Music - The Cure

At the moment I'm in the process of uploading all my Cd's onto my iPod. Its been a bit of a full on experience as Ive been looking at Cd's that Ive not heard or even looked at the covers of for years.

Music has always been something that Ive taken very seriously and that I'm very passionate about, as most you know. So anyway Ive found myself listening to snippets of Cd's and artists that Ive not heard in years.
Memories are flooding back of lots of live music, festivals and of old friends.

So I guess that leads me to the subject of my post and where I'm headed with this little rant, an old Cure song came on and I had a great memory of driving round the coast in my Turquoise green Holden Gemini singing badly to The Cure with Sarah Roberts.

So what do you do when ya think of someone you have not thought about for years and wonder what the hell they are upto??

Ya GOOGLE them of course, now Ive known Sarah worked for Greenpeace and last I spoke to her she was heading off to the UK. So where is she now??

Put the words SARAH+ROBERTS+GREENPEACE into Google and ya get plenty to read about, it appears my old friend from the coast is still leading the charge in the fight against crimes against our planet. And she has been involved in plenty of the big protests and done things that have made people stop and think. Its been a long time since flipping burgers together, running amok at the Uni bar and standing front row at the Sonic Youth gig.

The point of this?? I'm not sure there is a point, my memory has brought me to here, Ive a number for the Greenpeace Australia site that I may or may not use, and I'm still wearing the silver friendship ring she gave me 14 years ago.

Should you hold onto things or let them go?? Wait for people to come to you or should you go to them. Should you throw out old music?? To answer that, the answer is No. Well for me anyway. My music holds part of my story. One that is important to me and who I am. Somethings are best left let go, and while that is hard, there are people in my life that I know Ill never let go of, we may not talked for weeks, months, even years but there is music out there that triggers a memory within me and I think of you.

Love Of Diagrams - Saturday 19th May - Spectrum, Oxford St

Ive seen many a gig advertised for Spectrum, and after going to this venue Im not sure why Ive not been here before? This advertised gig, I wasnt going to miss.

Steep staircase up to a dingy space about the size of half a tennis court (sorry I was struggling to come up with a comparison in terms of size, hence the tennis court) with a low stage to the front of the area and a long bar down the left hand side with large internal pillars that abscure the view depending on where you are.

This venue is great for seeing smaller up and coming bands, while the supports didnt really tickle my fancy, Pikelett did make good use of an accordion, oh Im a sucker for an accordion. And Crayon Fields did have a few tunes that made the ears prick up.

Love of Diagrams came on and even though it was getting kinda late the punters were still coming in, Paddy, Erin and myself managed to get prime position at the front and witnessed some great fast pop rock. The drummer and the bassist rocked, the guitarist, well, besides making too many apologies for missing the flight and turning up late (hey, we heard you the first time) he lacked the same edge the girls had. Ty made a comparison to Sonic Youth after the gig, and the more I think about it the more I have to agree. Standouts for me, 'Pace or the Patience' and 'Form and the Function'.

This band in my opinion can only get better. The guitarist let them down but hey I still had a bloody tops night and I look forward to seeing them again.

All and all another good night on the local music scene and great to catch up with Erin Taylor and hear of all her travels and dance to the Smiths with Ty and other classics by a great Dj after the gig.

Long live Spectrum!! Why oh why has it taken me so long to discover?

Belles Will Ring

Managed to see these guys a couple of weeks ago at the Annandale, they were supporting Bertie Blackman, and Ill admit I was here to see the support.

Bertie, well she is ok, and does what she does ok, and I did like her cover of NIN 'Closer', but I have to say Belles will Ring are my cup of tea at the moment.

A cross between the Bees and BRMC and maybe a touch of Swervedriver for good measure, it was a great set from the group from the Blue Mountains, so much so, I own the CD and have them on high rotation.

Live and local, its all about the music at the moment, I cannay get enough.

Hack and the Christians

So anyway I was listening to Hack on my way home from work yesterday (Triple J current Affairs show available as a pod cast for my overseas buddys www.triplej.net.au) and along with the topic of Gay marriage and 2 Sydney lads heading off to NZ to get married they also had a story on a new Church opening on the Gold Coast called Kings.

So anyway this church has been open 7 years, and was celebrating the opening of some hall or something, but what struck me and has got me thinking is how these new churches fund themselves and how they operate. This church can be likened to Hillsong in Sydney's Hills district if you know anything about that one. And young people are joining in droves.

If like me you know not alot but are a little puzzled why hundreds of young folk are joining these Christian Pentecostal style churches I decided to delve into it a little more and do some research of my own. So Ive opened up a big can of worms here and Ive not come to any conclusions, if anything Im a little scared, scared of the unknown, well yes.

It is in my understanding these churches are very conservative in there teachings, and FYI Hillsong has received support from the Liberal Party and John Howard has even attended one of its Hillsong Conventions. While this does not surprise me at all, what really got my attention was and going back to the original point of my story was the young people being interviewed on Hack that pledged money every week to the Church.

Not so different than the plate that was passed around the Catholic Church I was dragged to every Sunday growing up by my parents. Well yeah I think it is, these young people pledged 10% of there yearly wage to the church and then also offered another weekly offering on top of that. They also have an eliteist group of the congregation that offer $100k+ a year.

In return, what did they get?? Well a shiny new building with a full multimedia set up to stream the 'word' to begin with so they could praise the lord in an emotional display that is regarded as being one of the defining marks of Pentecostals. Yeah these are the guys that raise there hands and spontaneously "thank the lord" and also have a rock band and choir attend services. Electric rock Gods?? hmmm yeah ok.

And while I immediately think of a whole heap of American scammers and early morning bad christian TV, oh and those huge drug and alcohol free christian rock festivals, oh and the christian life surfers that held bbq's next to the uni bar in Newcastle. Im still not so sure why the Christians from churches like Hillsong and Kings are unsettling me so much. Maybe its the way that Christians have no fear in expressing the way that they have found Jesus and brought him into there lives and now they are saved.

Yeah right, ok saved, saved from what?? All the sins they committed before they were saved?? Saved from Friday night football and Sundays by themselves all alone?? Ok so Im a little cynical. I feel all the people joining up are taking a giant step back.

But hey what would I know, think I need to have a few debates with all the 'new' Christians joining up and get to the bottom of this cause it just aint sitting right.

To be Cont...

who's space?? my space and cool tunes...

This has to be one of the best places a band can actively promote themselves and as I surf from one band to the other listening to cool tunes and then listening to who they listen too Im discovering this whole new world of music out there, and Im pretty damn excited I have to say.

Hey I know that this has been around for a while, but I think I like it more and more or something?? And hey there is loads of crap too, but people are making music and lots of it. Yay for them I say.

New head phones to drown out the boys in the office and a world of music just waiting to be listened to, yeah music makes me feel good and the more I listen the better I feel.

So here are a couple of bands that Im listening to right now... check them out, or maybe not, anyway Im going to keep skipping thru the tunes, helps pass the day and stuff.

www.myspace.com/youngandrestlessau
www.myspace.com/ihearthiroshima
www.myspace.com/panelofjudges
www.myspace.com/actormodel