and one of my biggest regrets in life will always be never having the opportunity to see them live. But unfortunately I was days away from turning three when Kurt Cobain died, RIP. Instead I settle for youtube clips, live DVD's and just listening to the music. I am borderline obsessed. 

So obsessed that in Higher English when we were told to write our persuasive essay's on an issue we cared about, while the majority of my class wrote about abortion laws and such like, I chose to write about whether or not Kurt Cobain committed suicide or if it was murder. I wrote about it so passionatly that I had my English teacher convinced it was murder. [This is my own opinion, formed through research carried out for the essay, I am NOT trying to say this is a fact!]

One Track Mind

I am so beyond excited right now. Jacoby Shaddix instagrammed a photo of himself back in the studio recording Papa Roach's 8th album! Ahhhhhh!

Papa Roach are one of my favourite bands, and have been for many years. Their lyrics are so inspirational, their music is just amazing, and I have no doubt that the next one will be just as good.

One of the best nights of last year was going to see them live at Glasgow Barrowlands, and it honestly can't describe how good it was. My best friend, Frances, who was with me said she actually hasn't seen me so happy before, as I stood staring at the stage with a huge grin on my face, repeating "He's just such a total babe" about Jacoby. Despite my bag being stolen afterwards it was still one of the highlights of last year, and of course being me I was more upset about the t-shirt I'd just bought being in the bag, and of course the first thing I did when I got my bank card replaced I bought a new t-shirt, then replaced my ID, cause you know that's the logical thing.

It Has To Change

I really wish I had something even slightly exciting to write about right now, but unfortunately I don't. With the exception of another crazy staff night out on Tuesday (which to be honest, my memories of are not entirely whole) all I have done this week is worked. It's been a long one and it still isn't over yet. And as much as I wish I could just chill out on my day off tomorrow I have a packed schedule. Coffee with the girls from work to say a sad goodbye to Sylwia before she leaves for Zante in the afternoon, a trip to Peterhead to catch up with friends, some that I haven't seen in months, then the last bus back to Aberdeen for work on Sunday morning. 

Monday bring's the first day of the last semester of my final year at uni. It's such a scary thought that I graduate this year, that means that now is the time I have to start making all those decisions that I keep telling myself I have loads of time for. But I don't. Anyone that wants to tell me what I'm doing with my life, please feel free?

I want to travel, I want to go see so many bands, I want to experience new things, and most of all I want to get away from Aberdeen. I love Scotland but Aberdeen is such a depressing place to be in, if you don't want to go into the oil or hospitality industry then you might as well forget it up here. And everything is so grey. I want excitement. The one plus right now, a quiz on Buzzfeed (the biggest distraction from uni work ever!) did say the career I should actually be in is writing... Suppose that could be seen as a good sign!

Motivation

Music is like that escape that you need each day, the few minutes you get to yourself, the thing that keeps you going and the way to express yourself when you can't find the words to say it yourself. As HIM front man Ville Valo said, "A lot of that stuff people consider 'rock 'n' roll' is based on insecurity. You hide behind the flamboyance. All that excess - it's just trying to be accepted." *All opinions and interpretations of the songs are my own, these are how I feel about the songs.*

So here it is, my top ten motivational songs, and why.

1. Papa Roach - Not Listening. As I mentioned in the last post this is the song that gets me through all my uni coursework. "Am I a failure, if I've got nothing to lose. No I'm not a failure, I've got something to prove." This song helps to keep me inspired when I feel like I'm not getting through it. A lot of the time when I do things I feel like it's not good enough, that I'm not good enough, but then I listen to this song and it makes me realise that I need to prove to myself, more than to anyone else, that I can do it, and that I can get through everything. So fuck the world, I'm not a failure, and no one else deserves to feel that 
2. Sixx AM - Skin. "Cause they don't even know you, all they see is scars. They don't see the angel living in your heart. Let them find the real you, buried deep within. Let them know with all you've got, that you are not your skin." When people try to put you down, or judge you on what they see, fuck them. Simple as. Life is way too short for that. 
3. Rage Against the Machine - Killing In The Name. When you just need angry music after a bad day. It's like a big fuck you to all the people trying to put you down, and it always makes me want to jump about like an idiot. In my opinion it's a rebellion against authority, and the brutality of institutions in the name of something.
4. Bullet For My Valentine - All These Things I Hate. To me this song is about admitting that not all your problems are forced on you, that some of it is stuff you've caused by yourself, and that you need to learn to accept them before you can move on from them. It's about accepting that you can be at fault, and it's motivation to change, and accept yourself so others will too.
5. Aiden - Life I Left Behind. The song is pretty much about remembering your past, and how things can be empty but that they don't lose meaning. "This life has never mad me question, is it wrong to think, how empty is the answer." You can't forget the past, you need to learn from mistakes you've made and regrets you have to become the person you should be.
6. +44 - Baby Come On. There's a few parts of this song that always stand out to me, but essentially they all come down to the same message. "And I can always find her, at the bottom of a plastic cup. Drowning in drunk's insanity. A sad and lonely girl.", I think this is like saying that alcohol is not the answer (a message I really need to take on board) and you'll still have you're problems when you sober up. "And all my best friends will be death of me.", All my friends are a bad influence on each other, we corrupt each other and it will end us one day, simple as, but I still love them all. "The past is only the future with the lights on." You know what happened in the past (lights on) but you can't predict the future (it's in the dark) but you can change it so it doesn't resemble the past, again it's learn from mistakes and move on from the past.
7. Escape the Fate - Live Fast, Die Beautiful. So the title of this song is pretty self explanatory. Make the most of life!
8. Nirvana - Lithium. Like every Nirvana song it's not really about what the lyrics actually say, its about the feel and sound of the music as a whole, and although if you really listen to it, it is about Kurt Cobain being bi-polar, you can take it how you want to. To me it's motivational, "I'm not gunna crack," repeated over and over to me is saying the pressure is on but don't let it get to you, don't let it break you.
9. Three Days Grace - Now or Never. The song is about making changes, and now is the time to do it. Don't just bitch about the problems you have, do something, and do it fast.
10. The Subways - Friday. "This is Friday, this is my day, you can't take that from me." The song is basically, it's my weekend and you can't take it away, but the deeper meaning is that you can't let people take anything from you. And Friday is my favourite night to go out.

So some of these are more inspirational than motivational, but really we all always need some inspiration and motivation in life.