That's my JAM

First and foremost, I'd like to get this out of the way:

This is pretty much my favorite picture on the Internet at the moment, and it currently serves as my official position and motto.

So, you know, there's that.

In other news, I'm writing this pretty late on a Thursday night, and I really can't see a way where I finish this before I fall asleep. Hell, I may fall asleep while writing. It wouldn't be the first time. (Ed. Note: I did. Fell asleep and forgot to post it.) So yeah. What a night. At least Elf was on TV.

Anyway. Enough of that. Here's what I wanted to do: I wanted to share some of the songs with which I'm currently having a love affair so you can either join me or mock me. Most of you will probably mock me, and, you know, I'll allow it.

So here you go. Mock away!

"A Better Time, A Better Place," by Streetlight Manifesto

I first heard this song back in July when I went to the Reel Big Fish/Streetlight Manifesto concert. Thankfully, I have a pretty prodigious talent for memorizing quotes, lines of songs, etc., very, very quickly. I'd never heard the song before that concert, so I didn't know the name of the song.

When I got home, I googled the phrases I'd memorized from the concert and found the song. I youtubed it and liked it immediately, but the obsession didn't start until probably Thanksgiving. Since then, I've been listening to it several times a day. Like you do. I really like pretty much every Streetlight Manifesto song I've heard, so this should come as no surprise. I just love the guy's style of singing.

"We Gotta Get Out of This Place," by The Animals

Dammit I love this song. It's so 60s, you know? I just love the whole sound -- the driving bass line, the simple drum beat, the way it builds slowly toward the chorus before exploding, the gritty, imperfect singing of Eric Burdon. So good.

But my favorite part? At the end of each phrase of the chorus before the melody repeats, the keyboard has a few pick-up notes before playing the main melody of the chorus again. I don't know why I love it so much, but I do. Great fucking song.

"Shipping Up to Boston," by Dropkick Murphys

Believe me. It pains me how much I like this song. But that trip to Boston really softened my hatred of all things Boston, and it's now really just confined to the Red Sox. So as I'll write more about next week or the week after, I went to Boston last month to go to the N.C. State/Boston College football game.

I'd heard of this song because it was Jonathan Papelbon's entrance song at the end of Red Sox games, but man, they played this song non-stop during the BC game. Every few minutes toward the end of the game. And dammit if the beginning of this song doesn't get me fired up. It went immediately onto my running playlist.

"Time of the Season," and "She's Not There," by The Zombies

I know I've mentioned how I'll dance to almost anything, but "Time of the Season" -- whew. I can't help but dance in my seat or in the shower or walking the dog or wherever whenever I hear this song. So fucking great. I love how grimy it sounds, you know? Awesome. And "She's Not There" isn't quite as grimy, but I just love the sound. This is 60s rock done right, my friends. Soulful, gritty funk. I am all in. Shit, I'm dancing on the couch right now listening to them. Can't help it.

"Wagon Wheel," by Old Crow Medicine Show

I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I'd never heard this song before this week. I knew of it, obviously, having spent a considerable portion of my life in Raleigh, where it's kind of a staple for obvious reasons (listen to the lyrics). But even then, I found it because I was youtubing Mumford and Sons and came across a cover they did of this song. This is one of those songs I can put on and just chill. I love the laid-back, folksy sound.

I have no memories of this song, but hearing it already makes me think of hot summer nights back in North Carolina. It's humid and sticky and the stars are bright in a way only North Carolina knows. And this song is playing and the sweet tea is the only thing making the night bearable.

"Into the Mystic," by Van Morrison

This song man. Another song built for me to dance to like crazy. What a perfect piece of music. What a voice, too. Just listen to him let it rip at 2:34. I want to rock your gypsy soul. Let's GO. I could listen to this song on repeat for the rest of my life.

And I'd never really listened to it before this summer. I listen to Tony Kornheiser's radio show every day. Well I download the podcast and listen to it while I walk Allie. This is TK's favorite song. His show is a sports/talk show, but he plays a song before each segment. One day this summer, he played this song, leading into a segment, and he let the whole song play because he loves it. And then I loved it, too, because, well, listen to it. You can't listen to this song and NOT groove. Yes, I know how white I sound. Suck it, Trebek. Great, great fucking song.

If you made it down this far, wow. That's a great job by you. As always, thank you SO much to everyone who reads. I very much appreciate the comments you give me one way or another. Have an awesome weekend. I know I will for damn sure, starting tonight. Let us GO.

-BG

Seeking a Band

Marginally talented drummer seeks similarly semi-serious band for jamming and live shows

Likes:
6/8 time signatures
Triplet-note drum solos/fills
China crash cymbals
Splash cymbals
Off-beat hi-hat ska beats
Fun music that gets people dancing
Drum intro from "That Thing You Do"

Dislikes:
Not being able to use my double-bass pedal properly (read: at all)
Slow, super-serious, not fun music
Drama
Taking oneself too seriously

I spent Saturday night at a bar in Bethesda, watching a band that featured a coworker of my friend Katie. They were pretty good, and live music is always fun. Plus, I met a bunch more local N.C. State people who I'll undoubtedly be hanging out with a lot more often once flag football season gets started in a few weeks.

It was, predictably, beyond ridiculous, which is sort of becoming a theme when I go out with my friends now. I'll take it. Anyway, I had a really, really great time.

These guys were playing music. Just for fun. Just hanging out, playing a few songs in a bar with people watching and dancing and having a good time. So as I was watching this band play, it struck me. They're not doing anything I can't do.

Hell, I have done it. Not in a bar or anything, but I've played in a band. I've written and co-written songs. I've played in front of people. And the thing is, I'm better now than I was then, you know?

Here's my set. It's a great five-piece Pearl kit with some roto-toms (which, truthfully, I hardly ever use) that came with it when I bought it used from the music store where I used to work.

I've got 14" hi-hats, two 16" crash cymbals and a 20" ride. My wishlist includes a 10" splash cymbal and an 18" China crash, but those have been on my wishlist for going on a decade haha.

I've had it for probably eight or nine years now, and I absolutely love it. It sounds great for what I want to do, and it didn't break the bank to acquire it.

I know my skill level on the drums. I understand my limits. People who have heard me tend to tell me I'm pretty good, I guess. But, you know, what else are they going to tell me? I am less confident than they are, but I appreciate the kind words.

But I know what I can and cannot do behind a kit. I play to my strengths, and I don't try to do too much. I stick to what I know. And that's really the key. Don't overreach, do what you do and do it well. I feel like I can do that.

So what do I really want?

I just want to play some music, man. I want to find a band that plays a few gigs a month around the DC-area and mixes awesome covers with a few original songs. I want to find some people who are in it to have a good time and just play.

Because here's the thing: it was the most fun I've ever had, so why not? What on earth is stopping me? I mean, other than talent, drive and determination, of course. I kid, I kid. But seriously. What's stopping me? There isn't anything stopping me other than I simply haven't ever thought to try before.

Can you even imagine? Going to band practices and jamming with other people again. Playing live shows in front of actual audiences. Writing music again. I'm getting the chills just thinking about it.

A while back, I asked for feedback on what kinds of posts people would want to read, and Erik's dad suggested a post about something I've always wanted to do, but haven't and why. While I still plan on writing that post, playing music in a real band again would be A-No. 1 on that list. Why haven't I? No real good reason.

So there you go. I'm going to start looking around Craigslist for a fun situation, and I'll start contacting people as soon as this job thing is settled. Maybe I'll even post an ad using the description up at the top. I bet that would get a few hits.

To all my DC-area friends: do you know of a fun band looking for a drummer? Let me know! I'm totally in.

-BG

Behind the Music: The Cycle

I was a band geek in high school. I have no problem admitting that. I'm not entirely sure I'm not still a band geek. C'est la vie.

HOWEVAH! In addition to being a band geek in high school, I was also in an actual band. Believe me when I tell you this: it was awesome. Ready for the story? Good.

When I was in fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be in the school band. I'm not entirely sure why. I just knew it was something I wanted to do. Naturally, as I'm sure every boy wants, I wanted to play percussion. My parents were...less than enthused about the prospect of me banging on drums all day.

So I picked the clarinet. Pardon me while I adjust the tape on my glasses. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed playing clarinet and do not regret the choice, and by the time I graduated high school I was actually pretty good at it. But you know. There it is.

I always wanted to play drums in a band. When I was a freshman in high school, I made extremely loose plans with some friends from my neighborhood to create a band where I'd play the drums. Needless to say, it did not happen. For as long as I could remember, I'd air drum. I'd use pencils on notebooks. But the fact remained: I'd never played a real drum set.

Fast forward to my junior year of high school. I'm still playing clarinet. It was just after the marching band season, and we were at our end-of-year band banquet. My best friend Jon came up to me and asked, "Hey do you want to be in a band?" Yes I do, I told him. But I don't believe there's a place in a real band for a clarinet.

"No, you'll play the drums."
"Jon, I've never even been in the same room as a real drum set. I don't know how to play."
"That's OK. I'm going to play guitar, and I don't know how to play that."

Well then. We were off. We recruited a bass player (Jay, who actually played trumpet), a keyboard player (Lindsay, who actually played flute), a trumpet player (Andrew, who, in addition to playing trumpet, owned a drum set and actually played very well) and a trombone player (Chris, who actually did play trombone).

And yes, I do still have those red drumsticks in the picture.

So we became a band. Andrew was kind enough to bring his drums (at which he was, to reiterate the point, quite good) for me to use, since I didn't have any. The first time I ever sat behind a real kit was our very first band practice. And trust me when I tell you this: it most definitely sounded like it. Look, there's a 0 percent chance we were any good when we first started, but we had something going for us. All six of us had been in band forever, so we were all extremely musically inclined. We picked up our parts fast. Well, as fast as 16-year-olds are going to pick them up.

We were trying to come up with a name, and we joked we should call ourselves Wash Cycle. Our first album would be "Rinse," naturally, and our second would be "Tumble Dry." Our greatest hits collection would be called "Suds." It was hilarious at the time.

And then I stopped and said, "well, what about just The Cycle? Why couldn't that work?" And just like that, it stuck. We were The Cycle.

We practiced every week. We all found we loved just jamming and playing together. Eventually (finally), I convinced my parents to buy me a drum set. Another guy from marching band was selling his old kit, and I was able to get a decent CB set for like $200. It wasn't going to win any awards, but it had all the pieces. At that point, I just needed to play.

It was so much fun. You don't even know. I got some excellent noise-canceling headphones and started playing along to my favorite songs at the time (a LOT of Reel Big Fish [not much has changed], Blink 182 and Boston, if I remember correctly) just to get a feel for playing. I never had any lessons, so I was just figuring it out as I went along.

The band party took place in December 1998, and we continued to play throughout the winter and spring. For St. Patrick's Day that year, our marching band was invited to play in the St. Patrick's Day parade in DUBLIN. Yes, really. In my life, I cannot imagine seeing more people than I saw lining the streets of Dublin as we marched through. Once in a lifetime, man. Unreal.

While we were in Ireland, the band decided we needed to have our own "Abbey Road" photo. Like you do. However, we found the whole "taking a picture while we're walking across the street" thing to be prohibitively difficult in downtown Dublin. So we improvised by standing in front of a ridiculous church, still in Dublin. Sadly, I do not recall what church this is any longer.

A few things about the photo. We were exhausted because we'd just marched in the several-mile parade. Also, I don't know why Lindsay isn't there, nor do I know what Chris, Jon or I are looking at. And I can only assume Andrew just sneezed. Give us a break. We were 16 years old.

We recorded a handful of songs and played exactly three "gigs" in our brief career. The first was in Jon's backyard not long after we formed, with all of our way-too-excited parents in attendance. Awesome. And yes, there is video evidence of this, and I do believe I have the VHS of it somewhere around here. Actually, I believe I have video evidence of all three of our gigs somewhere. I'll have to find them.

Anyway, the second was over the summer of 1999. There was a contest/showcase in Concord, N.C., for bands involved with one of the guitar teachers at the music store where Jon and I worked. He heard we had a band and invited us to play. We played four songs, and I thought we really killed it that day (as T.J. Lavin would say [GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT!]). That was a fun day, even if we got lost on the way there.

The last gig was at the band party where we formed a year earlier. We took this one probably less seriously than we should have haha. I don't remember us being bad, by any means. We had actually gotten pretty decent playing together, considering almost none of us knew how to play our instruments when we formed. But you know, we were goofing around and just having fun.

I have to brag for a second. We did write one song, called "Let Me Know," that I love to listen to still today. It's on my iPod. I burned it to CDs when it was still cool to burn CDs for the car (it's not anymore, right?). And, considering we were 16 years old when we wrote it, I think we did a pretty damn good job. It's still the first song I play on my drums when I get a chance to play.

The great irony in all of this is 13 years later, Jon and I are actually pretty decent at our instruments now, and we haven't played together in years. Sigh.

Little did we know, The Cycle was the first of many things Jon and I would do together that would have been seriously awesome if we truly dedicated ourselves to them haha. More on those in future posts though.

In the meantime, we're always in the mood for a reunion. Nothing big. A few new songs. Mostly old stuff. So please don't hesitate to contact me for booking information.

Seriously though. There is nothing like the experience of playing music on stage (no matter the audience). It's an unrivaled adrenaline rush. Utterly exhilarating. If you can do it, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I'm out. Back on Friday!

-BG

Guilty Pleasures are Embarrassingly Fun

First thing's first:

OH YEAH JERSEY SHORE YEAH.

Jersey Shore returns with its new season tonight! LET'S GO!

My No. 1 guilty pleasure at the moment is -- without question -- Jersey Shore. I know, I know. You're about to tell me how it's such a terrible show, and the people on it are so awful and Italian American stereotypes and etc. etc.

Here's my counterargument to all of that: Bite me.

I don't care.

I normally hate reality shows. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette make my skin crawl. The Real Housewives series gives me a stomachache just thinking about them. I haven't watched the Real World in 10 years. Never watched Survivor or the Amazing Race or American Idol or anything like that. I don't mind some cooking shows like Hell's Kitchen and Masterchef.

I have seen a few episodes of Dancing with the Stars with various girlfriends over the years, but let's face it, there are ample reasons to watch that show other than the competition.

Jersey Shore, on the other hand, I just can't get enough. I don't exactly know why. But I know I'm not alone.

Here's the thing, I find Pauly D to be completely compelling and engrossing. I will watch Pauly on any show he does from now on. And here's another thing: when they first started running promos for this show a couple years ago, I definitely did NOT expect the guy who looks most stereotypically like a douchebag to be the most down-to-earth and chill of all of them. But there it is.

The show is not without its downsides. I find almost all of the girls on the show to be terrible -- especially Sammi.

Sammi, stop messing around with Ronnie. He's obviously not that into you, and he's a slimeball, ok? How many times does he have to throw your shit outside before you take the hint that maybe you're not right for each other?

I find Snooki and her friend Deena borderline OK. They annoy me, but nothing like Sammi. I can tolerate their presence. Angelina was terrible. No redeeming qualities. I'm so glad she's gone. I am, however, a big fan of JWoww. She's pretty awesome.

As for the guys, I've already discussed my mancrush on Pauly. Vinnie is fine with me, too, and Situation, well. I don't know. I liked Sitch a lot in the first season, season and a half maybe. But his act is growing old for me. Ronnie just needs to stop. We get it. You treat Sammi like shit. You cheat on her, and then somehow convince her it's her fault. I mean. What can you say about him?

With all that said, not only can I not stop watching it, but I'm incredibly excited for it to start again.

Don't judge me. We all have guilty pleasures. I just find some of the embarrassing things I like to be funny. Jersey Shore is No. 1 on the list, but it is hardly alone.

I'm also a huge fan of the MTV Challenge. Like I said, I haven't watched Real World in nearly a decade, so I'm still playing catch-up with the people on it, but this show is fantastic. Bill Simmons calls it the fifth American professional sport, ahead of NASCAR, which I have a hard time disagreeing with, honestly.

I also own the following DVDs and Blurays: Bedazzled, starring Elizabeth Hurly and Brendon Frasier; Masters of the Universe, starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man (heck yes.); The Sweetest Thing (a really terrible [read: awesome] chick flick); and The Holiday.

I make no apologies for these movie choices.

And oh my music selections. One time when I was back at Technician, I was driving to dinner with a bunch of people in my car. The Colbie Callait song "Bubbly" came on because we were listening to a mix CD I'd made. One of the girls in the backseat commented how she kept waiting for the fast guitars to start. But no. It was really a Colbie Callait song.

Riding in my car has always guaranteed a really...strange?...mix of songs. My mix CDs contained songs ranging from The Beatles to Belle and Sebastion to Reel Big Fish to Mariah Carey to Tim McGraw to Third Eye Blind to the Smashing Pumpkins to the Pixies to Muse to Lady Gaga and so on.

One other time, we were riding in my car, and the following two songs played back-to-back:

"Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood
"Always Be My Baby" by the aforementioned Mariah Carey

What could I say other than, "well this is embarrassing?" Yup.

Want to know some more embarrassing songs I have on my iPod? Of course you do.

Ashlee Simpson - Pieces of Me
Backstreet Boys - I Want it That Way
Beyonce - Single Ladies
Extreme - More Than Words
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
Miley Cyrus - 7 Things I Hate About You
New Kids on the Block - Tonight
R. Kelly - Ignition
Shaggy - Angel

And that's nothing close to an exhaustive list of the embarrassing songs I like. Those are just the few that jumped out at me on a cursory trip through the playlist.

I would absolutely love to know what some of your guilty pleasures are. It may give me some more ideas of terrible things I need to listen to, watch or read. Because, as you can see, I love me some awful things.

Lulz.

-BG

Reel Big Recap

I may have mentioned this last week, but the first time I saw Reel Big Fish was November 2000. I was 18 years old and super pumped to see my favorite band in concert. My then-girlfriend and I got to the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach two hours before the doors even opened.

We were among the first in line. When the doors opened, we sprinted to the front and lined up right up against the stage. Catch 22 played, but I don't remember the other two bands.

Anyway, being right up against the stage meant I was constantly on the edge of the mosh pit, which I've always thought was funny at ska shows, but they're there nonetheless. I didn't find it quite as moronic when I was a moronic 18-year-old.

I am less enthused about them now, which is just another way of saying, "I'm getting too old for this shit." If you've never been to the 9:30 Club, the lower level is open, and the second level has a balcony around the sides and the back. With smallish venues, you don't need to be super close to get a nice view of the stage.

So when the doors opened I ran upstairs and got a spot directly in the center of the balcony. All of that is to say I was close enough to see everything I wanted to see, but too far away for acceptable pictures since I was taking them with my Blackberry. I did take a few video clips with it, and they turned out surprisingly OK, but they're short because my battery kept threatening to die.

What can you do.

Anyway. This was my 10th Reel Big Fish show (twice in DC, twice in Charlotte, twice in Atlanta, twice in Norfolk, once in Winston-Salem and once in Myrtle Beach), and I'd say it easily ranks as the best one I've seen. They played a solid mix of all of my favorites, including some songs I hadn't heard live in nine or 10 years.

RBF and Streetlight Manifesto were co-headlining this tour, which means they were alternating who played last at each stop. I got lucky here because RBF played last, and they played for a solid hour and 45 minutes.

The new guy is Matt Appleton, a sax player who was in Goldfinger previously. I have to say, he nails the newly departed Scott's vocal harmonies perfectly, but the show just isn't the same without the witty banter between Scott and Aaron. Aaron still jokes with Dan (the only other guy on stage who's been in the band for longer than five years at this point) and a couple other guys, and it's still funny. But you know. Scott was always my favorite.

Still, great show. Thanks to my brother, Matthew P., for serving as my notepad during the show. I BBMed him the setlist as they played so I would have it for later, as well as a few notes I didn't want to forget. He wanted to be there anyway, so it was a nice way for him to live vicariously through my BBMs.

They opened with "Everything Sucks," which is such a great song to open the show. It's immediately clear what song it is when the drummer hits the opening tom shots, so the crowd goes crazy. And then the horns kick in. Really gets everyone jumping. They played "Sell Out," "Beer" and "Take on Me" as the encore songs. So, so good.

A few notes about the videos I managed to get: first, I am relieved you cannot hear me singing on them. Because I most certainly was singing as loudly as I can. Like you do. Second, sorry if they're a little bouncy because I was also dancing while I was recording. Of course I was. I think I did a pretty good job making sure it stayed at least a little steady.

And third, sorry the clips are so short. The battery was running dangerously low, and I didn't want to record too terribly long. And also, I wanted to stop recording so I could go back to singing and dancing. So there's that.

Here's the set list (with videos embedded when I have them):

Everything Sucks
Trendy
The Kids Don't Like It
In the Pit
Ban the Tube Top
Down in Flames
Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat
She Has a Girlfriend Now
Good Thing
Your Guts (I Hate 'em)
Slow Down
Brown Eyed Girl



Where Have You Been
Cannibal
Join the Club
Say "Ten"
The Set Up
Sayonara Senorita
SR (regular, punk, disco, country, metal)
Another FU Song
Sell Out



Beer



Take on Me



So there you go! It was just an awesome, awesome show. I think the whole ska thing really appeals to the inner band geek in me -- especially the live shows. When that wall of brass horn sound hits you at a show and they start hitting their high notes...whew. Gives me the chills man. It's just so hard not to dance around and have a good time. Love it.

Some other notes! Before they played "Brown Eyed Girl," Aaron had a little schtick for the crowd. "If you've been to a Reel Big Fish show before, you know we have many, many, many, many, many, many hit songs...(pause, crowd screams)...hold your applause...that we cover." Hey oh.

After they played "Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat," which I'm happy to say I recommended to you last week, Aaron explained, "that song was recorded on our very first record 'Everything Sucks' and then again on the 'Everything Sucks' major label issue, and then again on the 'Keep Your Receipt' EP and then again a couple other places and then we rerecorded it for our 2007 record "Monkeys for Nothing and the Chimps for Free," so I can understand why you might have a hard time finding that one."

"These are the jokes, kids."

So yeah. The 9:30 Club had signs up asking departing concert-goers to be respectful of the neighborhood and try to keep it down. And yet, the club was playing "Sweet Caroline" as we were leaving. Now, you can disagree about whether or not the song is any good, but you cannot disagree that it's a song people will sing and sing loudly.

So I thought that was an interesting decision -- asking people to try to be quiet as they played "Sweet Caroline." I don't make the decisions.

Excellent day all around. I'll probably only post today and Thursday this week. I know you're heartbroken. Crazy week keeps on truckin'.

LET'S GO!

-BG

Reel Big Fish!

If you know me at all, you know my favorite band is Reel Big Fish. Even if you don't know me very well, there's a really great chance you at least know about my affinity for RBF.

It dates back to my sophomore year of high school. Their song "Sell Out" had just hit it relatively big, and cracked the charts around the country. I, like literally dozens of others, bought their CD "Turn the Radio Off" because of that song.

I believe it was spring break of my junior year, and my family was driving to New Jersey. Back in the time before iPods, you actually had to bring these things called "portable CD players" with you in the car. And you actually had to bring a wallet full of CDs! CRAZY, RIGHT?!

Well I did. Charlotte to NJ is a solid drive, so I actually listened to the full "Turn the Radio Off" CD for the first time on that trip. I was hooked. I've purchased every release; I've seen them in concert nine times in five different cities. I'm a fan, you could say.

Which brings me to the point of today's post: Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto are playing the 9:30 Club in DC on Sunday night!

I can't NOT go, right?

So! I actually run into this a lot, but a lot of people either have never heard of RBF, or they've forgotten they knew that song once upon a time.

With that in mind, here's a primer of some of my favorite songs by both bands for the half dozens of people who read this blog who may go to a show on this tour.

Now, this is the 20th-anniversary tour for RBF, so they've said they're breaking out a lot of songs they don't typically play on tour, which is good news for people like me, who celebrate the entire catalog. Still, there are a few songs that will almost certainly be played.

"Take on Me"

Yes, this is a cover of the 1980s A-ha classic. But it's fantastic! They've taken to closing their shows lately with this song, which suits me just fine. Huge fan, obviously haha. This is seriously one of my favorite songs. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, this song was the reason I wanted to learn to play the guitar.

It's also one of my absolute favorites to play along to on the drums. It's a workout! Plus, I love the off-beat hi-hat hits that start the song. Winner.

And yes, I do know of that scene from Corky Romano, and yes, I do sing the falsetto parts of this song flawlessly. I am unashamed. Bring it.



"Sell Out"

This is their big hit. If you know Reel Big Fish, this is the song you've likely heard. They used to close their shows with this one, obviously, since it was their "hit." But they've actually opened the show with it the last couple of times I've seen them. It's still a great song, but I don't think it'd make my Top 5 or even Top 10 for RBF songs.



"She Has a Girlfriend Now"

There is a small chance you may have heard this song. It's a fun song, and among people who have only casually listened to RBF, it generally comes up as one they like. Based on a true story too! Aaron the Lead Singer had a girlfriend who left him for another girl -- pretty self-explanatory, actually. Catchy song, upbeat melodies, fun lyrics. Recipe for fun. I've seen them pull girls up from the crowd to help them sing if they don't have a female singer with them on the tour, too. Good times.



"Beer"

Among RBF fans, this generally comes up as the favorite song. Erik loved this song. A lot. Every time he rode in my car he would ask me to play this song haha. It's a winner, though, so I understand. Another really fun song to play along to on the drums. It's fast; it moves; fun drum fills.



"Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat"

This is a favorite of mine from a bit deeper in the RBF catalog. It's actually a pretty old song, with the first version appearing on an album in the mid-90s I believe. It was re-recorded for the album the band released in 2007.

As with most of their songs, it's just a lot of fun, and it's easy to get up and dance to it.



Now, Streetlight Manifesto is co-headlining this tour with RBF, so I'm not sure who's closing the show on Sunday night. Streetlight Manifesto features Tomas Kalnoky, who was the lead singer of another popular ska band, Catch 22. So if you hear songs by SM that sound a lot like Catch 22, it's because SM has a few former members of Catch 22.

And they also re-recorded one of Catch 22's more popular albums (their debut album, Keasbey Nights), which featured Kalnoky singing in that band, obviously.

I've seen SM twice before, and Catch 22 was actually playing on the same bill as RBF the very first time I saw them 11 years ago. I got to the show two hours early and was standing right up against the stage. I caught a drumstick from the Catch 22 drummer, and this weird guy next to me kept asking me for it.

Buddy, if you wanted it, you should have caught it like I did. So I put it down my pants. Like you do.

"Somewhere in the Between"

Man, I just really like this song. It doesn't matter how often I hear it. Just listen to it. You'll like it. Promise.



"Point/Counterpoint"

They sing the chorus so fast in this one! Ha. But really, they do sing it pretty fast, and I'm a fan. This was the first song of theirs I discovered. I generally look up the bands that play with RBF beforehand so I'm at least a little familiar with them. I happened to download this one first, and that's that.



"The Blonde Lead the Blind"

I really like the drummer in this band, and I like the way he plays the intro to this one. And, well, the rest of the song, too. So there you go. It's also a horn party. Good times.



So there you go. You're ready for the RBF/SM show this weekend. Now you just need to get your asses to DC and come with me!

-BG

Music Post -- Guitar Edition!

In this edition, songs I'm into right now because I can play them on the guitar. When I was a sophomore in college, I decided I wanted to get a guitar. There was a very specific reason for this desire: I wanted to learn how to play Reel Big Fish's version of "Take on Me." Naturally.

This needs to be clear: I am not very good at the guitar. I never took lessons. I can't do solos. I learned by looking up guitar tabs for songs I wanted to play. That led to a decent proficiency in playing power chords -- three- and four-finger chords found mostly in pop-punk music because they can't play any better than I can.

That doesn't make them any less fun though.

The very first song I learned to play was Bush's "Glycerine." It is LITERALLY the same four power chords over and over again. Very easy to pick up.

So! Here is a collection of songs I can play on the guitar. It is not a completely collection. I can play more songs than this. And I make no claims as to how WELL I can play them. Just that I can play them, and they are, at least to me, recognizable. You'll notice, I think, a preponderance of power chords.

Oh, and yes, I did learn to play "Take on Me." Not the solo, of course. And the ska off-beat strokes are rough, but they are there!

The Beatles - "In My Life"

This is my favorite Beatles' song by a long shot. Originally, I thought I'd only be capable of playing the little intro hook at the beginning. It's easy enough. Then I looked up the chords, and it seemed manageable.

It was the fall of 2004, and I imagine Erik was sitting close-by behind me, messing with my drum practice pad. I just played this song over and over again, and sooner or later, it clicked.

For some reason, this is one of, like, four songs I have the ability to sing and play at the same time. Normally, I can't even think about talking while I'm playing (drums or guitar) without botching the words I'm trying to say or playing like Marty McFly when he forgets how to play because his parents' relationship is in jeopardy during the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. But this song I can do. I don't know either.

So there you go.



The Beatles - "Day Tripper"

I stumbled onto this one accidentally. I strummed an open low E, and I thought, "Damn that sounds familiar." Fortunately, "Day Tripper" came on my Winamp (yes, Winamp. It WAS the early 00s after all.) not long after that, and I connected the dots. I looked up the tab for the song and learned the riff. And it is a killer riff. Love it. The rest of the song can be accomplished with power chords (except for the solo, which I, of course, cannot play).



Weezer - "Buddy Holly"

Pure power chord fun. This song reminds me of the 90s. And if you know me at all, you know that's a sure way to my heart. I actually just looked this one up in the past few days. I'd never tried it before, but it's easy enough, sounds awesome and is super fun to play. Win!



Reel Big Fish - "Take on Me"

Ah yes. My favorite song by my favorite band, and the reason I wanted to get a guitar in the first place. Such a fun song to play AND sing. Every single one of you has tried your hand at the falsetto "in a day or twoooooo." Don't even try to deny it. Ska stroke patterns are super hard for me because, as I mentioned, I'm not very good at the guitar. But I try! And it sounds enough like the song that I'm satisfied with it.



Smashing Pumpkins - "Today"

Another one where I figured I could handle the intro hook. I was right; it's easy enough. But the rest of the song is power chords! Success!

My biggest guitar pet peeve is when I find the tabs for a song I want to play, but it requires retuning the guitar -- either all the strings one half-step down, or the low E string a full step down to D. Look, that's way more effort than I want to put into this. I know how to tune it. I can pretty much tune the guitar by ear now, but just give me songs in standard tuning please.

This song is in standard tuning! That was just an unrelated rant that came to mind right then. A great example of a song that's not too terribly difficult to play, but it sounds awesome when you do.



Everclear - "Santa Monica"

Man I loved this song when I was in high school. It was one of the first songs I looked up when I got my fingers used to forming the chords and jumping around the neck of the guitar. It sounded like power chords, and it was.

I have nothing else to say here. Just a fun song to play.



Look at that! Two posts in a handful of days! I think I will try to stick to a MWF pattern of posting. LET'S GO!

-BG

...well then we're shit out of luck.

Time for a music post! I don't know why, but I really love these music posts. Anyway, here are five songs I feel like writing about right now...haha. Oh, and if you count my embarrassing obsession with that Keri Hilson song two posts down, then that's six songs. Anyway.

Stu's tiger song from The Hangover

Yes, that's right. I totally loved this movie -- one of those rare times when I have HUGE expectations for a movie and it delivers. This song was one of my favorite moments. It's funny and catchy, and then he gets to the last line, and it just hit me like a ton of bricks. I lost it. I can't watch this clip and NOT giggle like a little girl. But if he's been murdered by crystal meth tweeeaaakers...well then we're shit out of luck.

I can't embed the song, so click here for the YouTube clip!

Muse - "Knights of Cydonia"

The first time I heard this song was on Guitar Hero, actually, haha. It came on, and I was unimpressed at first. The intro is kinda cool, but it's almost two minutes long. Then the driving drum beat kicked in. Fuck. Yes. This song EASILY made the cut onto my half-marathon list. Here's a live version of it because it still sounds awesome. If this doesn't get you pumped up, you have no soul.



Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"

Yeah, I know. I don't really want to talk about it too much. I absolutely hated this song when I first heard it. But that damn "gaga ooh la la" shit grows roots and plants itself on your brain until you just give in. Please, let's just move on.



Weezer - "(If You're Wondering if I Want You to) I Want You To"

So here's the deal with Weezer. The Blue Album and Pinkteron are two of my favorite albums I own. I can listen to them front to back, never skip a song and LOVE them just as much each time. Because of this, I get sucked into every new Weezer album that comes out. Make Believe, the Red Album and, now, Raditude. While Raditude has the best album cover I've ever seen, *sigh, the rest of it...just, yikes.

This song, I mean, I like it. Don't get me wrong. It's catchy. It's fun. But I'm afraid it stands out so much because the other songs were so...*sigh...so not very good. So yeah. This is the only song on the entire album I can see myself listening to with any regularity at all.

Plus, it really makes me want to play the drums for some reason. Any song that elicits that feeling usually scores pretty high with me.



Reel Big Fish - "Boys Don't Cry"

Well you know how much I love Reel Big Fish. And I'm crazy about some cover songs. This song was originally done by The Cure in the 80s. Fun song. Then RBF took it, added horns and sped it up quite a bit. Love it. Here's a live version from 1997. Good stuff.

My Latest Song Obsession (*sigh)

First Day of My Life

I'm Right Here, Waiting

Here's a special Erik-inspired music post. All of these songs will always remind me in some way of my friend.

Blink 182 - "Not Now"

We used to sit in my dorm room and play this song over and over. We both loved the drums in it, and it's a great song to play loudly. He especially loved the part right after the first verse where Tom DeLonge screams "Please save me."

Unfortunately, the song -- because of its lyrics -- took on a whole new meaning after his diagnosis. I'm not sure if he ever knew it, but Anne and I listened to this song and couldn't help but think of him, hoping it never came to what it eventually came to.



Yellowcard - "Only One"

This is another great song to play too loudly. Again we both loved the drums in this song, and the buildup in the chorus. His favorite line was always the part where the singer literally screams the words "Scream my lungs out." I can still see him mock-screaming it in my room.



Reel Big Fish - "Trendy" and "Beer"

If you've ever sat in my car at all, you've heard a Reel Big Fish CD --guaranteed. Whenever Erik would ride with me, he always specifically asked me to play these two songs. "Trendy" is a fun song with a great horn line, and "Beer" is just as classic a RBF song as there is.





Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"

I'll never forget listening to this song with him over and over and over in my dorm room. I lost track of the number of hours spent trying to teach him the guitar solo to this song. I'm certainly not guitar master, but I can play a few songs, and I can figure out a few things. Erik desperately wanted to play, and I had my electric guitar in the room. It was a good match.

He'd come in and ask for something easy to play that he could learn fairly quickly. This song played randomly one day, and he heard the solo. He asked if I knew it, so I messed around and figured it out -- it was a pretty rudimentary solo, but it sounded awesome -- it's essentially just sliding your hand up and down the fretboard. He'd try it for a while and just miss the right frets. Occasionally, he'd hit the right frets in the right rhythm, and he'd be so satisfied with himself.



Good times, man; good times. I also had a drum practice pad and some sticks in my room. He'd poke his head in and be like, "hey man, can I play with your practice pad some?" He'd sit behind me and try to play along with whatever song I was listening to at the time, and I tried to give him a few pointers. One thing I wish: I know how much he wanted to play the drums, and I wish he could have sat behind mine just for a few minutes so he could have played on a real set.

Anyway, just a few songs that will always remind me of Erik. I really do miss my friend.

You know what 9 a.m. is?

Too damn early for the homeless protester band to be banging on pipes, cowbells and buckets. That's what it is.

It is now almost 12:30, and they haven't so much as taken a break since I got here this morning. They're currently protesting an empty building because the contractor allegedly does not pay standard area rates for carpenters and a few others.

No one is in the building. No one from the company they are protesting is on site. So, at least all the noise is productive!

The Beatles: Rock Band

If you know me at all, you know I'm a huge fan of the Rock Band series. It's just fantastic. I've been playing the drums for about 11 years now, and a full drum set isn't the most convenient instrument to play.

Rock Band drums feels legitimately like you're playing the real drums. It's obviously not EXACTLY the same, but the motions and the movements -- I don't know how to explain it except to say it just feels right. As a drummer, it feels right.

I've got Rock Band and Rock Band 2, and on Sept. 9, I will have to find a way to acquire this game. Ladies and gentlemen, the game-play trailer for The Beatles: Rock Band.



Look at that! How awesome is that?! First of all, it looks fantastic, aesthetically. It has signature moments in Beatles' history recreated in the game from the look of the guys and their wardrobe down to the clubs and venues they played. Second of all, that's going to be a great game. I'm a big Beatles fan, so, to answer my own rhetorical question from a second ago, this is going to be VERY AWESOME.

Not just for the drums though! Did you notice the addition to the vocals? Three-part harmonies will be a part of this game. Again, if you know me at all, you know I'll be gunning for that high-note harmony part every time.

I've said this about Rock Band before, and it bears repeating now: singing is waaaay more fun than it should be. Good times all around, and not just when you've had a few drinks.

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I have pictures from the exploration Anne and I undertook of DC this past weekend. I will post them to Facebook tomorrow.

Back in town

I'm back from DC. Got back last night a little before 11 actually.

I don't want to jinx anything or count any chickens before they hatch and such, but I feel pretty good about the interview. I was there for almost four hours, and I met four of the five partners, plus three other people. And the fifth partner called me this morning for another short interview.

So I feel pretty good. I took their writing test, and talked with people for a few hours. I don't think they would have gone through all that trouble if they weren't interested at all, so that's good. The woman I talked to this morning said they'd get back to me within a week.

WE SHALL SEE. FINGERS CROSSED.

In the meantime, I find it pretty irrational how much I like this song. Plus, that's a pretty ridiculously fun video. I dare you not to find this song sickeningly catchy. Ready, set, GO! (Embedding is disabled, so follow the link to Youtube for the video. You won't regret it.)

I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked by Ida Maria

Don't touch me I'm a real live wire

I like these music posts. I don't know if the handful of you reading do, but I sure do. So, here are some more songs I'm into right now:

"Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads

This could be the most boring Rock Band song ever. But damn if it isn't a sweet song to listen to. That bass line in the beginning...so simple, but so great. And this guy's got some vocal chords on him. Just a really cool song.



"Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam

No friggin' clue what Eddie Vedder is saying throughout most of the song (something about a box on the back?), but that guitar riff -- whew. Nicely done, Pearl Jam. Nicely done.



"Holiday in Spain" by Counting Crows

I wish there was a better version of this song on youtube. This one will have to do. Love it. I can sort of play this one on guitar. Winner of a song if I've ever heard one.



"San Dimas High School Football Rules" by The Ataris

What a fun song. Bonus points for the reference to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure in the title of the song.



Enjoy.

I'll be your whatever you want

A few songs I'm into right now:

"Cannonball" by The Breeders

The Breeders were formed by Kim Deal (bassist from the Pixies), and this is the song they're probably most-known-for in mainstream rock. Killer bass riff.



"Say It Ain't So" by Weezer

This song really needs no introduction. If you don't like this song, you're doing it wrong.



"Little Willy" by Sweet

I have absolutely no idea why this song entertains me so much. Anne said it sounds like it's from Barney and Friends or something. Well, shit. All I know is it's catchy as hell. Gotta love the ridiculous 70s outfits too.



"Somewhere in the Between" by Streetlight Manifesto

If this sounds like Catch 22 to you, that's because the lead singer of SM is Tomas Kalnoky, the guy who provided the distinctive vocals of what I consider to be Catch 22's glory days. In fact, if you're so inclined, you can check out SM's version of the album "Keasbey Nights," which is almost an exact reproduction of the kick-ass album of the same name by Catch 22 (back when Kalnoky was still with the band). Anyway, this song is great. Epic ska song.



"In My Life" by The Beatles

Without a doubt, my favorite Beatles' song. This song hit me hard when my grandfather died back in October 2000. It was the only song I cared to listen to for approximately two or three weeks surrounding the funeral. It's been almost a decade now, and time does wonders for the cooling and calming of emotions. But playing this song still takes me back to the long ride in the limo from my grandparents' condo to the synagogue and, eventually, to the cemetery. I still love the song. I was exceedingly pleased with myself about four years ago when I figured out I could play the basics of this song on the guitar. So good.



"Take on Me" by Reel Big Fish

Because a music post where I don't mention Reel Big Fish is just incomplete. This is one of my favorite songs they play, and here's a live video showing exactly why I love this band so much. Take the energy they play with in this song and multiply that by two hours, and that's a live RBF show. There's a reason I've seen these guys live eight times. Love the off-beat hi-hat to start the song -- this is also one of my favorite songs to play on my drums.



Well, I think that's a diverse-enough collection of music for now. Go forth and love these songs as I do.

-BG