Monday, July 14, 2008

Ten Things About Me and Music...

1. I can’t sing to save my life. I sound like Cameron Diaz singing, but a great deal worse. I won’t sing ‘Happy Birthday’ because I'm a courteous person and won’t subject the people around me to that type of torture. I will, however, play Sing Star on Play Station or Karaoke Revolution on Wii, but only if the microphones are all the way down and the volume on the stereo is equivalent to that of a bull horn.

2. The first concert I ever went to was K.I.S.S., in Des Moines, Iowa, when I was about thirteen. The last concert I attended was Projekt Revolution in 2007. We took my 14 year old nephew, it was his first concert (loved that we were the ones to bring him) and saw Mindless Self Indulgence, My Chemical Romance, Placebo and Linkin Park. And yes, I stood in line for over an hour to get autographs from Placebo…well because I love ‘em and the beer stand was right next to the line.

3. My favorite genre of music is Alternative.

4. I love a great guitarist. Some of my favorites are Jeff Beck, Brian May, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

5. I took piano lessons for a few years as a kid and all I remember is chopsticks. I also took violin in high school to get out of home room, and although I liked it I opted to ditch that class, well, because I could.

6. The CD I’m currently addicted to and can’t get enough of is ‘In Rainbows’ by RadioHead.

7. I used to listen to Led Zeppelin in high school but simply can not stand to hear them now and I don’t know why.

8. I used to own a CD of tribal music with lots of percussion and wind instruments that could just lull me to sleep. It freaked my Fraughter out. At the time we had to share a room so I would put that CD in as we were going to sleep just to mess with her (I guess it was a payback thing for her being a tween and all at the time).

9. I don’t own an MP3 player, an IPod, a Zune or anything remotely similar. I have never downloaded a song and wouldn’t have the faintest clue how. I have an impairment of most current technology (Come on, I did just get my first, very own, computer).

10. My favorite band of all time is Queen. I love every song by them, with the exception of any sung by Roger Taylor, the drummer, as lead. It makes me very sad that I never did or ever will see them live. My favorite song by them, sung with David Bowie, is ‘Under Pressure’. Oh and I only have ten of their CD’s, but I’m determined to own them all.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like a bit of alternative music too. I used to sing professionally in a jazz band but haven't sung for years. I play piano and guitar but would love to have the time to practise more so I can play like my idol, Leon Russell. I also love a great guitarist. My favourite guitarist of all time is Jimi Hendrix. I also like Linkin Park and Placebo. I also don't own an MP3 player or an iPod but I do download songs onto my computer which I hook up to the stereo. My favourite band at the moment is Queens Of The Stone Age but I do listen to a bit of everything. So nice to learn more about you. You have great taste in music.

Unknown said...

This past Spring I was in London with my youngest son. We got to see 4 shows in the 10 days we were there. One of those shows was "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Obviously, Queen weren't in the show, but it was all their music and it was GREAT. Just GREAT.

I relaize you're more into Rock whereas my tastes run more to Folk, but there is a guitarist out there named Bruce Cockburn (singer/songwriter, actually) with a CD called "Speechless" which is just fantastic. He is an amazing guitarist.

Expat No. 3699 said...

Selma:
Not only are you a wonderful writer, but you sing and play piano and guitar too? You were blessed with many talents.

Expat No. 3699 said...

LceeL:
That concert must have been great. I just Googled Bruce Cockburn and listened to a little bit, I'll have to check him out when I'm not at work and have more time.

Michael C said...

This was all very good to learn! I got an Ipod at the end of last year and it changed my life. Once I learned how to use it, that is...

And sorry about my lottery number gaffe. I really thought 'g' was the pick that was going to put you over the top so much to the point that in your gratefulness you'd share some of your winnings with me. Uh, oops.

Expat No. 3699 said...

Michael C:
Had you provided the numbers in question I would definitely have shared the booty. However, since that did not occur we are both stuck in our cubes...

Whitney said...

Interesting little factoids! This was a fun post.

Anonymous said...

I came to your blog through Selma & Michael C because the comments you leave them are really funny....as was this post!

Nice to meet you Employee No. 3699 (or Linda)

I will be back to this blog. Often.

Megan said...

# 1 TOTALLY made me laugh out loud ((at work, they're going to think i'm crazy!))--espeically the part about singing "Happy Birthday". I'm sure you don't have a bad voice! I love reading your posts.

Expat No. 3699 said...

Glamorous Life...:
Hey there Whitney, are you planning on making me a pie with all those berries you picked this weekend?

Meleah Rebeccah:
Thanks for stopping by!

Megan said...

Yes, I am buying it online. The living room furniture is from roomstogo.com (which is really neat because it has "sets" that you can buy, that already has things matched up and has a little discount on the price buying it as a set) --The bedroom set is from bedroomfurniturenmore.com (and has the same deal with the sets) Planning on making some changes to your house!? :)

Anonymous said...

You don't want to get me started about this. I have a few vodkas in my basement and listen to all kinds of music on Friday nights, which both restores me to sanity and gives me way too many opinions about music.

I also had a radio show (briefly) and played the drums, etc., etc.

It gets embarassing after a while.

Expat No. 3699 said...

Megan:
Let me clear this up for you...Yes, I do, that is why I'm so great at lip syncing 'Happy Birthday'.

Richard Whackman:
Yeah, it's Friday nights for me too. Except it's beer and not vodka. I'd like to hear about that radio show...

Badass Geek said...

We are going to be good friends. I love me some Stevie Ray Vaughn. Led Zeppelin is one of my favorites, too.... And I can't sing worth crap.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

1. "Volume on the stereo...a bull horn." Yep. Me too, sweetie!

2. Damn. You are so cool. K.I.S.S. was so friggin' cool. Me? Bon Jovi. Ah, sweet memories. And Linkin Park? In concert? You saw them? So jealous...

3. OK, see? We're twins. I'm convinced.

4. Check out Victor Wooten. Bassist. He's amazing.

5. Piano, clarinet. Yep. Still can't play either very well.

6. The Iron Man soundtrack is pretty amazing with a lot of heavy guitar work.

7. Never was a big Led Zeppelin fan.

8. That's the whole reason for owning some CDs. The freak-out factor.

9. We so need to get you an iPod. You'd be addicted.

10. Queen was utterly amazing! I concur!

Thanks for the list, hon!

Expat No. 3699 said...

Badass Geek:
Yes, like Queen, I will never get to see Stevie Ray Vaughan in concert (tears), though I did date a guy who saw him at his last concert at the Alpine Music Theater here in Illinois.

CMGD:
Yes, we must be twins. I'll have to check out Victor Wooten. Hey, and maybe you're not so good at the piano or clarinet...but how 'bout the dulcimer?

Anonymous said...

How can you NOT like Led Zeppelin????? Perhaps it brings back some not so fond memories from the teenage years - hee!hee!
My favorite music from long ago was the buzzing of the damned mosquitoes in your tree house when we'd sleep in there (I kid! I kid!) If I had to choose a genre it would be classic rock. But I'll listen to about anything, with the exception of opera, which seriously makes me gag.
HUGS!
Oh, and I really thought you played that piano that was parked in your dining room all those years. Guess I was wrong.

Expat No. 3699 said...

cuz'n carol:
Uh, Led Zeppelin...do you remember the mural I painted on my bedroom wall at the age of 15? No, it doesn't bring back any bad memories of my teenage years...that I remember. Just don't like 'em anymore. No sir, don't like em.

Yeah, the mosquitoes, great times!

sybil law said...

I'm that way about the Beatles. I can hear their songs now, I just don't openly seek them, you know?!
This is a great post!
I played piano and violin. Bizarre!
I can't sing, but I have excellent tone and I can harmonize well. Or so I've been told.
Oh - and mmmm... beer....
:)

Anonymous said...

Oh god...the tribal cassette!! That tape had the x-files theme song on it. That was the one that would scare me! Remember the crazy lady who lived across the hall in that apartment? Theres a blog topic for ya!

Anonymous said...

Of course, I give a hoot! Especially when it comes to your love for music. It's funny... Queen is my all-time fave as well and have been influenced heavily by Brian May in my playing style. Saw Satriani and Vai 15 years ago at a NAMM show. Vai threw his pick out and since I was right in front of him, I caught it! Saw KISS at the Dodger Stadium with Smashing Pumpkins. Memorable days, indeed!

See ya later ~ Chris

RiverPoet said...

Howdy - I've just been reading through all of your posts that I have saved on BlogLines, so you'll be seeing random comments from me here and there.

I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I love your insight, your sense of humor, your recipes, and your lists.

I also love that you love Queen. They were my favorite band for a very long time, and they are still a large part of my music collection. I saw them during the "Night at the Opera" tour, when Thin Lizzy opened for them. My brother and Mom took, my best friend and I. There was nothing sexier in my young, hormone-ridden mind than Freddie Mercury in tights. I didn't care if he preferred men. He was hot! Being in the same building with him nearly sent me over the edge.

And yeah, I love alternative music and guitar players, too. I married one, after all. John Mayer is a current favorite of mine. His Continuum CD is wonderful and showcases his guitar playing in a fabulous way.

Radiohead? Loves me some Radiohead. I saw them at the Tibetan Freedom concert in the late 90s, along with R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a bunch of Tibetan monks! Cool stuff.

I'll be around. Love your blog. Did I say that already?

D

Nej said...

I'm a drums gal myself. Dated drummers, love listening to drummers......

KISS in Des Moines, eh? My first concert was Rick Springfield I think. :-)