::The M Blog ::

heksenhaus: BLACK SMOKE RISING. ::Interesting::I would think...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:55:53 -0500

BLACK SMOKE RISING.

::Interesting::
I would think all artists may feel this way at some point in time - regardless of what you study/create/produce, there must be times where you say to yourself, “what am I doing? Is this the path I was suppose to walk on?”

…consider it!

Nobody said being an artist is easy, but if one perseveres and continues to focus on their goal, and has a strong definition of what that goal is and what it encompasses, surely, anything is possible.

Remember, passion, dedication, and becoming an expert in your own craft, all go hand in hand.

Don’t stop believing.

You may be your own biggest critic, but you are also the one who believes in your ideas, ambitions, and art the most.

Speak soon::
M:)

Hey World::A few posts back I mentioned Black Veil...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:58:00 -0500

Hey World::
A few posts back I mentioned Black Veil Brides’ (BVB) video, In The End.

I’ve been meaning to share this video with you all…I found it sometime ago.

In other BVB news, their new album The Wretched & Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones, just came out a few weeks back. It’s really interesting and a powerful piece of work, overall. As mentioned before, and I know some of you will say, ‘Maria, you’re talking about this band, again?” (Yes, by the way), I’m really impressed with their musical talent, skill, and integrity as musical artists.

While I know some may have some commentary on how their style of dress and their overall appearance is (face and body paint/make-up), but I encourage you all to look beyond that and listen.

Black Veil Brides, are first and foremost, musicians who are producing art - in order to create a sound opinion, consider listening to their work before judging or making fun of them. True, while sometimes things are hard to look past and/or are just difficult to understand, but that’s simply because it’s different than what we currently see or are used to seeing in our everyday lives.

I may have my own opinions, as well, but as mentioned before, the purpose of this blog is to really disuss music and art. While I may delve on some other topics, here and there, I’m more interested in sharing someone’s art than discussing someone with my readers or anyone who comes across my blog.

Swiftly moving on —- let’s talk about the video.

I really enjoy it. Andy Biersak, lead singer of BVB, mentioned in an interview I recently saw that this was a ‘preview,’ to their film, The Legion of The Black. If you see the video for yourselves, you can see that makes sense — it does show clips of the film. Cool, cool.

However, what really draws me to this video (besides the greatness of the song from a lyrical and production standpoint), is the acting and story woven into it. As mentioned before, I’m a huge suporter of bands who make story music videos. While I was hoping this video would be like some sort of fantasy The Lord of The Rings type of quest - and eve though, it doesn’t meet that grandeur of that vision, it does meet a certain calibre regarding my music video expectations.

The video meets my expectations because the dramatics and acting are great, too- the actors and actresses beside the band do a good job, but who I am really impressed with is Andy Biersak - his presence really adds to the video (and not necessarily because he is the lead singer and is the founder and the last of BVB’s original members). He does not dance around a lot - but he looks at the camera often and just his expressions show he’s really passionate about the song and the story. (And, as I have said before, he’d make a great children’s book narrator - and he does do some narration on the album, which is wonderful.) My favorite part in the video is at 2:39 where it looks like Biersak is about to hit the camera with a punch. Sometimes, it’s those small type of moments that can make you think to yourself, ‘that’s it…that’s what made the video.’

Seeing this video also really made me question that line some musical artists may draw between acting and creating music, I do know there are some who embrace this concept, though, too. I agree with this secondary notion- why cannot one artist branch into another realm of art? It is allowed, isn’t it? Sometimes, I feel the industry or, maybe it’s certain parts of society that non verbally dictate this as a ‘no-no.’

I’m also reminsicing about a Lostprophets’ interview I read a few years ago with Ian Watkins. It was discussing this similar concept - why cannot an artist branch out, and for example, be another type of artist, or, perhaps, even be something entirely different? It sounds almost superhero-esque, but by day, maybe someone is a musician, and by night…when the moon comes up, that musician becomes a scientist or, here’s a long-shot — perhaps just a regular person buying groceries.

At the end of the day, we’re all people. As Biersak sings, ‘who we are is not how we live - we are more than our bodies.’ I think he’s exactly right - who we are does not necessarily define us, but sometimes it’s how we live our lives, our actions, and/or our spirit (from a religious perspective, our soul), that makes us who we are as humans.

Overall, this is a great song and I’ll perhaps talk in more detail about the album, itself, at a later date. I do encourage you all, though, to take a listen and feel free to share your thoughts with me. Once again, ideas of religion and God are heavily shared in the album, but it’s really different than their other work. I feel Biersak and the band are just narrators to a story and/or are playing characters in their story they have created for the album. Unlike BVB’s other work, which I feel can be taken more personally and is seen on a more autobiographical level, this album really has several images and scenes coming in and out of your head - like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. However, here, you can Make Your Own Story, perhaps… :)

Lastly, re: recommendations - I recommend this song and album to anyone who’s a fan of BVB or of rock, post-hardcore, alternative music. In general, I’d also recommend this specific work to those who enjoy stories and concepts/themes - not just in a musical album, but overall, in any creative writing/artistic work.

Thanks for reading!

Best,

M:)

rcruzniemiec: Tony Mason Hey World::These are lovely pictures...

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:08:29 -0500

rcruzniemiec:

Tony Mason

Hey World::
These are lovely pictures - such beautiful colors. It’s amazing how so many things in the world, be they natural or man-made, can come together to create art.

Consider it.

Really.

It’s not something you realize everyday, do you?

This post is about the medium of art -a “part,” if you will…(post+art).
:)

Long term, I hope to share more photos, images, etc…This is not only to diversify the blog, but I’d like to expand on these ideas in order to share all aspects of art that I’m passionate about.

Regardless of what anyone’s thoughts are, I hope to broaden the mind of my and/or any readers of this blog with such ideas.

Thanks!

Best, x
M:)

Beauty is art.
Art is beauty.

Hi World:: Carolyn by the Black Veil Brides (BVB) is the song of...

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:13:08 -0500

Hi World::

Carolyn by the Black Veil Brides (BVB) is the song of the week this past week and a half. I was not sure if anything really spoke to me after listening to Can’t Get Enough, but then I happened to click on this song the other day and I could not stop listening to it.
This song is off of BVB’s 2010 debut album, We Stitch These Wounds.

Unlike some of the more harder songs off of the album and by BVB, in general, this song would classify as a ‘slow song.’ Perhaps, it would even be considered a rock ballad - you know, the kind of song that folks lift their lighters or their cell phones to at the end of a concert and sing along to in the hopes of a better tomorrow.

A better tomorrow.

What a nice thought.

I think that’s what the message of this song is really about. The fact that ‘you’re not alone,’ and despite the battles you’re going through in life (be they internal or external), there’s always someone (or, perhaps, something) there with you who’ll help you ‘face this storm,’ (be it literal or figurative). Or, well, that’s the hope this song provides to the listener.

The lead singer of BVB, Andy Biersak, wrote this song for the lead guitarist, Jake Pitts. Writing the song from his perspective, Andy is singing this song to Jake’s mom who suffered from depression. As Jake was made fun of and bullied as a child, his mother put the blame on herself as to why Jake was treated the way he was.

Regardless of the song’s actual meaning and who it was written for, I think this song can help anyone going through a difficult time. It speaks of hardship, hope, and, I feel, really about the internal struggle one can go through when dealing with, perhaps, an unforeen circumstance or a situation that there is no clear resolution (or, at least one that is not easily seen on the horizon.)

Lastly, if none of this interests or appeals to you, dear reader, then, let us talk about the musicianship on this track —- it is beautiful.

Absolutely hauntingly beautiful.

It starts off slow but then it has such nice electric guitar throughout the song - it’s really cool and unique as it’s not the main part of the song’s melody, but then it grows to be and it is my favorite parts of the song, in general. Andy’s voice is very melodic and fits the song very well, too.

This song is recommended to anyone who’s a fan of the Black Veil Brides, who’s a fan of rock music, rock ballads (anyone remember the Monster Rock Ballads commericals? Thank you, Time Life!), and anyone who’s a fan of slow songs and/or songs that make you think. This song is also recommended for anyone who’s going through a hard time. It speaks to me in a way I cannot explain, and perhaps, you, the listener, will feel the same way. Regardless of how you feel and what you’re going through in life (be it happy or sad), there’s no denying music’s impact in the world as we know it, today. It can be a therapy for some, and to others, it’s just an enjoyable hobby.

This song is a perfect example of all of those ideas amalgamated into one.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Best,

M:)

Hello World::I honestly can’t get enough of...

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:56:38 -0500

Hello World::
I honestly can’t get enough of Lostprophets’ Can’t Get Enough off of their 2012 album, Weapons. Incredible.

Upon hearing it quite a few times, the opening, while it sounds a bit haunting (and awesome, might I add), reminds me of tracks from the band’s second album, Start Something. That album heavily used orchestra to make the music ‘sound harder,’ as well as had instrumental intros which featured electronic mixing. (Refer to Make A Move and Sway, two key examples off of Start Something.)

Swiftly moving on…let’s talk about Can’t Get Enough.

This song describes a lot of emotions. I feel the lead singer, Ian Watkins, harbors a bit of a grudge. It’s a song about himself to himself, but also, I feel the lyrics are words of caution to his…how do you say…ah..yes, “haters.” He seems to have a great amount of disdain (“hate,” if you will) towards the ones who have either wronged, mistreated, and, even perhaps, misunderstood him. Despite these individuals’ possible jealousy and strong dislike of the path he has taken (which the exact road is unknown to the listener), Watkins alludes he will still stay on his path and not back down. Further, though, this “hate” (perhaps disguised as anger) he just can’t get enough (pun intended) of is something he keeps inside. Perhaps these feelings are the “fuel to his fire,” as it helps him continue to stay on his path…but I also think there could be a different meaning.

He may not necessarily want to have this grudge - Watkins repeatedly states he still “needs it,”….this anger is something he cannot let go of.

Questions still remain though…why does he still feel he needs to continue feeling this way? Is it because he is still angry at the way things worked out in his past and how he was treated? Or, perhaps, let’s look at it from another perspective.

Maybe he is upset at himself. Maybe he realized he should not have done what he had done in the past…maybe he had let go or shrugged off emotions and incidents one too many times…and, now, this is payback to himself to continue feeling angry….and he needs to continue feeling this way as it helps him hold his own in order to not let anyone walk all over him again. Maybe, as well, he still needs to feel this way, because, well, if he didn’t…he would not be able to be who he is and would fall apart.

Hmmm…interesting. I feel like this song is a great song for anyone going through a difficult time or has felt wronged and/or mistreated by anyone they care about and/or who cares about them. If you think about it, the content of the song also greatly deals with communications and possible psychological concepts. Perhaps, this ‘hate’ is the lead singer’s coping and/or defense mechanism…it’s a wall from protection from those who have done him wrong.

I, of course, am just interpreting the song the way I hear it, others, and of course, Watkins, himself, has differing views. This song may not even be in the first person but it could just be a general song that is purely fictional.

Despite what the exact contents of the song is about, like with primarily all the music I post, it has a lot of powerful concepts in it, as noted above. I would recommend this track to anyone who’s a fan of Lostprophets, who likes UK (specifically Welsh) rock, intellectual rock (rock music that makes you think!:), and/or is a fan of songs with heavy emotions. These emotions in this song seem to be a mix of positive and negative, but regardless, I really enjoy it. I think a lot of people who have felt they should have acted differently (‘for the times, I never walked away’), in a particular situation or situations could relate. Also, this song can be helpful to those who also hold this kind of anger inside of them.

While, I don’t promote grudges of any kind (eventually, I think, you need to let it go and come to that realization that no one’s perfect. However, it’s easier said than done!), this song is fun, catchy, and full of meaning.

Further, it is very reminiscent of the band’s previous work as seen on Start Something but lyrically, it reminds me of the lyrics from the band’s 2010 album, The Betrayed. That album was actually primarily all autobiographical to Ian Watkins, lyrically, and I feel this song is a continuation of his ‘dark’ personality which was seen very heavily on that album. (However, as I mentioned above, these are just my thoughts..as Radiohead said, I Might Be Wrong)!

Lastly, I’d also recommend this song to folks who may not like traditional rock music but music with a slight twist (note the introduction and the orchestra in some parts of the song, as well as the ‘heaviness’ of it…it’s not a light pop song.)

Overall, it’s a powerful track and I’d suggest you all to listen. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments.

Best, X

M:)

Neil Gaiman’s Advice to Aspiring Artists… So true...

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:29:00 -0500

Neil Gaiman’s Advice to Aspiring Artists…

So true and honest…thanks so much, Neil. These words speak volumes.

Believe it and achieve it.

Best,

M:)

Neil Gaiman’s Advice to Aspiring Artists

Hi World:: Sometimes I get songs in my head — but not just...

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 01:09:00 -0500

Hi World::

Sometimes I get songs in my head — but not just any song. This can be a song I have not heard of in eons or songs I have rarely heard…I just randomly think about them and feel like hearing them again. Then, more often than not, that song may become ‘the song of the week.’

The song of the week (or, well, for a good four days of the week) was Drift and Die by American post-grunge band, Puddle of Mudd. It is off of their 2001 album, Come Clean. Come Clean also had the songs, Control and Blurry; they both did very well on the American Rock Music Charts. I also remember Puddle of Mudd’s videos being on MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL). Remember that show? Ah, memories.

Anyway, throughout the years I have randomly thought of this song - I only probably listened to it while watching the video on TRL and that was it; however, I remembered part of the chorus.

Upon thinking of various creative writing ideas (that, I, more often than not, do not write), this song just popped into my head the other day. I thought to myself I may as well gave it a listen. And, well, I’ve listened to Drift and Die many times, since then!

Puddle of Mudd is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. The lead singer, Wes Scantlin, if it doesn’t come to you right away, sounds a bit like, in my opinion, Layne Staley (RIP) from the American grunge band, Alice in Chains. Perhaps they were an influence on Puddle of Mudd. Ignoring the extra ‘d’ in their name, (yes, I’m talking to you, grammar and spelling police), Puddle of Mudd became kind of a big deal when Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit heard the band’s demo back in the early 2000s.

The video, Drift and Die, is actually directed by Fred Durst. I remember when the song was on TRL, as I had mentioned earlier. I thought the song, itself, was okay, but, in all honesty, I remember really not liking the end of the video. Right before this video came out, Limp Bizkit’s Rollin’ (you know you still love that song and remember a good portion of the lyrics - it’s still such a catchy track!) had come out. I remember that video had Limp Bizkit at the top of some building performing their song (perhaps the top of the Bank of America building in Los Angeles, CA?) Not sure.

This video, as you’ll see, also has Puddle of Mudd doing the same thing. I guess my 18 year old self back in 2002 did not personally care for artists using ideas done by other artists - perhaps, again, in all honesty, I found it rather arrogant….why are his arms outstretched as if he owns the world? Couldn’t the band have done something else? Perhaps, though, nothing else was available or maybe the band was feeling the moment, at the time. *shrugs* However, seeing the video again (after eons), I now see that scene actually does go with the entire music video. It does not irritate me that much, now - it’s not as grandiose as I had thought it had been. Anyway, once you see that scene and the rest of the video, you can see the message is clear: the video is showing progression from the band’s past to where they are in the present. (Well, the present back in 2001…about eleven years past, now.)

Swifty moving on…regardless of those thoughts, (and please note, they’re just mine; as you know, I’m passionate about artist integrity, music, etc and like to express my ideas on such topics), besides remembering that last scene of the video, I always remembered the beginning of it, too….someone was getting on a bus (or, so I thought). That bus is actually a train and that ‘someone’ is really the entire band.

Now, why am I going into such detail about the video?

Simple reason.

In my opinion, it explains the song meaning. While I’ve heard some different ideas (e.g. the song being about a relationship), to me, I think it’s about a concept much greater than ‘calling it quits’ with a significant other.

Drift and Die, to me, appears to be, much like the video shows, about the band’s progression, as mentioned earlier. Scantlin laments about forgotten memories of the past. However, he still remembers what his life was like, perhaps, before the band ‘hit it big’ and relates it to his current situation.

The chorus really says it all, and it’s a really strong chorus, at that:

Ignorance spreads lies

How much can money buy?

Well, I’ll take my time

As I drift and die

To me, the song is about the band on the road to ‘hitting it big,’ (as seen in the beginning of the video as how they were first playing on a front porch), then, after ‘making it,’ they fall into the typical rock star lifestyle. The partying, the late nights, etc — people may gossip when you are a ‘rock star’ or ‘celebrity’ - people may lie about you and/or to you so they can get what they want or they want to exploit the musical artist (in this case, it’s Puddle of Mudd). Even with all of the money, though, the band (and, well, any musical artist or any artist) can make, how much can money really buy? Can it buy happiness? Can it buy family, friends, and in general, a safe, healthy, and good lifestyle?

No, it really can’t.

As money cannot buy all these things above for the band, (and/or any other musical artist or artist), they’ll just ride it out…see what happens.

They drift…and, they either continue on a possible self-destructive path and feel empty (perhaps that is what is meant by ‘die’), or they get out of that situation and come to terms with what really makes them happy.

Maybe I’m reading way too into this, but I’d like to think this is what the song is really about - it’s such a great concept and any musical artist and/or artist, in general, should question themselves when it comes to such a topic.

Is it really all about the fame, fortune, the money? Is it really all about the parties and late nights? Is it really all about the drugs, sex, and rock and roll?

What powerful ideas!

Lastly, I’ll leave this question in your mind:
How far will and/or should a musical artist go to acheive their dreams? Should they do whatever it takes (even if it means ‘selling out’ or doing something you do not believe in)? Is the cost of fame and fortune or just even being recognized, worth embarrassment, shame, and crossing, possibly, lines of moral and ethics?

Feel free to share your thoughts below! I’m really passionate and interested in this topic - while I think artist integrity is critical and for the most part, a really admirable trait, there is a line that eventually all artists come to…and, at times, it appears to be a very fine one at that.

Consider it.

Best and Thanks!

M:)

~*I’ve been living on such sweet...

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:18:46 -0500

~*I’ve been living on such sweet nothing…*~…

croons Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine, off of Calvin Harris’ new album, 18 months…

wow.

What a great song, world…oh, and hello, by the way. :)

Very catchy song and for those who like electropop….this song’s for you! I saw the video recently on MTV and like ‘Diamonds’ was the big song about two weeks ago, this quickly began rotating on my playlist as of last week. Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris f. Florence Welch has interesting lyrics, a good chorus, and of course, great music. For all of you who don’t know who Calvin Harris is, though, let me provide some background.

Harris is a Scottish DJ who specializes in not only creating and collaborating with various musical artists, but he is also a songwriter, producer, and of course, musician. Harris’ main focus is in electropop/house/dance music. On a personal note, I’ve actually known who he was since 2007 when I saw his animated music video, ‘Acceptable in the 80s,’ (was it?) from his 2007 debut album, I Created Disco) on the now defunct channel, International Music Feed. Funky stuff…I can’t believe I just typed ‘funky,’ but it was!

I remember also hearing about Harris back in 2009 when I saw a bit of another video, he did, this time it was on MTV. The video was for ‘I’m Not Alone,’ (…or is he?) his first single off of his 2009 album, Ready for The Weekend.

Since then, I’ve heard Harris’ name pop up on several occasions as he has collaborated with such artists as Rihanna (‘We Found Love’), Ellie Goulding (‘I Need Your Love’), and Ne-Yo’s (‘Let’s Go’). He’s definitely gone from being a popular UK act to almost a household name here in the United States, due to his many collaborations, shows, and appearances.

I’d recommend Sweet Nothing to fans of Calvin Harris’, fans of Florence and the Machine, fans of house/electropop music, and, as usual, anyone who wants to hear something a bit different than what they usualy listen to. I don’t know that much about this electropop/house music but I know it’s definitely a genre of its own with a massive following. I like all kinds of music, as I’ve mentioned before, but what really struck me about this song was the production aspect. Similarly to Ellie Goulding, this song (like perhaps many others in the genre) has a lot of different layers. It’s not only, in my opinion, super catchy, but the music goes so well with the chorus. Then, after the chorus, you hear this great explosion of sound. I don’t know how DJs and/or how electropop/trance/house musical artists do it, but somehow they can create tunes and melodies through various electronic beats. Really fascinating and fun stuff!

Lastly, I’d recommend this song for anyone interested in songs with unique lyrics. This song is obviously about some type of relationship where there appears to be more take than give. Welch laments to the listener (who actually could be her lover, as well) that her lover can only whisper one word and make her feel empty inside. However, she’s very interested in this person and continues to make an effort (a leap of faith, if you will), to be with said person, despite this hardship of feeling “hollow.”

“…So I put my faith in something unknown
I’m living on such sweet nothing
But I’m trying to hope with nothing to hold
I’m living on such sweet nothing
And it’s hard to learn
And it’s hard to love
When you’re giving me such sweet nothing…”

Overall, while the content of the song is not the happiest, it’s very interesting and perhaps explains what anyone in a relationship, regardless of what kind it is, can occasionally go through. Sometimes someone is there for you and sometimes they are not. Sometimes it’s the little things (e.g. the smallest whisper, or someone’s careless look in their eyes), and sometimes it’s the big things.

…Or, sometimes, though, you just want to listen to good music and get lost in the tune, which is the case here. Overall, a great song - captivating and a bit haunting…but definitely worth a listen.

Feel free to let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

Best,

M:)

Lovely. Great song. Great band. I encourage you all to listen to...

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:49:30 -0500

Lovely. Great song. Great band. I encourage you all to listen to @younggunsuk
X
-M

~Shine Bright Like A Diamond~ Hello world, As mentioned...

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:46:47 -0500

~*Shine Bright Like A Diamond*~

Hello world,

As mentioned before, I’m very eclectic in the kind of music I listen to. On that note, I really like Rihanna’s new single, “Diamonds,” off of her new album, Unapologetic. I cannot tell if it’s suppose to be a happy song or sad song, but the video is full of really nice imagery. Often times, you see music videos and if you do not care for the song, or even if you like it a bit, even the video is not that interesting, you change the channel.

However, this was not the case, here.

I liked the tune of this song when I heard the opening notes, ‘shine bright like a diamond..’ (but I also felt that sounded a bit auto-tuned, but maybe that’s just me?), but what really fascinated me was the music video.

The imagery in the video really makes it stand out. I love the sunset into the night as well as the horse running through the desert. What does that mean? Is the horse running away from something or running towards something? Is Rihanna running away or running towards love?

I think those shots where she is in the water, (especially the closing scene), are really nicely done. I wonder where that was shot — very beautiful. It leads me to question, though, is she drowning? Does this act symbolize the loss of love? I also like the black and white shots - it’s just her, Rihanna, alone, singing a ballad.

The viewer is left with a lot of questions at the end, as the whole video is not exactly a story but scenes that have been piece mailed together.

I was curious about the video and its concept and upon further research, while it’s not the most resourceful site, Wikipedia did have this quote from the director of the video, Anthony Medler. It really spoke to me.

“With this one, I felt the need to create a wider landscape; almost hint at things, go into things, then get out of them, and not allow people to attach themselves to too much… they needed to feel like dream vignettes, like, when you wake up from a dream, you realize what you were dreaming about is not really what it was about, it was about something else.” He further explained, “And you can see what I’m getting at in terms of relating this to Rihanna’s real life, and what she’s been through. What’s truth or fiction? You know ‘Is she drowning, or is she in complete ecstasy? Are those hands coming apart, or are they finding each other?’ … we tried to bring up these deeper questions that relate to song and her life and finding beauty in chaos and finding beauty in pain and finding pain in beauty.”

Other reviewers of the video have said it also shows the four elements - earth, wind, fire, and water (Captain Planet, anyone? What about heart? :)) Despite all of these different notions about what the video is about, what really struck my interest is what Medler said about the video and its concept. I have talked about similar concepts in my blog, so it’s really neat to see such a nice correlation. It makes me question —-

Can there really be beauty in everything? If so, how can we see it?

Can there really be beauty when one is in pain? Can one feel pain when one is surrounded by beauty?

….is this art? This also leads me to question emotions —- is beauty emotional? Does it have feelings? Are emotions beautiful?

…are emotions art?

As we wrap up this thankful theme filled weekend, these questions are something to think about.

So…think about it.

What are your thoughts?
Discuss…

Best,

M:)

PS - I’d recommend this song to anyone who enjoys imagery in music videos, love ballads, pop songs and songs by Rihanna (in general), and anyone who appreciates questioning and wondering about the meanings behind art and the many aspects it takes to create it. In this case, the art is not just the song, but the music video, and the imagery seen in it. Perhaps all of these images express something far greater than what the normal eye tends to see.

Consider it.

Thank you!

nadiajart: Tuesday, 11-13-12Bismillah. Very best moment —...

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 22:42:07 -0500

nadiajart:

Tuesday, 11-13-12

Bismillah. Very best moment — finding myself in painting all day, and prepping for some live art-making tomorrow, inshaAllah! Excited about tomorrow’s event — see details here :)

Art love…

younggunsuk: FREE DOWNLOAD of ‘BONES’ (ALTERNATE VERSION) right...

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 22:39:56 -0500

younggunsuk:

FREE DOWNLOAD of ‘BONES’ (ALTERNATE VERSION) right here on http://younggunsuk.tumblr.com/

While we were in New York in September, we recorded an alternate version of ‘Bones’ in the Re-Wind Studios off TImes Square. It’s yours for free right here on this page to the right —->

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Dear World::
Spread the word, ya heard.
:)
Best, M

Hi World! I’ve been meaning to post about this band for...

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 23:46:39 -0500

Hi World!

I’ve been meaning to post about this band for eons, but it has kept slipping my mind. Now, upon hearing their new single, I felt compelled to type up a little post. :)

*drumroll, please*

Here’s a link to Black Veil Brides’ (BVB) new single, ‘In the End.’ It will on their Jan 2013 release Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones. It took me about two times to get into it and now it’s definitely the song of the week. Incredible.

Yes, it really is that good. The guitars, orchestra, powerful lyrics, vocals…i hope if a music video is made it is just as awesome. A story concept would be pretty rad. :)

Regarding song content, the song appears to talk about how someone views their life when the end is coming, whatever end that may be, metaphorically, or literally (as I would think). Perhaps mistakes cannot be erased, but as lead singer, Andy Biersak states, he still “wants to be holy,” and “If I fall, I will rise up again and relive my glory!” (Random thought: anyone else think he’d be a great narrator for a movie or of children’s audiobooks? His voice is really unique and deep.) Perhaps this song is in someway autobiographical with references to an army (which could be referring to the band’s loyal fan base…known as the BVB Army), or perhaps it’s all a part of a greater concept.

What interests me most, though, about this album is that I heard it is actually a concept album (yay!) and the band is in the works of even putting out a feature film called Legion of the Black. What a unique and fun idea! I’d love to have been on set when they were shooting - how exciting and creative (double yay)!

I wonder if it’ll be one big music video (genius idea, I know, I know, we’ll high five later…) or similar to a musical, where there is some dialogue and scenes that do not have music. Regardless, this concept, to me, at least, sounds really one of a kind, in particularly, in this day and age, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out. My initial thought is the concept is some epic fantasy, but as Radiohead said, ‘I Might Be Wrong.’ :) …I just like Lord of The Rings, I guess. :)

I’d recommend this song to anyone who’s a fan of glam rock, post-hardcore, alternative music, and/or are fans of Black Veil Brides’ previous works. I’d also recommend this song and band to anyone who’s a fan of strong musicianship. That’s what, in all honesty, keeps me bringing me back to BVB. Their tunes and talent (or is it skill? hmmm…) really make them stand out in my eyes, as honest, creative, musical artists who have great integrity for their craft. This cannot be said for everyone, as you all know.

One thing I will note though, is that this song steers away from the band’s previous guttoral screams (as seen mainly in We Stich these Wounds, the band’s first album). However, the musicianship, as mentioned, can really can bring fans, old and new, into the BVB world. While at first, I’ll be honest, I was hesitant and I did not care for their sound, as I do not care for guttoral screaming all that much (depends on the song, I guess); I likened Biersak’s screaming to that of a veliceraptor (I still find this hi-larious, but I’m being honest even as I type this…Andy, please do not take it personally. Thank you.). Further, me being me, I, of course, only understood about 2% of what was being said, anyway. Over time, though, the guitar work and tune at the begining of Knives and Pens (their first single off of We Stich These Wounds) really, much to my surprise, stuck with me. Who knew? I certainly didn’t!

While the band’s style resembles the 70s rock band, KISS, along with their musicianship, the band really has great musical and artistic integrity. The lead singer, for one, is very honest and passionate when it comes to talking about what BVB’s music symbolizes and what it means in the greater picture (he, also, in general, has very good responses to a variety of questions when asked my interviewers. BVB, in general, are a fun band to watch, for anyone, such as myself, who likes to watch band interviews). I really respect that passion along with honesty and dedication. This is so important, in my opinion, for an artist, and should always be an integral component of any artist’s craft.

Black Veil Brides may speak their minds, but at the same time, they put together really powerful music. While they may talk about relationships, the band’s lyrics are written, for the most part, in my opinion, in a really creative fashion. Biersak expresses feelings, emotions, and ideas through religious symbols and terminology. I haven’t seen that done with other artists, or if they do, it’s only with a few songs. However, I feel Black Veil Brides really hone religious concepts in a good majoirty of their work. It’s their thing, perhaps, or at least, at this time, helps express the messages they are currently trying to convey as musical artists. A major theme in their work from what I’ve heard thus far is believing in yourself in the face of adversity, be it by judgmental naysayers, or even people who are close to you.

Really interesting art, to say the least.

There’s so much more I can talk about with this band regarding their musicianship, but I will say, in the end, this song is great and I encourage you all, no matter what type of music you listen to, to listen to it.

It’s catchy like a pop song but epic like, well, an epic. :)

Thanks for reading, as always.

Best,

M:)

younggunsuk: In case you missed the Buzznet premiere of this,...

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 08:33:58 -0500

younggunsuk:

In case you missed the Buzznet premiere of this, here’s a lyric video the guys at Wind-Up have created for ‘Bones’, no excuse for not knowing the words now, America!

Thanks @younggunsuk! Enjoy, world!
Haha, no excuses on the lyrics, now!
….
“So…can this be done though to all of your songs, @younggunsuk?,” says a certain American supporter…
(me)
:)
I understand about 70-80% of their lyrics but when I first heard of them, I really just focused on the awesome tunes and could only understand about 20%! Haha!
Sad, but true though….but on that note, it’s hard to understand songs by ANY artist, I think, it just depends how well you’re listening (as opposed to just hearing).
Have a great day, world, and thanks for checking in!
Until next time! :)
M

::Halcyon::

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 18:02:22 -0500

Hi World (again)!: A bit late on this post, but I had wanted to mention, in case you are unaware,...

Hi World:: As a few of you kids may know, Canadian musical...

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:44:39 -0500

Hi World::

As a few of you kids may know, Canadian musical artist and actress, Alexz Johnson, (Instant Star, anyone?) just finished her first US Tour. It was funded via Kickstarter and fans all over the globe gave her some denaro to pull it all off.

Incredible.

As a part of several packages via Kickstarter, and also, of course, as a part of various promotional items, in general, musical artists create and produce, she has now put together a documentary.

The Skipping Stone documentary (please note, it’s just the trailer!) is available at the link above. It looks pretty interesting and I’m pleased to see some of her stage performances come to life. Folks can also see her honesty and integrity as an artist. She kept her word and got things together to put on a whole tour. For everyone who contributed she also came through on making sure everyone received their packages, emails, phone calls, interviews, etc. that were the ‘prizes’ for contributing to the campaign. Pretty awesome.

From the looks of it, I feel the documentary has a very indepedent/MTV Diary/MTV True Life feel to it (e.g. ‘this is my story’ kinda vibe), but I like it as it provides a good introduction to who she is, what she did to put the tour together, and how it all came together in the end. I also like the sense of realism (e.g. there’s no fancy scripts she’s reading from or glamorous cutaways; it’s just Alexz, on stage, or off, being herself).

It’s just a girl, a dream, her guitar (and her band), and, from the looks of it, a few cameras, too.

Always remember kids, being yourself goes a long way.

I would recommend this documentary trailer to anyone who is a fan of Alexz’s work, fans of independent and international artists (she is Canadian ;), as well as anyone, in general, who enjoys music and likes to see documentaries about musicians and/or musical artists. :)

The entire documentary, bee tea dubs, is available for pre-order along with a tour book at her store at http://alexzjohnsonmusic.spinshop.com.

Speak soon!

Thanks!

M:)

Okay, world, I’ll be honest…. I posted this before...

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:22:00 -0500

Okay, world, I’ll be honest….

I posted this before watching the video because I could not find it on my phone and had to go to work. Now, though, I’m back…so, let me do a proper post. Well worth the wait and a wonderful touch on a Monday night.

The song is absolutely incredible and it is full of so much meaning; while I’m not certain what exactly the true story behind the song is, it is full of passion and I think it really speaks to anyone who’s felt judged, tricked, or perhaps has looked in the mirror and questioned who he or she is as a person.

Such a great song and a pretty cool video. Finally a story video by a band. I love it when bands do story videos…I find them so moving and in general, depending on the story, I guess, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about them. I guess I think of Matthew Good Band’s videos back in the day and how they all were story videos. Ahh….memories. Strange Days, Apparitions, Load Me Up…all incredible.

This video, in my opinion, seems to have some sort of honesty in it…maybe it’s how it’s shot…but I feel like I am watching some independent film. What happens to Gustav? What happens to the other band members? Is there a sequel?

The video is very reminisicent of Coldplay’s The Scientist…(seeing at how it’s all shot and then reversed…backwards mode, anyone?) Okay, I just made up that term, I’m sure it’s called something much more technical…but, please, work with me on this one.

Overall, a good video and song. I’d recommend this band, and this video, to anyone who likes The Scientist, likes rock songs with powerful meaning, and of course, like me, likes story music videos.

High fives, all around, boys. High fives, all around. Thanks for bringing creativity, integrity, art, and intelligence back into my rock world. Impressed and proud, as always.

Best,

M:)

younggunsuk:

Morning! As promised, here’s our new video for ‘You Are Not’! Please reblog this!

Hello world:: I am re-blogging this post from a good friend of...

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:44:34 -0500

Hello world::

I am re-blogging this post from a good friend of mine’s blog who’s a lovely artist and also, of course, friend. Google Nadia Janjua. Her blog is nadiajart.tumblr.com. I’d encourage you all to check it out.

On the topic of painting and making such a lovely shade of red, please read the excerpt below from Olive Schreiner’s “Dreams”. What an interesting story.

No matter what type of artist you are, regardless if you are a writer, painter, sculpter, musical artist, etc, etc…always remember, that when you leave this world, your work shall live on. So, make it the best of the best, the cream of the crop — the best piece of work that defines you, your idealogies, your beliefs, morals…or, just in general, whatever identifies you as a person on this earth.

The last line really speaks to me…as an artist of some sort (I’d like to think) myself, we all want our work to live on and carry a message, a theme, or some sort of statement that speaks to others. That message, if interpreted and understood correctly, can perhaps be the greatest gift of all an artist can receive.

Always remember that. Your work has the potential to be seen and/or heard. So…create.

Thank you.

-M

Post script - and thank you, Nadia, for a lovely post. How inspiring and true.

nadiajart:

Friday, 10-19-12

Bismillah. Very best moment — having my second one on one painting class with a good friend and an awesome student, mashaAllah :) She painted this apple today and I think it is so beautiful, mashaAllah again! :) Really brings a smile to my face every time I see it.

Also, I bought a book for a friend’s birthday and read this wonderful passage in it today which I wanted to share. It’s from “Dreams” by Olive Schreiner. Please read it and click that link back there to access the entire book on Project Gutenberg — it’s short and wonderful, simply wonderful. One of my dear friends and mentors introduced me to it years ago now (thank you CM).

* * * * * * * * * * * *

THE ARTIST’S SECRET

There was an artist once, and he painted a picture. Other artists had colours richer and rarer, and painted more notable pictures. He painted his with one colour, there was a wonderful red glow on it; and the people went up and down, saying, “We like the picture, we like the glow.”

The other artists came and said, “Where does he get his colour from?” They asked him; and he smiled and said, “I cannot tell you”; and worked on with his head bent low.

And one went to the far East and bought costly pigments, and made a rare colour and painted, but after a time the picture faded. Another read in the old books, and made a colour rich and rare, but when he had put it on the picture it was dead.

But the artist painted on. Always the work got redder and redder, and the artist grew whiter and whiter. At last one day they found him dead before his picture, and they took him up to bury him. The other men looked about in all the pots and crucibles, but they found nothing they had not.

And when they undressed him to put his grave-clothes on him, they found above his left breast the mark of a wound—it was an old, old wound, that must have been there all his life, for the edges were old and hardened; but Death, who seals all things, had drawn the edges together, and closed it up.

And they buried him. And still the people went about saying, “Where did he find his colour from?”

And it came to pass that after a while the artist was forgotten—but the work lived.

::Today is my Birthday...::

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500

That’s a song, right? Anyway, today actually is my birthday. :) On this wonderful occasion,...

Beautiful video with two great songs - interlude and an acoustic...

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:26:31 -0500

Beautiful video with two great songs - interlude and an acoustic of Bones…hope their time in the US was smashing. I’d love to make a documentary video like this one day myself for musical artists I really support…big dreams, big dreams…!

Best,

M:)

younggunsuk:

Following the REVOLVER Magazine exclusive on this video blog, it’s now viewable in all countries! Here’s ‘A Day In The Life…’ feature with us on our US album release day in New York City!

::The M Blog ::

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Hi World! I’ve been meaning to post about this band for...

younggunsuk: In case you missed the Buzznet premiere of this,...

::Halcyon::

Hi World:: As a few of you kids may know, Canadian musical...

Okay, world, I’ll be honest…. I posted this before...

Hello world:: I am re-blogging this post from a good friend of...

THE ARTIST’S SECRET

::Today is my Birthday...::

Beautiful video with two great songs - interlude and an acoustic...

~Shine Bright Like A Diamond~ Hello world, As mentioned...