Leather and Tattoos

“Coz one day I know
when she's ready to go
she'll just jump on her bike and ride

There's something about you
your leather and tattoos
its making me weak inside.
your fishnets and nose-ring
is making my heart sing
and I get no sleep at night.”

­Leather and Tattoos – 48May

Upon my boredom today I started to count all the concerts I’ve ever been to in my life. It’s quite a fun little game, generally because I get halfway through and say to myself “no Renee, you’ve missed one, go back and start again”. But rather than bore you with my obvious insanity proved by talking to myself, I thought I would take a quick look back at the gigs and concerts I’ve been to before surging ahead into what is going to be a sweet year of live music.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time talking about concerts in this blog: how awesome Coldplay were, how Seether rocked and my pre-empted excitement for Taylor Swift, who, as expected, turned out to be amazing. And let’s not forget my Kiwi music gig obsession: seeing Shihad live and discovering opening acts such as Luger Boa and Clap Clap Riot. In between all this blogging I have ventured out into other amazing shows and every time the music and show amazes me, whether it be Lady Gaga’s amazing performance, scoring a free ticket to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or having a bit of fun at Hot Chelle Rae ... or trying not to look too suspicious at the Reece Mastin gig where everyone else was double my age taking their half my age children out for a Saturday night.

So what has this musing over gigs got to do with 48May? Well, team, here’s my confession: 48May were my first ever concert. I remember my mother buying me a lip gloss and saying I could wear it to the show, and me rolling my eyes because I thought no one wore lip gloss to a rock concert. I cringe now at calling 48May a rock concert, partly because of their undeniably pop music sound, and because by ‘concert’ I really mean in my old school’s hall with other people in my school year because some senior pupils had managed to convince the band to play for us for a measly ten dollars a ticket. But you know the old saying – you never, ever forget your first. Whether it has been bad, good, or completely out of this world since, the first concert always sticks with you. I guess it was that first thrill of hearing live music, particularly when it was from one of my favourite bands at the time, that kicked start my love of live gigs. And 2013 is going to continue the trend, with fun. coming soon and Homegrown likely to be one wicked Saturday.

Now you know what 48May did for me and why I can’t quite delete their music off my iPod. Before I sign off from this week’s music musing, however, there has been another thought cross my mind. I make the last blog of every month a Kiwi music one as I both love NZ Music and like to support it however I can. I love that Kiwi band 48May was my first concert and gave me the bug, and I love more how many Kiwi bands I’ve seen - including Luger Boa and Clap Clap Riot three or four times within the last year. It is so easy to find a gig on the weekend from our local talents and, if you’re anything like me, satisfy your live music cravings. 

Take It All

“You sent Your Son
From heaven to earth
You delivered us all
It's eternally heard
I searched for truth
And all I found was You
My God
I'll only ever give my all

Jesus we're living for Your Name
We'll never be ashamed of You
Whoa o oh
Our praise and all we are today
Take take take it all”

Take It All – Hillsong United

Religious beliefs have been a bit of a personal battle throughout my life. I went through a Presbyterian High School where we had to go to Chapel at least once a week, close most assemblies with a school prayer and attend Christian Education classes for most of the years we were there. I have never been a constant church goer – despite my Grandfather being a minister in the Anglican Church - and I have never read more than a few bible verses. I have, however, attended a few religious Easter Camps where the message of God was passed to us daily. And yet, I still can’t sit here and say I am a true Christian believer. There are too many ifs and buts and confusing passages for me to commit to religion. I respect those who believe with a doubt, sometimes to the point where I wonder how they do it.

So without these beliefs in my life, it makes me wonder why I can sit down and listen through an entire Hillsong United worship album knowing I hardly believe what they are saying about sacrifices from Jesus and giving all to God. But it’s the truth: I love Hillsong United, and I have spent those Easter Camps singing my heart out to their songs with thousands of other people. It’s not because their music is that catchy pop rock sound I happen to like anyway, but there is something in their music which touches me.

Despite being a sceptical of the story of Christ, I am a firm believer of the values of Christianity. I think these are something which should be in our everyday life regardless of religious beliefs, or indeed, any other demographic which defines who we are. Take It All alone, which to my understanding it about giving all the praise to God to take it all, touches upon these values. Sacrifices to others which can make our own life better – not to the extent of sacrificing a life, but sacrificing something small to help someone else. The idea of searching for truth in this world, whether or not that leads us religion. Not being ashamed of what you believe in. Giving your all to whatever it is you want to. And, most of all, the undeniable strength of love which comes through. It is these kinds of values which I take from Hillsong United music and into my own life.

I don’t deny there are other bands out there which have the same values in their music, whether they be associated Christian acts such as Skillet or The Fray or Switchfoot, or a band which denies any involvement with Christianity such as Evanescence. It is the light and the lack of, say, accusation in this kind of Christian Worship music which draws me to a kind of music where I believe the words but I don’t believe the story. 

American Pie

“I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died

So bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' "This'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die""

American Pie – Don McLean

“The day the music died”. When I listen to this song this is the line which always gets me thinking. It is, along with most of the song, referring to the death of Buddy Holly (though Don McLean has never admitted to this the lyrics speak for themselves). While Buddy Holly is the pioneering figure for shift in rock and roll music in the 1950’s and is said to be in the influence behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, his music lasted less than a year and a half before his untimely death. How does someone spend that short a time in the music industry and be that influential – to the point where without him, the music died?

We are lucky the musicians in the 1950’s capitalised on Buddy Holly’s new found genre and didn’t let it fade away, but in my opinion, the music wouldn’t have died anyway – and I don’t think the music will ever die. It didn’t die when the grunge era was rocked by the death of Kurt Cobain or the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley (the one which got the chance to be famous), and the music didn’t die when The Beatles split up after their widespread fame. Indeed, the music didn’t even die when Nickelback put out yet another album which sounded the same as their first album or Billy Ray Cyrs released Achy Breaky Heart. And while we came close to the death of music when Rebecca Black came out with Friday but we still scraped by without killing anything or anyone. In fact, if music can survive amateurs singing on reality television competitions, it can survive anything.

I’m not doubting that Buddy Holly was extremely influential in music history – and I wished I lived in the middle of last century because the music was that good – but pinning down one moment and one artist is a bit farfetched for me. Indeed, let’s not forget there were two other passenger on the place the day it went down who were also pioneering the rock and roll movement. Who knows what music genius Ritchie Valens and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson would have bought us.

And besides, if the music had died the day Buddy Holly’s plane went down, we wouldn’t have gotten an eight minute song about the event.

I Hate Everything About You

“Every time we lie awake
After every hit we take
Every feeling that I get
But I haven't missed you yet

Only when I stop to think about it

I hate everything about you
Why do I love you?
I hate everything about you
Why do I love you?”

I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace

Today I heard some sad news from the music industry. Adam Gontier, the lead singer of Three Days Grace, has formerly resigned from the band due to non-life threatening medical issues. I listened to Three Days Grace throughout my teenage years and this news saddens me for purely nostalgic reasons. When teenage life got a bit much and I needed a bit of delicate screamo music – you know, the type which doesn’t hurt teenage ears but still cures my teenage madness, I turned to Three Days Grace. I haven’t listened to a lot of the band’s music over the past year or so, but it still lives on my iPod just in case I have the urge to tune in.

One thing which strikes me about Adam’s announcement is the thought of ending part of your life after more than twenty years involvement. Adam and some of his mates formed their first band in 1992 before going through some musical and member changes and reforming as Three Days Grace in 1995. It took them eight years before they got a chance to release their debut self titled album, which included their breakout hit I Hate Everything About You. I can’t imagine committing that much time and effort, then having to make a decision to leave it. As the band said in their statement following Adam’s resigning “Three Days Grace has always been and will continue to be not only our job but our passion. Three Days Grace has always been and will continue to be not only our job but our passion.”

Members of bands are constantly coming and going and most of the time a band can still succeed - though these members tend to be the less significant ones. There are some bands which rely on some sweet guitar work or drumming to make the band significant – or indeed another, slightly more unique instrument like the violinist in Yellowcard – but most of the time the signature sound comes from the lead singer. It’s generally the first thing you would recognise when you come in halfway through a new song on the radio and think “that sounds like a new such and such song”.

So, can Three Days Grace survive without their lead singer, particularly in a time when their type of music isn’t trending? The TDG boys haven’t been the most prominent on the music scene since their second album One-X, which earned them Rock Artist of the Year from Billboard. Their third album sort of slipped by and, to be honest, it wasn’t until I read up on Adam’s resigning that I realised they had released their fourth album. Of course, diehard fans will be lamenting the lead singer loss – and already criticizing his replacement “His rehersal audio is horrible. Doesn't sound anything like Adam, and is auto tuned. Will not be seeing you live until you hire a good singer” (from Facebook). It will be an interesting story to follow – but for now, I just want to thank Adam for his delicate grungy voice which helped me calm down and throw fewer pillows during my teenage angst days, and I wish him the best of luck for his future. 

Honestly

“Is it wrong that I'm gonna be
Having the time of my life
'Cause deep down I know
I should cry I should scream
And get down on my knees
I should say that I need you here
But I'm gonna party tonight
'Cause honestly I just don't care
Honestly I just don't care”

Honestly – Hot Chelle Rae

Throughout my life I have had moments of pure selfishness where I did what I wanted, when I wanted, without really caring what other people thought. Then there have been times where I’ve given up something for the sake of others without a seconds thought because that is just what you do. I’m sure we have all, at some point, had these moments. But there are other moments in our lives when we want to do something in which we will be seen as selfish and unkind and not what one should do, and other people will judge us for doing it. These are the moments which hold me back in life: the torn decision of do you do what you want and just not care, or do you do what other people think you should be doing and put up with a sacrifice?

Alright, so these kinds of situations are always dependant on the circumstances. For example, last year I didn’t fly down south to a friend’s 21^st birthday party because I needed the next weekend off from my job for the 48 hour film challenge I had been working towards with the team for a few months. It was slightly selfish, but completely understandable in my opinion. Then there are the not so understandable situations involving breaking up with someone “it’s not you, it’s me; I need to do things for myself for the rest of the year and you aren’t part of that”. And then doing a Hot Chelle Rae and going out for a party instead of moping around.

I bring this topic up in the beginning of January as people are desperately trying to stick to their New Year’s Resolutions (three days into the year). A common resolution is to make yourself number one in your life, but how do you accomplish this without the sin of being selfish? Because being selfish is, in my opinion, a horrible thing to be. I know I mused a few weeks ago about how New Year’s Resolution aren’t any good for us, but if you have decided to set yourself something along the lines of this one, then I will give you my one piece of blog advice.

As cliché as this will sound, we have one chance at life. I say go for it – party if you want to party, do what you need to do for you and forget other peoples voices – and the conscious ones in your head - if what you do makes you happy. From my so far life experience, I’ve learned it is just as tiring arguing with yourself and with others. However, while a sweet party with your mates to forget the ex you don’t care about is a pretty good idea, I do say to try do your thing without being selfish and pushing people away. It’s one thing to be having the time of your life, but it’s another thing to be doing it alone.