London Calling

“London calling to the faraway towns
Now that war is declared-and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, all you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look at us
All that phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing”

London Calling – The Clash

This blog is not about the actual meaning of London Calling – which is said to be about world events including "a nuclear error" to the incident at Three Mile Island, which occurred earlier in 1979. No, this blog is jumping on the bandwagon of the biggest sports event right now – the 2012 London Olympics.

I’m so excited the Olympics are here. As one of many, many self-confessed sports nuts in the world, there is no better place to see high level sports action than the Olympics. These are the elite, the best of the best, and the ones who are dedicated enough to spend hours training, overcoming disappointment and injury, and competing to qualify, who have made it to the top of the world sports stage. And then there are a few events between them and that long time dreamed of podium finish. From rowing to athletics, field hockey to cycling, there are 10,000 athletes competing. And, noticed I picked four sports us Kiwi’s are expected to excel at? Yep, the Olympics are the time to get behind your country and show your support. Is there any better feeling of national pride than hearing your country’s national anthem following a gold medal win?

Speaking of anthems, did anyone pick up on the fantastic British songs spanning 100 years used in the opening ceremony? Paul McCartney singing Hey Jude (despite a bit of a mess up), Dizzee Rascal, The Beatles and Sex Pistols. It almost turned the opening ceremony into more of a musical spectacle – almost, except the flaming Olympic Rings were soon to remind us what we were celebrating. Music was just a fantastic accompaniment.

But that’s just what music can be – an assistance, an enhancement, a thing to fill in a bit of time. Whether you need to music to help you do the dusting, raise a societal point like The Clash, or take your London 2012 Olympic Ceremony to the next level, music is your go to, number one, and most reliable best friend. 

And .... Go New Zealand!!!

Good As Gold

“People who mind don’t matter
People who matter don’t mind at all
Oh oh, Oh oh
So do what you want
Be who you wanna be
Go where you want to
Who you wanna see
Just be yourself
You’re good as gold”

Good as Gold – Katie Thompson

It’s time to get back to home grown roots (and let’s be honest, the Kiwi music dedicated last blog of the month is always my favourite), and what better way then to give a nod to with fresh faced singer Katie Thompson. I should have blogged about this song ages ago, as Katie was kind enough to send me a free copy of her track just for following her on Twitter – cheers Katie! But who wouldn’t follow a sweet Kiwi chick who embraces the Kiwi spirit in one song and gives our music industry some country flair?

Our New Zealand chicks seem to love creating music about the ways in which New Zealand cultures works. Good as Gold, much like Jamie McDell’s song You’ll Never Take That Away on which I blogged about in May, is really about not caring what people think and doing your own thing – who cares if you’re having a glass of wine in the middle of the day as long as you are surrounded by those who mean a lot to you. And, really, who can argue with a song in which the chorus reminds us of that Dr Seuss quote we were always been told as kids?

I wonder if this need to incorporate these lyrics of wisdom with a nice, upbeat melody is because people need to be reminded to be themselves. Over the past few months I feel I have repeated the be yourself / do what you want / no one else should matter / people don’t need to care about what you think message a numerous amount of times, because it is so predominant in songs. Do we live in a society where we need to be constantly reminded to be themselves? Well, yes, because if you can’t think of a time you’ve hesitated about doing something because of what your peer thought, you’d be lying to yourself. So is it up to our musicians to remind us of this?

Honestly, I don’t have an answer. I like songs that remind us to be ourselves, because I think it is an important message. But if you want to take a step back and just enjoy a sweet, happy song by one of our lovely Kiwi lasses, then do it. After all, do what you want and be who you wanna be. 

Radio Ga Ga

“So don't become some background noise
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio - radio

All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah blah
Radio what's new?
Radio, someone still loves you”

Radio Ga Ga – Queen

I love the radio. In saying this, it would be a bit odd for me not to like radio as I have spent the past four months, and will spent the next four months, studying the industry inside and out with hopes of getting a full time job at the end of the year. So, my wonderful blog readers, brace yourselves for a blog which is so pro radio it will make you want to switch on a station and sigh with relief (hopefully).

Queen’s song Radio Ga Ga is said to be a commentary on television coming into everyday lives by the 1980’s (when the song was released) and radio taking a backseat: a very, very far back backseat. As people’s attention turned to a box with pretty flashing colours, the dial which had originally been so precious seemed to be spending more time in the off position. Instead of being captivated by The War of the Worlds and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, it was the sitcoms such as I Dream of Jeannie and Get Smart which society was paying more attention to. And now, in the 21^st Century, there is more chatter of the internet becoming predominant over the radio and the FM dial is in danger of becoming nothing more than static.  

But that’s all it has ever been – chatter (and a rather good song from Queen). From the television to the internet, radio has not only survived the threats of these new media industries, but have adapted with it and made sure radio does not shrink. People can’t call in to complain on TV One, but Newstalk ZB makes sure you have your say with their talkback segments. As for internet – you missed a bit of a radio show? Simply check out the online podcast. And radio, our dear friend radio, is still the number one secondary activity, as it keeps you company while you go about your everyday life. See, radio? We still love you.

On a different note, isn’t it a tad ironic when radio stations play this song? 

Tribute

“And we played the first thing that came to our heads,
Just so happened to be,
The Best Song in the World, it was The Best Song in the World.

Look into my eyes and it's easy to see
One and one make two, two and one make three,
It was destiny.
Once every hundred-thousand years or so,
When the sun doth shine and the moon doth glow
And the grass doth grow...”

Tribute – Tenacious D

You know when you go and see a band live and you wait with eager anticipation for that one song which you love and you know the crowd will go crazy for? Tribute is one of those songs. I saw the D duo play Tribute when they opened for Foo Fighters, and they kicked into the track about halfway through their set. As predicted, the crowd went nuts and it was the most insane mosh I have ever been in. Amazing.

To be fair, Tribute actually doesn’t make a lot of sense. I mean, you could try decipher the story of meeting a demon on the road with your brother and just happening to sing the greatest song ever written ... but this isn’t it, this is just a tribute. Then again, when does anything by Tenacious D ever make sense? One Note Song, anyone? Tenacious D have made a living, and gathered a following, through not making a lot of sense but sounding particularly awesome.

Allow me to take a moment of seriousness amongst the madness which is Tenacious D. As usual with my thoughts which translate into these blogs, I’m going to switch up the meaning of Tribute. When they say “this is not the greatest song in the world, no, this is just a tribute”, it got me thinking. As I detailed in last week’s blog, I find it impossible to pick just one song to be my favourite, and I’m not going to start trying now. So ... this is a tribute to all the songs out there which we individually find the greatest in the world.

Furthermore, this particular blog is a tribute to those who have said something nice to me today. It’s a tribute to those who have read my blog over the past six months and supported me. It’s also a tribute to all the blogs which will surely come. Take it how you will - it's a tribute. 

Wonderwall

“Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall”

Wonderwall – Oasis

Wonderwall is song two from the list of my top six songs. It is, quite simply, a fantastic song. The lead singer of Oasis, Liam Gallagher sounds amazing, the instrumental compliments the song and it walks the fine line between being sombre, and being whiny and suicidal perfectly. But these reasons are not the reason Wonderwall is one of my favourite songs.

Three years ago I was lucky enough to visit South Korea with around 120 other people who I had never met before. We had a week together in a foreign country with little in common. Throughout the week we broke down cultural barriers and I formed some fantastic friendships. We would bicker about the differences between our countries – the stand on being whether you call it Twink, Tip-Ex or White Out – but these were so quickly quashed by the fact that the air in Korea bought together a bunch of people who would probably not glance twice at each other had they never met.

On one of our last days in South Korea my bus, bus number one, had a bit of a sing along. The Brits sung The Beatles, the Aussies sung Waltzing Matilda and us Kiwi’s sung Baa Baa Black Sheep. And then, just when we thought the singing would be over, the Brits came back with a classic. I remember one of them grabbing the microphone and starting with the opening lyrics to Wonderwall. A few lines in “I don’t believe anybody feels the way I do about you now” kicked in, the whole bus, to my amazement, was singing along to this one song.

What struck me that day was the power of a single song. It could bring people together, people who had only known each other for a few days, and make them act like they had so much in common. It was special, and to this day, three years after it happened, I have never felt more connected with anybody through a song.

Wonderwall, like many, many great songs, is universally known. While we live in a society where most things can reach a global scale via the internet – indeed, this blog has readers as far away as American and England – it still amazes me that people can have be connected through something as simple as a song. 

It's Time

“All of us saw our hearts fall
As this city crumbled down
But we continue to stand tall
We’re not leaving this ground

For all the tears that we shed
For all the holes that we’ve filled
We learnt to smile instead
Because it’s time
Because it’s time
To rebuild”

It’s Time – Will Frost

February 22 2011 is a day cemented in New Zealanders. Following the earthquake in September 2010 when, thank goodness, no one was killed, and the continuous aftershocks which continued to rattle Christchurch, there was a thought in the back of New Zealand’s mind there might just be another big one. We hoped and prayed it wouldn’t happen, but it came, and took 185 lives and left a city in ruins. Last week I visited Christchurch to see the damage for myself.  Nearly a year and a half later, the impacts of the earthquake are still staring in your face, and as I wandered through the city and looked at fallen down buildings, vacant houses and a half crumbled Cathedral, I wondered how Christchurch could ever recover.

But as I wandered the city and fought back a few tears, I saw signs of hope around the city. There would be a flower here and there. There were posters along barbed wire which reminded people to be happy and to think positively. As I left the crumbled city centre, I saw a man standing at the edge of the city, playing a harmonica and brightening up a mass of rubble. There are signs of hope for Christchurch away from the city as individuals strive to rebuild the city they call home. Take Sam Johnson, a young man who is inspiring to me and has earned the respect of a country. Sam heads the Student Army and makes sure there are people, young people, to clean up and remove rubbish when more earthquakes hit. Check his work out here: http://www.samjohnson.co.nz/. Sam has just started another project; Ministry of Awesome, where he is encouraging people to send in their awesome ideas to help rebuild the city. Check it out: www.ministryofawesome.com. Sam – you thoroughly deserved Young New Zealander of the Year 2012.

And then there are people who give their message through music. It’s Time is a song which Will Frost says is dedicated to the people of Christchurch. He talks about the rebuild and the way in which the people of Christchurch have shouldered the earthquakes and the struggles and come through to the place they are now. It’s Time was written as part of the Festival of Flowers and was themed ‘colour me beautiful Christchurch, creation of new life’. While Will did not win, this song nevertheless shows the ways in which music can be used to bring something, or someone, through to a new life no matter what heartache has been endured. I don’t know if I would be able to withstand Christchurch, the constant shakes and the painfulness of seeing a dark spot where the CBD no longer operates. But through the help of the dedicated and brave Christchurch people, the city has begun to move forward and stand tall and, somehow, learned to smile again.

Kia Kaha, Christchurch. 

Smells Like Teen Spirit

“Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low 
Hello, Hello, Hello 

With the lights out, it's less dangerous 
Here we are now, entertain us 
I feel stupid and contagious 
Here we are now, entertain us”

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana

Last week I got chatting to a bunch of mates about music artists who were “gone too soon”. We discussed Buddy Holly, Gram Parsons and Sam Cooke, and all those members of the infamous 27 club – Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and, of course, the man who is said to have changed music through grunge rock, Kurt Cobain.

Kurt Cobain was a rebel and an idol to those who wanted to fight mainstream and order. He was the musical figure for Generation X, much like The Beatles in the 1960’s. That is, until all the attention became a bit much and he ended his own life. Now, Smells Like Teen Spirit is played as a reminder of grunge rock and a tribute to a man who managed to change a generation through music. The song has been covered so many times as people tried to connect with a man who never really seemed like he wanted to be connected with.

According to Cobain’s band mate Dave Grohl, Cobain never really focused on the lyrics of his music and instead pulled together melodies, and became frustrated when people tried to pick apart his lyrics because they weren’t important. I’m not going to do it here, because, quite frankly, all I know about Smells Like Teen Spirit is that it is a kick ass rock song with a lot of punch and pulls a finger to the authorities. But it makes me wonder: how is this a song for our generation when Cobain himself said his songs are filled with contradictions? And how is it we worship a man who took his own life before he’d reached 30 and supposedly never really loved himself? It seems no one, not even Dave Grohl or Country Love, knew who Kurt Cobain really was.

When I was chatting about the “gone too soon” club, we kept mentioning “what else could they have done” in terms of making more music. Would they have continued to create more music, would they have turned into cliché rock stars, or would they have spiralled further down their destructive paths until they reached a point where making good music was no longer a priority?

We’ll never know what they might have done. We’ll never know exactly what Cobain was thinking that night when he took his own life. Cobain said himself his message and artistic vision were always misinterpreted – we’d probably just mistake his comments. My opinion? Less thinking, and more enjoying the great music they did leave us with; here’s Smells Like Teen Spirit.