(no subject)
This is from the "give me five concepts you associate with me and I'll write about them" meme, as I owe... several people now. Here we go:
From sleeperwaking, I got:
1. Lordi
You ever have that moment when you realise that something exists that you're pretty sure was cut-and-pasted, entire, from your own fantasies into the real world? Like when you meet the love of your life, or find your perfect house, or whatever? Well, for me: I love proper old-style rock/metal. I love monsters and strange creatures and dangerous things that might possibly be going to eat me. Lordi are, therefore, basically my perfect band, and when I discovered them I vividly remember nearly jumping out of my own skin for joy. Their sound is the perfect balance of aggression, polish and sing-along for my tastes, they appear to be great guys and are fantastic, hardworking performers, and they look just so. Damn. Awesome!
Also the part where they won the Eurovision Song Contest, were briefly a household name, and made me nearly die of mingled laughter and admiration? Yeah, that. ^_^ I love it when my favourite bands make me proud to be a fan. ♥
2. Hair
I, er, I have some. I have quite a bit of it, arguably, and I keep failing to find a hairdresser who will do what I want with it - namely, a proper eighties glam metal cut with silver-white streaks in it. I've had various approximations to exactly the look I want, some much better than others, but it's an ongoing pain in the follicles. Anyone recommend a good hairdresser who isn't some kind of slave to preconceived notions of fashion (not to mention gender-specific styling)?
But I have proudly never cut it too short to headbang and gods willing, I never will. Actually I am a firm believer in the natural-selection theory of long hair in the metal scene; it provides a proximity warning when headbanging in groups, letting you know when you aren't at a safe distance from your fellow pack members. So longhaired metallers have an evolutionary advantage over the skinheads and shorthairs, because it's hard to breed when you've just cracked heads really hard with a prospective mate. ;)
3. Tattoos
I've been fascinated by tattooing for years, but it was only under lonescorpion's rebellious influence that I finally got the balls to get some of my own! My first was a tiny little scorpion on my collarbone, but I quickly decided that if I was going to do this then I wanted to go to town on it; and in succession acquired an Iron Maiden Eddie on my right arm, the Route 66 symbol on my right calf, and most recently my ridiculously OTT Ghost Rider on my left arm. My criteria for a tattoo are twofold. First, it has to be about something personal to me that I am willing to subscribe to for the rest of my life; a principle, a ruling passion, or a personal commitment. Second, it has to look fucking badass - and immediately say something about me - to someone who is seeing me from the other side of a room and has no bloody idea who I am. ;) Anything that doesn't check both those boxes, doesn't go on my skin.
There's always some monkey, at this point, who asks "did it hurt"? Why yes, yes it does hurt, but you know what? After the first twenty minutes or so, you learn to like it... ;)
4. Metal fanfic
I do read some band fanfic, and have even tried my hand now and again at writing it... *ducks flying pint glasses* Most of it is safely locked up these days, but it is still around if anyone really wants to know. I guess it's for the same reason I read/write fanfic of anything else - I like looking for the extra stories in between the ones that other people tell me. ^_^
5. Spikey bass
I am picky, aesthetically, about basses. I don't like the standard shape/look all that much; in particular, I really dislike the oversized tuning pegs that most basses seem to have, and I'm not keen on the incredibly unimaginative styling that many lower-priced ones seem to be cursed with. I like points, tailfins, mirrors and chrome... The bass (and bassist) tend to be overlooked in many bands because of the greater glamour associated with the guitar and vocals, so I love basses that nobody can possibly ignore!
My current weapon of choice is of course my Silvertone Apocalypse Special, one of Paul Stanley's budget-signature line. It handles like it's worth twice the money I paid for it and it does look fucking awesome - the only downside is that nobody anywhere makes a case that will actually fit it! >.> Still, mine dammit! *clutches possessively*
I also own a lovely eighties BC Rich, that sadly has been in the wars in its past career and has never appeared with me onstage due to the resultant unreliability in the electronics. It is, however, also very spikey. ;)
And from i_am_marky, I got these:
1. Iron Maiden
Well, yes. I'm not quite sure why I am in love with Maiden the way I am, it's just some kind of universal constant. I first heard them when I was fifteen - the album was Fear of the Dark. And from the snarling opening of Be Quick or Be Dead, through the extraordinary beauty of Afraid to Shoot Strangers, the ache of Wasting Love, the passion and bitterness of Judas be My Guide, and finally the stop-in-your-tracks, haunt-you-forever indescribableness that is Fear of the Dark itself - I was hooked, and hooked I stayed, and hooked I suspect I will always be. Although interestingly, I actually listen less to Maiden than I do to other bands on average - but that's because I save them for the moments when they are the only band I want to listen to. When I'm hurt and alone, when I'm going somewhere far away all by myself, when I'm searching for inspiration, when I'm losing my mind and need something to remind me where I keep it; or just when I want to sit and wholeheartedly enjoy listening to the greatest band in the world - then I play Maiden. But never just as background noise. *s*
2. Tattoos
Bother, I've done this one above... sorry Mark, pick another one if you like!
3. Bass
I've mentioned the specifics of what basses I play above; so this is more about playing bass in general. To be honest, I kind of ended up playing bass by accident because F&F needed a bass player and I'd always wanted to pick up some sort of instrument. But I really don't think I could've made a better choice if I'd gone through the pros and cons of every instrument in the world. I love that it lets me be part of the melody and part of the beat at the same time. I love the fact that the bass is traditionally the no-nonsense component of any band, which is a role I feel entirely comfortable with. ;)
I also love being able to make the fucking floor vibrate, which is a job intrinsically well suited to the member of the band who's got the low E string... *grins*
4. Wrestling
It's funny - I can't stand either televised sports or soap opera, but despite this, I absolutely adore pro wrestling. ;) I think to be honest I love it because it's so unreconstructed; all the violence and emotion, the bright lights and glitter and loud music are such a conscious refutation of the polite and respectable containment that constitutes "acceptable behaviour" for the vast majority of us. It's a very handy scratching post for a deeply buried and politically incorrect itch in the human psyche. Because, y'know, we are humans, we are animals - we are violent. Conflict comes naturally to us and when we repress that instinct, as our social conditioning tells us we must - well, I don't know about you, but I know I get a bit twitchy.
And if I can't do my own fighting, it's almost as good (in some ways, better, because it won't end as embarrassingly badly >.> ) to watch a few charismatic alpha males of my species do it for me. The fact that it's all scripted and safety-checked, and we all know that, is if anything a good thing - because it means that my amoral subconscious mind can watch and enjoy without my ethically-aware conscious self feeling bad about it. *grin*
(Also, on a purely shallow level: beautiful long-haired men rolling on the floor in tight-fitting outfits. What's not to like? ^_^)
5. Yorkshire
I was born and grew up in West Yorkshire and my family now live in North Yorkshire; so quite what I am doing still down here in Cambridge is something have yet to figure out! My heart is firmly in the North and I think always will be; I love the countryside, the hills, the grimy, proud old towns with their sadly disintegrating industrial districts (I still can't get used to living in a town with no mills and chimneys and factories) and most of all, I love the moors and the sea - and the weathered resorts and fishing villages that hang on so determinedly to the rugged coastline that divides them. I remember, last Whitby, standing on the very end of one of the big harbour breakwaters in freezing cold and rapidly falling darkness, with the wind blowing a gale and driving the rain into my face, and not having felt so at peace in months...
Also? We have better junk food than the bloody southerners, cheaper beer, and more interesting weather. ;)
Anyone else want to play, just comment below...
Laters,
Rath
From sleeperwaking, I got:
1. Lordi
You ever have that moment when you realise that something exists that you're pretty sure was cut-and-pasted, entire, from your own fantasies into the real world? Like when you meet the love of your life, or find your perfect house, or whatever? Well, for me: I love proper old-style rock/metal. I love monsters and strange creatures and dangerous things that might possibly be going to eat me. Lordi are, therefore, basically my perfect band, and when I discovered them I vividly remember nearly jumping out of my own skin for joy. Their sound is the perfect balance of aggression, polish and sing-along for my tastes, they appear to be great guys and are fantastic, hardworking performers, and they look just so. Damn. Awesome!
Also the part where they won the Eurovision Song Contest, were briefly a household name, and made me nearly die of mingled laughter and admiration? Yeah, that. ^_^ I love it when my favourite bands make me proud to be a fan. ♥
2. Hair
I, er, I have some. I have quite a bit of it, arguably, and I keep failing to find a hairdresser who will do what I want with it - namely, a proper eighties glam metal cut with silver-white streaks in it. I've had various approximations to exactly the look I want, some much better than others, but it's an ongoing pain in the follicles. Anyone recommend a good hairdresser who isn't some kind of slave to preconceived notions of fashion (not to mention gender-specific styling)?
But I have proudly never cut it too short to headbang and gods willing, I never will. Actually I am a firm believer in the natural-selection theory of long hair in the metal scene; it provides a proximity warning when headbanging in groups, letting you know when you aren't at a safe distance from your fellow pack members. So longhaired metallers have an evolutionary advantage over the skinheads and shorthairs, because it's hard to breed when you've just cracked heads really hard with a prospective mate. ;)
3. Tattoos
I've been fascinated by tattooing for years, but it was only under lonescorpion's rebellious influence that I finally got the balls to get some of my own! My first was a tiny little scorpion on my collarbone, but I quickly decided that if I was going to do this then I wanted to go to town on it; and in succession acquired an Iron Maiden Eddie on my right arm, the Route 66 symbol on my right calf, and most recently my ridiculously OTT Ghost Rider on my left arm. My criteria for a tattoo are twofold. First, it has to be about something personal to me that I am willing to subscribe to for the rest of my life; a principle, a ruling passion, or a personal commitment. Second, it has to look fucking badass - and immediately say something about me - to someone who is seeing me from the other side of a room and has no bloody idea who I am. ;) Anything that doesn't check both those boxes, doesn't go on my skin.
There's always some monkey, at this point, who asks "did it hurt"? Why yes, yes it does hurt, but you know what? After the first twenty minutes or so, you learn to like it... ;)
4. Metal fanfic
I do read some band fanfic, and have even tried my hand now and again at writing it... *ducks flying pint glasses* Most of it is safely locked up these days, but it is still around if anyone really wants to know. I guess it's for the same reason I read/write fanfic of anything else - I like looking for the extra stories in between the ones that other people tell me. ^_^
5. Spikey bass
I am picky, aesthetically, about basses. I don't like the standard shape/look all that much; in particular, I really dislike the oversized tuning pegs that most basses seem to have, and I'm not keen on the incredibly unimaginative styling that many lower-priced ones seem to be cursed with. I like points, tailfins, mirrors and chrome... The bass (and bassist) tend to be overlooked in many bands because of the greater glamour associated with the guitar and vocals, so I love basses that nobody can possibly ignore!
My current weapon of choice is of course my Silvertone Apocalypse Special, one of Paul Stanley's budget-signature line. It handles like it's worth twice the money I paid for it and it does look fucking awesome - the only downside is that nobody anywhere makes a case that will actually fit it! >.> Still, mine dammit! *clutches possessively*
I also own a lovely eighties BC Rich, that sadly has been in the wars in its past career and has never appeared with me onstage due to the resultant unreliability in the electronics. It is, however, also very spikey. ;)
And from i_am_marky, I got these:
1. Iron Maiden
Well, yes. I'm not quite sure why I am in love with Maiden the way I am, it's just some kind of universal constant. I first heard them when I was fifteen - the album was Fear of the Dark. And from the snarling opening of Be Quick or Be Dead, through the extraordinary beauty of Afraid to Shoot Strangers, the ache of Wasting Love, the passion and bitterness of Judas be My Guide, and finally the stop-in-your-tracks, haunt-you-forever indescribableness that is Fear of the Dark itself - I was hooked, and hooked I stayed, and hooked I suspect I will always be. Although interestingly, I actually listen less to Maiden than I do to other bands on average - but that's because I save them for the moments when they are the only band I want to listen to. When I'm hurt and alone, when I'm going somewhere far away all by myself, when I'm searching for inspiration, when I'm losing my mind and need something to remind me where I keep it; or just when I want to sit and wholeheartedly enjoy listening to the greatest band in the world - then I play Maiden. But never just as background noise. *s*
2. Tattoos
Bother, I've done this one above... sorry Mark, pick another one if you like!
3. Bass
I've mentioned the specifics of what basses I play above; so this is more about playing bass in general. To be honest, I kind of ended up playing bass by accident because F&F needed a bass player and I'd always wanted to pick up some sort of instrument. But I really don't think I could've made a better choice if I'd gone through the pros and cons of every instrument in the world. I love that it lets me be part of the melody and part of the beat at the same time. I love the fact that the bass is traditionally the no-nonsense component of any band, which is a role I feel entirely comfortable with. ;)
I also love being able to make the fucking floor vibrate, which is a job intrinsically well suited to the member of the band who's got the low E string... *grins*
4. Wrestling
It's funny - I can't stand either televised sports or soap opera, but despite this, I absolutely adore pro wrestling. ;) I think to be honest I love it because it's so unreconstructed; all the violence and emotion, the bright lights and glitter and loud music are such a conscious refutation of the polite and respectable containment that constitutes "acceptable behaviour" for the vast majority of us. It's a very handy scratching post for a deeply buried and politically incorrect itch in the human psyche. Because, y'know, we are humans, we are animals - we are violent. Conflict comes naturally to us and when we repress that instinct, as our social conditioning tells us we must - well, I don't know about you, but I know I get a bit twitchy.
And if I can't do my own fighting, it's almost as good (in some ways, better, because it won't end as embarrassingly badly >.> ) to watch a few charismatic alpha males of my species do it for me. The fact that it's all scripted and safety-checked, and we all know that, is if anything a good thing - because it means that my amoral subconscious mind can watch and enjoy without my ethically-aware conscious self feeling bad about it. *grin*
(Also, on a purely shallow level: beautiful long-haired men rolling on the floor in tight-fitting outfits. What's not to like? ^_^)
5. Yorkshire
I was born and grew up in West Yorkshire and my family now live in North Yorkshire; so quite what I am doing still down here in Cambridge is something have yet to figure out! My heart is firmly in the North and I think always will be; I love the countryside, the hills, the grimy, proud old towns with their sadly disintegrating industrial districts (I still can't get used to living in a town with no mills and chimneys and factories) and most of all, I love the moors and the sea - and the weathered resorts and fishing villages that hang on so determinedly to the rugged coastline that divides them. I remember, last Whitby, standing on the very end of one of the big harbour breakwaters in freezing cold and rapidly falling darkness, with the wind blowing a gale and driving the rain into my face, and not having felt so at peace in months...
Also? We have better junk food than the bloody southerners, cheaper beer, and more interesting weather. ;)
Anyone else want to play, just comment below...
Laters,
Rath