This movie is just grabbing me and screaming to the little boy I used to be,
“HELL YEAH!!!“
I have not been this excited for a movie in a VERY long time.
The feeling I have is what we geeks and nerds call a “nerdgasm.”
Any doubts I had about how Joss Whedon was going to do with this movie have been laid to rest.
Just clicky the picture below of Earth’s Mightiest Superheroes to view the trailer.
Avengers Assemble!
Today is a special day in music history and it is the subject of Music Monday.
On this day in 1967, Pink Floyd recorded their first song, “Arnold Layne” and then they released it on March 10, 1967. That song would eventually become part of their debut album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
I hope that most of my readers know who Pink Floyd are. They have been innovators in song-making and have influenced countless other musicians.
To celebrate the birth of their career, I’m going to feature my favorite Floyd songs – one from each album – spanning their long and fruitful time with us. I know Floyd has become famous for their fantastic light shows during their concerts, but I urge you for this post to put on some headphones and click the links to the audio only for each song. I have always thought that Pink Floyd can be best enjoyed that way.
From Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), I like “See Emily Play.” It’s not quite the Pink Floyd we have all come to love over the years, but I like it because it has that classic 60′s pop music sound that I associate with the decade. “See Emily Play” was not on the original UK release of Piper, but it did appear on the US release.
“Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” from A Saucerful of Secrets (1968), is a classic example of the “space-rock” sound that the early Floyd albums were popular for. The opening bass line of this song combined with the slow tom-tom beat has a spookiness to it that I really like.
Floyd’s next studio album was Ummagumma (1969) (yes, I know that if I was going in order the Soundtrack from the Film More would be next). Ummagumma was a double LP with the first record being live music and the second album consisting of mostly previously unreleased studio songs. It’s from the second LP I have made the choice of ”Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict.” Yeah it’s a mouthful, but it’s a pretty cool example of the band’s experimentation with sound. Without their exploration, we never would have heard their next few albums, including their album which holds a world record.
“Atom Heart Mother” from Atom Heart Mother (1970) is significant in that it is the first Pink Floyd song that is long. I’m talking 23 plus minutes long – taking up all of Side A on the LP. In it, you can hear the beginnings of what we all know as the “Classic Floyd Sound” – that slow and easy, almost minimalist sound.
Meddle (1971) is the earliest Pink Floyd album I actually own (coincidentally released in my birth year). I’m tempted to feature “One of These Days” because it rocks and it has the famous line – and only lyric, “One of these days, I’m going to cut you into little pieces.” However, it’s not my favorite song on the album. That honor goes to “Fearless.” Musically, I love it the sound, but more importantly the lyrics are hugely inspiring:
Pink Floyd’s next album, Obscured by Clouds (1972) is based on their soundtrack to the movie La Vallée. This is their only album I’m not familiar with so here’s the only single released from it, “Free Four.” This song deals with the death of Roger Water’s father – a theme Floyd began to explore in much more depth in the years to come.
Now it comes to what has been called the greatest rock album of all time. Dark Side of the Moon (1973) holds the record for length of time on the charts at 741 weeks, selling an impressive 50 million copies world-wide. Dark Side is Pink Floyd’s first concept album which explores themes including conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness. It is also their only album which has absolutely no acoustic guitar work. Choosing a song from an album which is designed to be listened to from beginning to end has been difficult but I offer “Us and Them,” a song which addresses the isolationism of depression.
Wish You Were Here (1975) is Floyd’s tribute to founding member and original song writer, Syd Barrett. Barrett left (or was thrown out of depending who you talk to) the band during the recording of their second album due to a deteriorating mental state. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is the main tribute to Barrett, but I like the intimacy of the title track much more. Here it is.
In 1977, the band released Animals, another concept album which was a scathing critique of the social-political conditions of 1970′s Britain. It was inspired by George Orwell’s book Animal Farm and has song titles named after animals: pigs, dogs and sheep. Here is “Sheep,” which I think has some of the best keyboard work by Richard Wright.
Pink Floyd’s last great album (my opinion, of course) was The Wall (1979). I’ll let Wikipedia speak on this one:
The Wall is a concept album, and deals largely with themes of abandonment and personal isolation. It was first conceived during the band’s 1977 In the Flesh Tour, when bassist and lyricist Roger Waters’ frustration with the spectators’ perceived boorishness became so acute that he imagined building a wall between the performers and audience. The album is a rock opera that centres on Pink, a character based on Waters or maybe Syd Barrett. Pink’s life experiences begin with the loss of his father during the Second World War, and continue with ridicule and abuse from his schoolteachers, an overprotective mother and finally, the breakdown of his marriage. All contribute to his eventual self-imposed isolation from society, represented by a metaphorical wall.
Just as with Dark Side of the Moon, I had a difficult time choosing a song from this album. I finally settled on “Comfortably Numb” because it was one of the few songs that made me want to pick up a guitar and learn how to play it.
Next is the album I like the least. The Final Cut (1983) is an anti-war album and the last one that founding member Roger Waters worked on with the band. It is an amalgam of discarded songs from The Wall and new material. Here is “When the Tigers Broke Free,” one of the songs that was rejected for The Wall (although it is in the movie). This song is significant in that it’s first availibilty was on the 2004 re-release of The Final Cut.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) is the first album by Pink Floyd in which Roger Waters took no part. It is also the first non-concept album by the band since Dark Side of the Moon. I never really warmed up to this album, but I love the song, “On The Turning Away.” Here it is.
Pink Floyd’s last studio album was The Division Bell (1994). The central theme of the album is that things can get better by talking about them. Here is “Keep Talking.”
I hope you have enjoyed this celebratory journey through the career of one of my favorite bands.
The eighth week of 2012 had a few milestones.
Music Monday was my 41st birthday and my 50th post at I Can’t Brain. I celebrated by stopping to enjoy the beauty we can see all around us with a moving story about violinist Joshua Bell.
On Thursday, I shared a few things I’ve heard here and there. All true, actual conversations. I also had a new article publish at Borderless News and Views. It’s called “Hot for Teacher.” You should go check it out.
For Fiction Friday, I sent out a request for help as to where you might think my story should be headed. I received two responses.
And Saturday, I Can’t Brain got an interactive facelift. Check out the Home Page to see how it looks and works.
That’s it! I’ve got a few cool things lined up for the coming week, so stay tuned!
I Can’t Brain got a face-lift overnight.
I hope that the new look and the interactive features are fun and easy to use.
I hope you all like it. It took some time to get it all right, but I think it’s pretty groovy.
Today’s Fiction Friday doesn’t have it’s own page. I had an idea the other day, wrote it down, liked it – but now I don’t know what to do with it. I need your help.
Please, leave a comment as to where you think the story could go from where I stopped. I don’t usually draw blanks like this, so I’m looking for some direction. Anything will help.
Here we go:
Lightning struck the ancient linden tree yesterday. The scar still smolders, though Eldar Jared tried his best to heal the wound. The people of the village have gone about their usual tasks today, though I can see the fear hidden in the depths of their eyes. That ancient tree, rent asunder during last night’s storm, had stood in the center of the village since it’s founding during my grandfather’s grandfather’s time. It was a totem of good, the protector of the village, the reason we had not yet succumbed to the Southern Darkness.
I can see the fear in their eyes.
The villagers are a hardy group: what else can they do but go about their day? To them it would do no good to hide cowering in root cellars until the Darkness comes. Better to work and await the inevitable that way.
Elder Jared has said the linden has lost it’s glow, that we are doomed and must atone before the end. He sits before the tree now, head bowed in prayer, alone. He could not heal the tree.
A storm approaches from the south. At this time of year, storms come from the west. It is the Darkness, coming to claim the last bastion of an ancient time when the glory of the Fae ruled this land. It comes for the tree.
Dark clouds pour overhead and the rumble of thunder rolls across the surrounding forest. The Southern Darkness comes and we are lost to the silent flash of lightning.
HOME
~ Middle child after eating all the carrots but not the peas on his plate: “I ate the carrots but not the peas. I hate peas. Does that mean I’m a vegetist?”
~ Middle child (13) on making a discovery: “I have hair ‘down there!’ I’m pubertizing!”
~ Youngest child (7) when asked what he wants for Christmas: “A PT Cruiser.”
~ Me when I couldn’t remember Michael Clarke Duncan’s name while watching The Finder: “Hey hon! Look! It’s that guy!” Her: “What guy?” Me: “That big black guy who always plays a big black guy.” Her: “I can’t believe you just said that.” Me: “Oh God. I’m going to hell, aren’t I?”
~ Mother-in-law: “The computer’s doing it again.” Me: “Doing what?” MIL: “The thingy popped up. I think MSN is broken.” Me: “MSN is broken?!” MIL: “Yeah, when the thing-a-ma-jig popped up it said the do-hickey was doing something.” Me: “What?!” MIL: “MSN broke my computer.”
~ My oldest (accident prone) son (16): “I want a driver’s licence.” Me: “No friggin’ way.” Him: “Why not?” Me: “You can’t even walk in a straight line.”
~ Me upon seeing that the middle child bought Adventure Time figures with his gift cards from Christmas: “What are those?” Him: “They’re my collecti-bibbels!”
~ My youngest: “Daddy, I want to play a game.” Me: “Ok, buddy, what game do you want to play?” Him: “Guess Who.” Me: “Guess Who?” Him: “Joe!” Me, as he runs away laughing: “Who the heck is Joe?!”
THE CIRCLE K
~ After handing the FEMALE cashier a stack of ones to cover 19-some-odd dollars: “What’d you do? Rob a stripper?” Me: “No, it’s my stripper start-up fund.”
ON THE PHONE
~ Me: “Ma, what the hell is that noise?” Mom: “I think your father’s breaking something.”
~ Me after playing Dungeons and Dragons Online with my father: “Dad, why didn’t you use any of your spells last night? They could have helped out a lot.” Dad: “I got rid of them.” Me: “What for? You kinda need them to play you character successfully.” Dad: “I couldn’t figure it out.”
~ My dad after I explained how to use spells in DDO: “I got rid of my character.” Me: “Why?” Dad: “It got too hard to play him.” Me: “Did you use your spells?” Dad: “No.” Me: “But I told you how.” Dad: “Yeah, I know. I still couldn’t figure it out. I made a Ranger instead.” Me: “Ok, that should be easier for you. Just remember, Rangers can start using spells at level 4.” Dad: ” *groan* “
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
– from “Leisure,” by W.H. Davies
Today’s Music Monday is something special. It’s my 50th post at I Can’t Brain and it’s also my 41st birthday.
On November 13, 2011, I started this blog. I had no idea what I really wanted to do with it (a common theme among bloggers, I noticed) and didn’t publish my second post until almost a month later on December 6th.
Roughly three months later, I have a vague direction for the blog and a much more focused direction for my life.
And all it took was 50 blog posts.
I’ve learned a lot in the short time I’ve been blogging, chief of which (don’t scoff if this sounds conceited) is that I received validation on my skills as a writer – something I didn’t even know I needed.
In this short time, I’ve guest posted on two blogs (because the blog owners asked me to) and I received a regular writing gig for a news blog.
I’ve gained 71 followers to my blog and average 30 views a day.
Not bad for just starting out, I’d say.
I hope so much more will happen for me by the time I reach 100 posts. I say “hope” because as I go along – blogging, researching and writing a novel – I find that I am easily distracted. Distracted by Twitter, Facebook, Google+, blog linkups and watching the view count on my blog.
Well it’s time to put an end to all the distractions. It’s time to focus and enjoy what is around me.
My wife pointed out an article to me (she’s very good at subtly letting me know when I’ve become derailed) that appeared in The Washington Post a few years ago. The article, called “Pearls Before Breakfast,” won a Pulitzer and you’ll see why.
Gene Weingarten, a Washington Post Staff Writer, pitched an idea to violinist Joshua Bell. The idea was for Bell to dress in street clothes, play his violin at a crowded, rush-hour subway stop in Washington DC and see what happened. Bell readily agreed.
You may already know what happened. This story is from 2007. Before I continue, you must get an idea of the caliber of Bell’s playing. Here’s a video of Bell playing J.S. Bach’s “Chaconne” from Partita No.2 in D Minor. It’s not the full 14 minutes, but it’s enough to see what he played that day at L’Enfant Plaza.
I know, right!?! The guy is amazing!
This is from the Washington Post article:
Bell decided to begin with “Chaconne” from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor. Bell calls it “not just one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history. It’s a spiritually powerful piece, emotionally powerful, structurally perfect. Plus, it was written for a solo violin, so I won’t be cheating with some half-assed version.”
Bell didn’t say it, but Bach’s “Chaconne” is also considered one of the most difficult violin pieces to master. Many try; few succeed. It’s exhaustingly long — 14 minutes — and consists entirely of a single, succinct musical progression repeated in dozens of variations to create a dauntingly complex architecture of sound. Composed around 1720, on the eve of the European Enlightenment, it is said to be a celebration of the breadth of human possibility.
If Bell’s encomium to “Chaconne” seems overly effusive, consider this from the 19th-century composer Johannes Brahms, in a letter to Clara Schumann: “On one stave, for a small instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thoughts and most powerful feelings. If I imagined that I could have created, even conceived the piece, I am quite certain that the excess of excitement and earth-shattering experience would have driven me out of my mind.”
Bell played for about 45 minutes. He started with the “Chaconne” and ended with the “Chaconne.” He played a total of six songs on a violin made by the famous Antonio Stradivari in 1713.
The violin is valued at approximately 3.5 million dollars.
In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run — for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look.
Yeah, crazy, huh?
One man recognized that what he was hearing was something very special and listened for quite some time. One woman actually recognized Bell.
Other than that, he was essentially ignored.
Except by children.
There was no ethnic or demographic pattern to distinguish the people who stayed to watch Bell, or the ones who gave money, from that vast majority who hurried on past, unheeding. Whites, blacks and Asians, young and old, men and women, were represented in all three groups. But the behavior of one demographic remained absolutely consistent. Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away.
It’s sad to me what happened with this experiment. I can be completely honest in saying that when I lived in Boston and took the subway to work everyday, I would throw a couple of dollars to any performers who happened to be there. I would also listen for a few minutes each time. Sometimes, I would be surprised and thoroughly entertained. I still remember a young kid who played a beautiful version of The Beatles “Norwegian Wood” on guitar. It sits with me still because he made that guitar sound like an entire band. It was impressive.
Little gems of beauty can be found everywhere if you stop to look.
I’m going to take a lesson from those kids who heard Joshua Bell play at L’Enfant Plaza in 2007. Life is too short not to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us all.
I just couldn't stay away!
Only three posts this last week, so let’s jump right to it!
On Music Monday, I introduced one of my favorite guitarists, Antoine Dufour. Chock full of videos, that post was a multi-media experience!
Wednesday I got a bit whiny about not having time to write all I want to write.
I posted a short piece for Fiction Friday.
That’s all for I Can’t Brain, but it’s not all I did this past week. On Thursday, my debut article for Borderless News and Views was published. Called Normalizing Mormon or Marketing Mitt?, I explore the possibility that the recent Mormon Church ad campaign was started to help Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
Tune in to BNV every Thursday at 9AM EST for a new article by yours truly.
Tomorrow is a big day. Music Monday will be my 50th post for I Can’t Brain!! It’ll be a special day.
Oh, it’s also my birthday, so I guess there’s that, too.
Another Fiction Friday has arrived and today I present a short piece I wrote as an exercise.
I read Madeleine L’Engle’s book in grade school. It was the only time I read it and I don’t really remember it that much. But I do remember the tesseract, or wormhole, concept.
I wish I could use a tesseract now. Going back in time – just to gain a few hours a day – would be a much needed miracle.
Again.
But I plan to finish this one.
The problem is that I just don’t have enough time to work on it.
I need quiet to write.
No distractions or interruptions.
I rarely get it.
I have roughly five and a half hours when there are no kids in the house. That removes much of the noise and distraction.
Closing the door to my office bedroom gets rid of some of the other interruptions. (Sorry, Janet).
Ok, now that I have the ideal writing conditions, it’s time to work on my book, right?
Wrong.
Now I have to keep up with social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ because I’m still in the “marketing me” phase of writing.
I have to participate in blog linkups because I’m still the “marketing me” phase.
And my marketing has paid off – I got a regular writing gig for Borderless News and Views. My first article will publish tomorrow morning. (Shameless plug, I know.)
But writing for BNV isn’t going to put bread on the table so I still have to market.
Since I’m using my blog as my primary showcase of my writing, I have to post regularly and keep it fresh.
So my five and a half hour writing day is filled by SM marketing, writing for my blog and writing for BNV (which requires a hefty dose of research, by the way).
Where’s the time to work on my book?
At night after the kids are asleep?
Nope. I’m too spent at that point to write anything.
On the weekends?
Nope. I have children, remember?
What am I supposed to do? Ideas? Thoughts?
Sorry for being whiny – this is really bothering me and my inability to find a solution is frustrating.
