I will post later tonight - these are from two days ago and yesterday. Dear me, I've fallen behind haven't I?
Anywho, first up:
A song that you listen to when you are happy.
This song was my summer song of 2010. Whenever I listened to it, all I could see was myself and a group of friends in a park, towards the end of the summer holidays, in the evening, chilling out with alcohol, cigarettes, a football and all the other stuff you associate with a student meetup. It was a great image and it makes me even happier when I imagine it. That's why I've picked this song.
And completely on the flip side:
A song that you listen to when you are sad.
If it wasn't for 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner', this would be my favourite Iron Maiden song of all time. It's beautiful, entirely acoustic and when I am feeling low, the lyrics perk me up and give me newfound strength. It's about carrying on and keeping going. For your enjoyment, 'Journeyman'.
There is one rule: it has to be filled with rage itself. If a song vents anger, I connect with it and vent my own anger. BY the end of the song I'm generally calm again.
There are quite a few songs that do this, mainly anything by Rage Against the Machine and the song 'Break Stuff' by Limp Bizkit. However, I've gone for 'Beautiful Mourning' by Machine Head, off their album 'The Blackening'. When played full blast through earphones, this song really gets rid of my emotion when I'm pissed off. If you need any MORE proof, just listen to the opening three words.
Given my extreme dislike for the stuff usually played on there, i.e. manufactured, over-produced, autotuned pop, I felt it fitting that I got to an extreme end of the music spectrum for THIS particular song, an area so extreme that I barely listen to it myself, and it's part of the metal genre. Yes, I am talking black metal, started in Scandanavia in the 80s and today spearheaded by one band: the mighty Dimmu Borgir. This is one of the few black metal songs I like, and it would make radio so much more lively. For your enjoyment, Progenies of the Great Apocalypse:
And for today's enjoyment:
A song from your favourite album.
My favourite album of all time is 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd. Possibly THE greatest concept album of all time, it is a masterpiece and a true rock opera, in many ways. Pink Floyd have long since gone, but the bassist from the group, Roger Waters, owns the rights to the album and is currently touring it and planning a Broadway theatre production of the album as well.
This song, 'Run Like Hell', is my favourite out of the lot. The way Roger and guitarist Dave Gilmour exchange lines is brilliant and the whole song vents an anger that is subtle yet frontal at the same time. And because the album is far better live, I'm posting the live version from the original tour in 1980 from London's Earls Court Arena. Enjoy.
Yeah, I missed yesterday again, so am sat here at 8:14am in the morning before I got out and do some filming for the day updating it. The things I do for you lot, eh?
Anyway:
A song you once loved that you now hate.
Evanescence were great. I mean really great. And 'Bring Me to Life' was an amazing song. Until THIS performance at Download 07. The singer is drunk, there is no male singer to make the song full and well....just listen for yourself *shudders*
And for today:
A song you hear often on the radio.
With Heart.FM repeating the same 10 songs or so over and over again, this one often cropped up and I hate it. It's bad enough that it's the current X Factor winner's single - it's another that it's a Biffy Clyro cover WITH A CHANGE OF TITLE. Everything about it just screams horrific. Nevertheless, the majority of the UK public lap it up so I guess that's why it's on the radio.
Also, due to a sci-fi social last night with the Drama Society, I had no time to do yesterday's song. So, without further ado, days 14 and 15.
A song nobody would expect you to like.
The fact that I like mainly metal music means the 'opposite', i.e. hip-hop and rap, is probably something you wouldn't expect me to like. I say opposite in the very loosest of terms, by the way. Having said that, this song is an absolute belter and I love it to bits. For you now, 'Pass Out' by Tinie Tempah.
And for Day 15...
A song that describes you.
Until September 2010, I had lived in Gloucestershire solely. Hadn't had to move around the country a lot or anything like that, always very local to the area. Moving to Bristol in September was a big thing - new city, much bigger than Gloucester, new places to go and discover and new people to meet. Whilst my social skills mean I have made loads of friends here, my lack of street knowledge has resulted in me still finding my feet here. In fact, I still feel a bit like a Stranger in a Strange Land...
I'm usually completely against the mainstream churning out the next pop sensation at the rate of one a week and starting them off at earlier and earlier ages. I much prefer it if an act has worked their way up through the clubs, the pubs, the academies etc etc.
This of course is an exception, because this little lady actually brought out a decent record, then accompanied it with one of the most metal music videos ever. Thus, it fits perfectly as my guilty pleasure. Ladies and gentlemen, 'Whip My Hair' by Willow Smith.
