Monday, July 13, 2009

Coming out of obscurity after a long hiatus is somewhat daunting... Questions start to arise in your mind. Am I relevant? Do I have a voice? Is anyone listening? Does it matter really? Even as I write this, I'm listening to self-pretentious indie rock to somehow infuse a 40+ guy with a little bit of coolness. I think it's working. I'm getting a welling up in my chest to make fun of people buying Lady Gaga records. Lady Gaga fans, calm down... It's all good. If I could actually get past the huge bouncer at the clubs you guys go to when I'm busy drooling on my pillow fast asleep, I just might groove to Lady Gaga too, but I doubt it.

Indie Tunes I can't stop playing (not necessarily current)

Daylight by Matt and Kim
Dream City by Free Energy
I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance... by The Black Kids
Time to Pretend by MGMT
Travel in Time by Marching Band
Rich Girls by The Virgins
Senses by La Rocca

Now I feel like a total poser, because Pretentious Indie Rock is really only maybe 5% of my entire music collection and in my first blog I am trying to pass myself off as a MusicHead. Well trust me, I am no MusicHead. I used to think I was until I met true "High Fidelity" type MusicHeads that put me in my place. If you think you know anything about records and music, just walk into Amoeba Records in Hollywood and see firsthand the vastness of all music available. You simply cannot fathom or appreciate it all. What I have come to realise is that I love music and I like what I like and if you like it too... cool. If you don't then... you suck.

Doesn't it seem like Indie bands get a free pass for straight bubblegum pop like some of these tunes are? Daylight by Matt and Kim is simply an infectious silly pop song that you can't get out of your head. "Boyfriend" by the Black Kids is incredibly stupid and catchy at the same time. Just make it a little "Lo-fi" and it's deemed acceptable and cool. If it's polished or heaven forbid on a major label, it's derivative pop drivel. I hate critics, especially since I aspire to be one... Indie Cred is overrated, there is plenty of overlooked and undiscovered music even on the major labels, don't let the 90 pound critics with black rimmed glasses tell you different.

Wow, this has become a music blog, but it certainly was not intended as such, but as you can see, I prefer the stream of consciousness style of writing and this is simply where the road has led me. This here blog may become more focused as it develops, but again, I doubt it... I will definitely write about Food in the future. I love food and finding new spots to check out, but as I am currently on a diet, my search for the Best Fried Chicken in LA quest has subsided a bit. The thickness of my pocketbook as also receded as far as my hairline so I have parlayed my foodie attentions from amazing sushi at Kazu and Asanebo to joints that have a "C" in their window and just plain good grub. Yelp has been a great help in the joint finding, but as of now I am only a lurker and have yet to contribute to the community. I still haven't come to grips with providing any site or any company with content that they can use and sell. Maybe it's my marketing background that prevents me to fully embrace these things. I don't hate advertising, and in fact, I love advertising and come to appreciate good logos, campaigns, commercials and the like, but it's business. I'm not the type to plunk down 20 bucks for a Nike shirt with Nike emblazoned on the chest just so I could have the privilege of advertising for a multi-billion dollar company, but alas I do own several logo T-shirts in my closet. In certain cases cost overrides conviction. Sometimes a Nike shirt is flat cheaper than a plain white tee, and can I say that in my restaurant excursions, I just can't seem to keep a white shirt white. I definitely need a "Man-Bib." Someone needs to come out with that. And put a manly design on it so you don't feel so emasculated... something like a Nike Logo perhaps?

Ingrid Michaelson playing in the background now... This music is really hitting the spot right now. Perfect music for Sunday musings...

Well, I guess that's enough for now, as half of my audience has quietly slipped out of the room.
That's OK, public speaking has never been my forte even though I have given 6 Best Man speeches... true story.