TOPS

the songs i want all the time in this time which is right now - extending across perhaps a week back and forward; not ultimates of life because this isn't that story but one day it could be...
top 10 (as it goes) orderless:
-the go-betweens - bye bye pride
i've had this in my itunes for so long and never bothered to push through the first verse, only today i did, by accident, and the chorus/anything past 47 seconds is well worth it in happy arms out dancing listening.
-jawbreaker - chesterfield king
as everything cycles so jawbreaker comes back and harder and more tearful in a conceivable down-to-earth story (you wish, loser).
-van morrison - sweet thing
so shoot me i never realized the 'astral weeks' glory until now. it's like a secret garden!
-descendents - bikeage
absolutely fucking foolproof.
-lo down - mad fright night
soundtrack to 90's new york fantasies en route of 'kids' (subtract aids/rape scenarios, add choe/harmony summertime love)
-jay reatard - fading all away
annotating this would be like telling a fifty year old how to use a knife and fork.
-the clean - slug song
lskddfjwefmslkfijalfmsfc.
-brownbird rudy relic - your trick ain't workin
he has amazing hair and energy and taste in television shows.
-daniel johnston - some things last a long time
once i was talking to my friend about organ donation and she said 'but i don't want them to take my heart, that's where my love comes from'; this song feels like that.
-the wipers - alien boy
sound equality!

gold, now, bricks and
asphalt more
natural than natural sunlight, as it’s given. so
we can appropriate
‘the world is a beautiful place’
and leave it
there, no ifs only
yes I will Yes and you
reminded me what my elbows looked like
and
soon I will show you my shoulders turned
pink from playing squirrels.

#2

SUMMER HOLIDAY BOYFRIENDS:

I am readily accepting your girth as displayed to the world circa v-fest 2008 as a natural part of the aging process, William; we'll all get fat one day and we'll all be better grandparents for it.
ps: how much is this beach the one where you imagine a number of your heroes 'killing an arab'?

DREAM BOAT PART ONE

stay tuned for more

an essay for school / general teachings / reasons i don't have a boyfriend

The status and quantity of women in music is a product of the patriarchal imperative of oppression and subsequent counter movements; paralleling the Western history of arts (literature, film, painting etc) and the linear progression of the past as we know it in general. ‘Rock’ music (as ostensibly distinguishable from rap/hip hop, explicitly pop, dance etc) and in particular the structure and composition of the ‘rock band’ appears to be still knee-deep in what should be outdated representations of women, and is suffering under the heavy hand of the rock-music-canon. This canon can be seen to be comprised of bands including but not limited to ‘the Rolling Stones’, ‘the Beatles’, ‘Led Zeppelin’, ‘Nirvana’; bands credited with the invention and progression of Western rock music, still highly influential and heavily publicised to this day. Although there exist a number of important women in this genre, Courtney Love, PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, to name a few, the fact that many are solo artists is as problematic as is the subordinate position many women fill in contemporary ‘rock’ bands.

Although the conception of a ‘rock band’ is often marketed as an organic, mystical occurrence, I would argue that many bands are founded on similar principals therefore are formulated in similar means and are an unconscious product of patriarchal lineage . In a cognisant generalisation, an idea of a ‘hypothetical stereotypical rock band’ can help to show the inherently problematic nature of this. The canon is crucial in the inception of the band, instilling amongst young boys of a musical inclination myriad role models who are afforded god-like status not only for musical achievements but also for private/public exploits such as promiscuity, drug taking, and general arrogance (read: ‘rock star' behaviour). The archetypal ‘rock star’ has been created and naturalized over time as an almost exclusively male role, necessarily leaving women to be posited as either wives or groupies, or as open to hypocritical debasement involving activities deemed ‘cool’ for men but not for women (sleeping around, speaking out).

When recruiting other fledgling musicians to make up the band, the question of who is playing the necessary instruments must be considered. According to ‘rock’ music history, the guitar (particularly electric), bass and drums have been fashioned as more masculine than feminine instruments. This sentiment has been institutionalised and is observable in the school-aged division between the academic and societal inclination to teach young boys the afore mentioned instruments versus those common to little girls- flutes, violins, pianos etc. Therefore, young women are often not taught the fundamentals of ‘rock’ music in the way young men are. To add to this, ‘rock’ imagery is very much bound up with advertising and media targeting a masculine audience; in the same way young girls are raised by popular culture to like dolls, makeup and ponies, ‘rock’ music falls into the opposing category of cars, robots and dinosaurs.

A common route of feminine integration into a ‘rock’ band is via ‘girlfriend’ or ‘sister’ status and playing either the bass guitar or keyboards – essentially ‘softer’ instruments, not traditionally foregrounded in ‘rock’ music composition. This coupling sees women firstly as last minute additions to the band, secondly as making less noise than their guitar or drum playing counterparts, thirdly, as not a significant part of the song-writing process, and, fourthly, the logical conclusion of point one two and three; as being in the lower end of the band hierarchy.

‘Rock’ history has located women for the most part as either in low-ranking positions in bands, as solo artists, or in ‘girl bands’ (a positive idea which is almost inherently weighed down by political stigma). Because of this, it can be said that patriarchy is not conducive to a notion like a female front woman of a male or mixed gender band, or to a band comprised of women as anything else but a novel event or a group with feminist/political agendas. An enormous problem, clearly, is simply the lack of women in this industry and the trickle-down effect this has on contemporary society. Women are not afforded the horde of musical role-models that men are, and role models in childhood and pubescence cannot be overestimated as powerful architects of the future. As well as this, the few women who do reach prominence in ‘rock’ music are subject to greater amounts of pressure than most men in similar positions; from fan adulation or demonization from those opposed. Another hugely detrimental aspect is the way in which male music has been interpreted and accepted into society – as universal. Maintaining that, yes, there surely are experiences and feelings common to most or all or a great amount of people of all genders and sexualities in the Western world, there seems to be a complete failure to listen to music written and performed by men as representative of a specifically male experience. As is demonstrated by other art forms, male experience is misappropriated as ‘human’ experience, essentially providing us with countless negative images of women in song lyrics; every second song being about some hussy who broke someone’s heart, and women being expected to sing in tune with this, for example, songs like ‘Evil Woman’ (and let’s not even get into ELO here) or ‘Under My Thumb’, devoid of any degree of equality in representations of men to discount these songs as simply about about failed relationships or regularly observed negativity or disappointment in the opposite gender or particular love interest. To continue, what we are commonly presented with is importantly, only one side of the story.

Clearly, ‘rock’ music is riddled with systematized discrimination and ingrained sexism, resulting from a patriarchal history. Of course, history cannot be changed, however, the way it is viewed and criticised can. The problem is not the music canon in it's particularities and the blame cannot be placed upon afore mentioned figures like Mick Jagger or Kurt Cobain (who are awesome); the problem is the way society has interpreted and revered specificities and identities in a gender specific manner. Awareness of gender superiority throughout historical structures is necessary when listening to and interpreting what you hear on the radio, when perusing ‘top 100’ lists of bands or albums, or watching music film clips, as well as appreciating up and coming women in ‘rock’ music and the importance they hold just by existing. Think about what it means to look through your CD collection and find it is crowded by ‘testosterone’. Or to list your top ten favourite bands/albums/songs and the lopsided amounts of men and women. It has nothing to do with quality, and everything to do with inequality.

cupid don't fuck wit me, are you tellin' me this is a sign?

the cd player in my car is maggoted and the only cds it will let me play are: legacy of brutality and houdini, and recently only the first three songs of each. pretty much if i can only listen to hooch and hybrid moments for the rest of my life i am a happy lady. life rules (sux) (rulez)

love letters re: love letters

Dear Lady
I should have kissed
you in the field at Windsor
when I put the blanket
round you Now I lost
your Address.
BAND comes together
better and better but how far
can it go borrowing money left
Right and centre Ha ha ha!
send me the address of you to this
one -: ME, 101, WALTERTON ROAD. W.9.
Love Johnny
P.S. I LOOK LIKE A SKINHEAD (THIS IS A WARNING!)


everyone who is not Joe Strummer is a huge jerk. not even kidding! of course, I am exaggerating.




the teeth!

a good noun these days is hard to find

This is why a bunch of people you know all have the same name. Unless you know a bunch of people called Tonya, because that is a shit name. It is also why some songs have the same title, because, of course, anything else but ‘albatrosss’ would be unfathomable for Public Image Ltd’s 10 minute 35 second epic EVEN THOUGH Fleetwood Mac used the word a good 11 years prior. Albatross. Albatross. Albatross. Albatross. The words have lost all meaning! Jimminy Jillickers.

In the interest of weeding out the superfluous of life it is necessary to wonder: do I need so many songs with the same fucking name? Have we run out of words? Must existence be this complicated? Probably. Even still, battle it out for precedence!

All I Need – My Bloody Valentine (1988)
VS
All I Need – Air (1998)
I feel guilty even posing this question, soz Kev. I can’t even remember the last time I listened to an Air song in its entirety save for Playground Love which pretty much only exists as mood music for Trip Fontaine sexual fantasies. To be fair, it’s not you, Air, it’s the people that I imagine that say they like you - je detest Francophiles hell more than any other ‘philes’ save for the paedo brand. Don’t make me hate Gondry, guyz plz. Using ‘French’ as a euphemism for rich or cultured or stylish or not fat doesn’t disguise the fact that you live in Hoppers Crossing and get glammed up in a dress and heels that flap around the soles of your hooves (it's heel toe, ladies) to go to Chadstone. Chadstone for fuck sake. Or that you live in Toorak and do exactly the same but with more money, more money that you could have spent on cool stuff not ‘lunch with the girls', read: binge drinking actual Champagne. Actually, that is exactly what I would spend my money on if i was rich. That and clothes for my pets. What a dream. Back to topic, there’s not much that could beat My Bloody Valentine so don’t feel bad, Air. You were way decent at V-Fest. Although I can't say I was paying a lot of attention. I think I was too caught up in the novelty of sitting on a SEAT in an AMPHITHEATRE watching a BAND at a FESTIVAL. Plus I was drunk and only wearing three different colours. And I had just lost my puffin brooch. Emotions were high. Nothing more to say, Au revoir.
VICTOR: MBV


Feel the Pain – The Damned (1977)
VS
Feel the Pain – Dinosaur Jr (1994)
Finally, a glitch in my faultless reasoning; Dinosaur Jr > everything. If there was ever any doubt that this band is unsustainable without Lou Barlow then here it is packaged up into a 3 minute 37 second onomatopoeia. I feel the pain! I’d liken it to a punch in the mouth if it wasn’t so fucking BORING. More like a wet towel and I don’t mean a nice cooling washcloth for a lady when she feels a little faint and has to lie down, i mean a moist, warm, mysteriously stained affair, flung, FLUNG at your eyes leaving you feeling like you’ve just been interfered with by a member of the belt adjusting elderly public. Plus the film clip is about golf! I cry myself to sleep and yes, realise it’s by Spike Jonze but lets not implicate him here; would you stand up to J Mascis, especially in your pre-Malvovitch/Coppola reaping of laurels juncture? You made me do it, Sir, you “screwed us both”. Plus the Damned one is real sexy. Sexy like if you were new to town and chance upon (or were you chosen by) a mysterious totally bad-ass stranger with strange blood-like marks on his t-shirt who invites you out to a club tomorrow night and as you’re walking down the stairs in slo mo you feel real out of place with your plaid skirt and turtleneck seeing as everyone is smoking and dancing and eye fucking the shit out of each other and while you’re impressed and intrigued and eager to begin your Sandra Dee type transformation you know there’s something weird going on with these kids, something sinister but ultimately like totally hot. (Vampire fantasy #1).
VICTOR: THE DAMNED


Dreams – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
VS
Dreams – TV on the Radio (2004)
Did you hear that? It was the sound of my non-prescription glasses smashing on the concrete outside my window. The sound of my skinny jeans ripping in non-fashionable places, the sound of my hair parting to reveal no fringe whatsoever. Whooopsy Daisy….
VICTOR: FLEETWOOD

beginnings

welcome to me all up on my fucking high horse