Oh dear...

Apologies, The Virgin Suicides, Pink Floyd and Brains

I said I was going to come back to posting regularly. Nothing much came of that now, did it? I think the last time I posted was mid-August. Oh well. Live and let live.
I do miss writing this, not that anyone bothers to read my musings on various aspects of 21st century pop culture anyway, but nonetheless, it's nice to have a place to "vent spleen" as they say.
I want to come back to writing, but what with education and my ever declining health it's almost impossible to find an hour in the day to have a cup of tea, let alone sit at my computer and keep a blog.
I have been tumblin'  and awful lot though, so I suppose that's rather a bad excuse (!)

I like Tumblr. I've had it for almost a year now, and I really do enjoy it. It's nice to find people that like the same things that I do, and although I'm far too shy to talk to anyone, the people there do seem genuinely nice!
However, it has made me into an obsessive fangirl, the kind I used to dislike but secretly always was. My current obsessions at the moment are Pink Floyd and "The Virgin Suicides".

I finally managed to watch "The Virgin Suicides".
I don't really know what to say about it. I'm probably the last person on the planet to watch it, and it has made quite an impact on me.
I'm not going to go out and kill myself anytime soon, though, so don't worry.
I really can't explain it.
I don't know whether it's the song "Highschool Lover" by Air that is used as the main theme, or if it's just the general atmosphere of the whole film.
But the song, yes. I've made it my mission to learn it on the piano. It's so beautiful, and so mesmorising, yet almost nostalgic. The way it just melts together makes it so familiar and comforting, like a grandmother or something, yet it's also very melancholic and sinister. It makes you question things, yet gives you a "float-y" feeling, a false sense of security.

On to more music, with my current band obsession being Pink Floyd.
Pink Floyd were always the band my dad liked. They made albums about walls. So what? I never paid much interest to them, never really my taste.
Then, something clicked.
I picked up my dad's cassette of "The Dark Side of The Moon", listened to it the whole way through, and enjoyed it!
I listened to "Wish You Were Here". Then "The Wall".
And then I listened to "The Piper at The Gates of Dawn".
Wow.
I can't really remember what happened after that, apart from an obsession that began "spiraling out of control" (as some may say...). I became fascinated by them.
The beginning of my obsession coincided with the re-issues of all the studio albums and the whole "Why Pink Floyd?" campaign.
BBC Four had a night of documentaries on them, including "Live at Pompeii".
I stayed up and watched every last bit.
6 Music had a night of programmes about them. 7:30PM to 4:00AM.
I stayed awake for all eight and a half hours, intently listening to every last word.
I watched "The Wall", both versions of "Live at Pompeii", and Barbet Schroeder's 1969 film "More", to which Pink Floyd provided the soundtrack.
Their music is just incredible. (I'll probably make a separate post on this soon, otherwise this one will go on for ever. It's already 2:30AM here.)
I really can't go into deep and elaborate reasons why I love them so much via. typing. I'd have to talk to you in person and show you pictures and play you records.

I am the kind of person who becomes obsessed over things easily. I don't understand how I am and others are not, but I guess that's just the way my brain functions.
I've been reading a lot about brains recently. They fascinate me. How these lumps of grey matter control everything we do. Our emotions, our actions, what we decide to put in our sandwiches that day. Everything!
Mental health is of great interest to me too, and how what we decide to put into our bodies can alter our brains forever.
I definitely want to research more into brains. Expect brain related matter (no pun intended) appearing soon.

So, I guess that's about it. I don't really think I have anything else to say tonight/this morning. I think I'll just sit here and listen to "Highschool Lover" on repeat until I can't stand it anymore and then by that time it might be an acceptable time to go for a walk.

I never was any good at conclusions.

Day 11 – A song from your favourite band (+bonus story thing!)

Just in case you hadn't already noticed, Kraftwerk are my favourite band. I first knew who they were back in 2000, when I first heard "Expo 2000". Even today, that song sends shivers down my spine. It's not my favourite, but it's a brilliant, brilliant song.
My love for Kraftwerk only really fully developed about a few months ago when I found out I'd be going to Germany. I decided to listen to some German music, and I put on "The Model" because it was the only Kraftwerk song I knew well. After listening to it several times, I decided to look at the recommended videos in the sidebar and settled on listening to "Die Mensch Maschine". I instantly knew I'd found a band that I'd love for life. I spent the entire night on YouTube, listening to songs and watching videos. Then, the next day, I downloaded (almost) their entire discography. I was suddenly overwhelmed with this beautiful electronic music. It was like nothing I'd heard before. To be honest, I actually cried when I listened to a few of their songs, just because of the sheer beauty and magnificence they held. These beautifully orchestrated synthesisers made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I couldn't believe that I only knew one song by them. How had these four brilliant men from Düsseldorf passed me by? Why hadn't I bought all their albums years ago? Why wasn't I born several decades earlier, and in Germany?
I started to save up to buy their records. I was planning to start with "Autobahn", and move along in chronological order until I owned every single album - in English and in German. But alas, I still don't own any records. I'm hoping I might get one for my birthday, along with "The Best of Kraftwerk Songbook" and Wolfgang Flur's book, ""Kraftwerk": I Was A Robot" - two books I simply have to own (!)
I'm starting to agree with people now, and admit that I'm slightly obsessed...
If I were to explain everything I love about Kraftwerk, then we'd be here all night, so I'm just going to put up all of the songs that have videos to go with them.
But before I do that, I think I'll have to thank those four brilliant men from Düsseldorf, because they have just been a massive influence on me, and if I'd never gotten in to Kraftwerk, then I wouldn't have discovered other brilliant German bands like NEU!, CAN, Popol Vuh, Tangerine Dream and all the other Krautrock bands that I have grown to love. So Dankeschön, Ralf, Florian, Karl and Wolfgang.
(The original line-up of Kraftwerk, for those who are unaware.)

If there is mecca, then it is The Kling Klang Studio - Mintropstrasse 16, 40215 Düsseldorf, Germany.
(Yes, I know the address. The actual studio isn't there anymore. They moved a few years ago, but this is the site where it was during their "heyday", as some might say.
















 These were the only ones I could find with embed codes.

Ich liebe Kraftwerk

Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep

...And now we come to the post where I can share beautiful music with you. Nothing is more beautiful than a bit of Krautrock - especially when it's done by Kraftwerk.
OK, so not exactly Kraftwerk - but the band that they were: Organisation.
I'm actually itching to get my hands on a copy of "Tone Float", but being super rare, it's also super expensive. A mint-condition copy sold earlier this year for £400 odd.

The song that I've chosen is actually the band's name spelled backwards. I just find it a lovely instrumental piece of music, and it's probably my favourite track from the album.


Organisation - Noitasinagro


It just makes me feel wonderfully drowsy and dreamy.

And that organ part... 

Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

Let's face it, who can't dance to this! I'm a Mod at heart...


The Lambrettas - Poison Ivy 


Have another one, because I couldn't decide what song to choose!


Cross Section - Hi Heeled Sneakers


And with clips from "Quadrophenia"! I really am spoiling you tonight.

We are the mods, we are the mods, we are, we are, we are the mods!

Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to

Should I be ashamed of this?


Wham! - Wham! Rap


Well listen Mr. Average - You're a jerk!

Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event

Pretty standard story behind this one. It reminds me of the countless train journeys I've been on, because I always play this song.


Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express


Did I mention I can play this on the keyboard?

I really like the video of this one as well. They look HUMAN. They even SMILE!

Ich liebe Kraftwerk! 

Day 06 – A song that reminds of you of somewhere

I've chosen this song because the whole album was the soundtrack to my holiday in Ireland last year. You wouldn't really expect me to like Simon & Garfunkel, but I have "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on Vinyl! (It belonged to one of my parents (I'm not sure which one) and I've subsequently adopted it.)


Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs Robinson


Of course, this song was in "The Graduate", and I really really really want to see that film!