The Antichrist Superstar

'Missed several opportunities to write a blog post which I shall lazily blame the festive season. In reality I think I'm still getting used to the idea to writing my thoughts down for other people to stumble upon and read and also getting used to music being a strong part of my life again and inviting it to become an influence. 

The last point was highlighted by a recent trip to London (New Years Eve). I had planned to spend the day roaming London with my camera and had been looking forward to the opportunity to have a soundtrack to accompany me. However, on the coach heading towards the destination I realised that although I had carefully packed my headphones I had neglected to include my iPod, alas, no music to keep me to task but lesson learnt!  

During my Machine Head listening stint I began reading Marilyn Mansons book which then naturally lead to the next band on my list.

I thought the book was an interesting read and introduced a very human side to man behind the Marilyn Manson character. 

For some reason I stopped listening to Manson after Antichrist Superstar and listening to this album was somewhat nalstalgic. Listening to the bands following albums surprised me - in a good way and I'd like to give them more of a listen. 

Last week also saw me booking tickets for Alt Fest (for Myself and Steve) and Marilyn Manson will be headlining on of the festival days. Today is also Marilyn Mansons (45th) birthday, so Happy Birthday Marilyn!

My new years resolution of seeing at least 1 band play live each month is kick started next week with Lamb of God at Southampton Guildhall. This weeks chosen band is therefore.....    

   

The journey continues......

O.K. a few weeks away from my post but back to it now with a quick recap of the last 2 weeks.....
After spending an extra week listening to Korn I was amazed at how much The Paradigm Shift actually grew on me and my appreciation for the album increased with every listen. Whilst it is a very different Korn from the earlier albums it still holds what I think can only be called the fundamental Korn sound. Overlaying this core Korn sound is a very different style of sound but it somehow works and Korn keep their unique-ness alive.

This last week I have been listening to Machine Head but with no particular structure and so the plan continues with Machine Head:
    
   

Re-thinking the Journey

First things first - American Head Charge playing at the Unit in Southampton last night was awesome! Felt good to be out at a gig and decision made to attempt at least 1 gig a month in 2014. Tickets already booked for Lamb of God in Jan (Southampton) and Nine Inch Nails in May (London)! 

Re-thinking this journey somewhat - 1 band a week - this may be too restrictive and defeat the purpose of this adventure? Last weeks focus on AHC worked - 3 albums (and have now added the new EP - Shoot) over the course of the week allowed me to listen to each album at least a few times. The previous week included 11 albums and so I still feel that I have not yet devoted enough time to getting to know each album as planned. So - new plan - I'll make it up as I go along, giving each band as much time as I need until I am ready to move on. Back to Korn then...... 

Getting back on the saddle

So its been a busy week for my ears re-acquainting themselves with earphone. I had truly forgotten how being plugged into an ipod (although it was a walkman and then a minidisc player in previous times) immediately surrounds you in a cocoon of your chosen sound and installs a barrier between you and the rest of the world. I become switched off from my surroundings, not hearing a sound outside my head. 
This last week was Korn week and although I immediately recognised the earlier albums as old friends, one week is not long enough to become innately familiar with all the albums and so i feel reluctant to comment on my thoughts of all 10 albums so that will come another time. 

During the week I also read 'Save Me From Myself' written by Head and am currently half way through reading Fieldy' book 'Got The Life' both give an insight into the early years of the band but safe to say that the undertone of being saved by God does nothing to inspire me to pick up a bible and start reading verses! 

I have decided to create a play list and add 1 song from each album as I go on this journey. 

I need more time to complete my Korn choices for albums 'untitled' through to 'The Paradigm Shift' but so far I have....

Faget (Korn), No Place to Hide (Life is Peachy), Got the Life (Follow the Leader), Dirty (Issues), Hollow Life (Untouchables), Counting on Me (Take a Look In The Mirror) and Tearjerker (See you on the Other Side).   

The next band on my list was going Deftones and I count Deftones as one of my favourite bands. However I have had a change of plan..... 

Steve and I have tickets to see American Head Charge in Southampton on this coming Saturday and so it makes sense to load up the ipod with head charge. Having just the 3 albums may also give me some more time to keep catching up with Korn?

    

KoЯn

One of the first bands I really begun to follow was Korn. I remember playing Korns' self titled album over and over again in my bedroom. Its hard to believe that this album was released back in 1994!!!! 
Its somewhat harder for me to understand how I'm still living in that same bedroom and seeing how life has changed since then. 
Back then the walls were painted black, the carpet was black, I was an angry and scared young teenager struggling with growing up. Now - the walls are magnolia, the laminate flooring is practical. I'm less angry (though this appears to fluctuate) and whilst I wouldn't say I'm scared, I have fears, both justified and illogical. I;m still struggling with growing up.

My husband recently pointed out that I still wear my green Korn hoodie! That hoodie must be at least 15 years old! The front pocket is hanging on for dear life but its still comfy. 

I've been sat here at my desk creating this blog listening to Korn (so far I've covered Korn, Life is Peachy, Follow the Leader and playing now is Issues). It feels good to catch myself rocking my head in time to the beat again. Korn, for me, began to fade into the background sometime between Issues and Untouchables. I don't recall that it was due no longer liking their sound or direction. 
Time wise it would have been 1999-2002. I know for sure that my CD player became occupied by The Fragile (Nine Inch Nails) during the year of 1999!  

Im now going to wipe an ipod, start from fresh, go back to my roots, re-establish the faith that I once found in music. 
This week is Korn week. 

 

Somewhere, along the way, I got lost.

Time to take a serious look at my life.... Something isn't sitting right - Why? What needs to change?

My life in general, whilst it could be better, could also be worse. I have a husband who I love and who loves me; we don't have our own home  (we live with my parents in their home) but we have a roof over our heads none-the-less; I am the mother to 2 very beautiful cats, Tank & Lilith; I have a career, which is both challenging and for the most part satisfying and a job. The job side of things in increasingly giving me more and more stress as time goes on but I have a job.
I have issues with my weight, with anxiety, with depression.....these issues haunt me to varying degrees each day but for the most part, I cope.  

What I feel is missing is music. 

Music played a really important part in my late teenage years. There were bands, albums & songs that I felt spoke directly to me, without music in my life during those difficult years, I don't know how I would have coped. Music then gave me an escape, an identity, an understanding and an inspiration. I've somehow, somewhere, along the way, lost this. 

I've lost the escape, identity, understanding and inspiration that was once so very important to me.  And I plan to find it again.

It shocks me to think that the only times I now listen to music is driving in the car. Its always the same tracks over and over again, sticking with the familiar. More recently though its been Radio 2 in the morning on the drive into work - Chris Evans Breakfast Show (it has minimum 'popular; music) and Radio 4 (including the Archers!!!! but again it plays minimum music) on the drive home. How did this happen? I once knew everything that was happening in the scene! I could tell you who was who, which bands were touring.....now I don't know which bands still exist from those days, what new bands have arrived on the scene and what I want to listen too! 

My current plan is to revisit, one by one, all the bands that were so important to me. Along the way I'm hoping to find what I'm looking for. I'm also hoping to stumble on new bands, new ideas and maybe even to lay to rest some demons that haunt me.