Thursday, March 02, 2006

Peek into my ipod

I think I'm the most musically inclined non-musician you will ever meet. The only instrument I can play is the recorder. And while I'm sure I can still wow the party-goers with my rendition of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" AND "Hot Cross Buns" (oh yeah baby....I know 'em both), that's about as far as my skills go when it comes to creating music.

In my opinion, music is the most powerful medium of art. And here is my proof that it creates the most passion - babies are conceived during good songs and bad movies. It's true isn't it? If you're looking to score, you turn on good music. But all the babies that were conceived at the drive in....how good could that movie have been? Probably not very memorable. I'm just sayin'....

Anyway, I am a deeply passionate music lover. This is how you know I love music even more than I love dance...I was a dancer who never competed. I hate competition. But I LOVED dancing. I loved that if a piece of music was so incredible, I could completely immerse myself in it with dance. I think it was my love for music that manifested into a love of dance. Most dancers will probably confess that for them, it's the other way around. But for me, dance was always about expressing music.

And my musical influences have been pretty far and wide. Both of my Grandfather's were such music lovers that it's music that comes to mind first and foremost when I remember them. My Grandpa Webb always had Big Band or Crooner music playing and my Grandpa Weiss was a talented Cornet player, president of SERM and on the board for the L.A. Jazz Festival.

Neither of my parents played an instrument but I still credit them both for some of my musical tastes. Now most of what my Mom listened to is usually what subjects me to ridicule. But she, my sister and myself do not care. We like Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers and The Carpenters, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and of course...ELVIS! We're proud of it. Even if our husbands all hang their heads in shame (although Erick is a closet Neil Diamond fan, of that I'm sure). My Dad gets credit for introducing me to a love for The Beach Boys, Weird Al Yankovich and just about every band worth noting from the 60's and 70's. One time Erick asked me which era I considered to be the greatest rock era. Hands down, the late 60's, early 70's. I really latched on to the hippy mentality when I was a teenager and I think my Dad liked that part of my teen years (that might be the only part of my teen years he liked! LOL!) It's not that I was a total liberal but that I enjoyed the history of the 60's and 70's. And since that was a time he remembered well, we always had some great conversations about it. I remember when I was 18, my friend Linda and I went to Oregon to visit my Mom. We were going to fly to San Francisco and meet up with my Dad and Uncle later in the week. My Dad mailed me some cash for the trip and he included a note that read "I'll see you in San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair." (A reference to the song "San Francisco by Scott McKenzie") and I remember thinking how cool my Dad was because he "got" my musical tastes. I believe I still have that note. = D

Side Note: I was actually AT The Haight the day that Jerry Garcia died. That was a trip.

And without a doubt, friends and boyfriends played a big part in my musical tastes as well. In the 8th grade, my friend Rhonda introduced me to Concrete Blonde and that's when I started choosing my music instead of just listening to whatever Rick Dees told me to listen to. My freshman year, I became "a hesher" and ALL we cared about was heavy metal (though I was more of a glam rock girl). And sophomore year I started dating David who introduced me to the glory of KROQ and alternative music. Thanks to Asef, I joined and later became the president of the Music Appreciation Club and we booked local bands for lunch time concerts at the school, finishing off the year with our own version of Lollapalooza (we had a clever name for it....why can't I remember it??) Dan bought me my first Oingo Boingo cd. Ryan got me hooked on Tool. Zach introduced me to Moonwash Symphony. One night, when I was maybe 19, my friend Susan and I sat in her car for HOURS as she introduced me to the world of musical theater. We listened to all of Miss Saigon and Les Mis. Miss Saigon is still to this day my favorite musical theater show (I've seen it twice already and wouldn't mind seeing it again!) And then I met Erick (it's only fitting I should actually MARRY a musician right?) Open up the flood gates of music. You have never seen a music collection like his (and while it was impressive when we started dating, who knew I'd be cursing it as I dusted each cd years later?) Everything from Caedmon's Call to Rent to Plumb to Rich Mullins to Martin Page to Marc Cohn to Collective Soul to Moby....and he's still introducing me to new artists that I love. I've even influenced him a bit as well. For one, I got him to like The Cure. When he saw Robert Smith rip out "The Kiss" on his electric guitar, he had to admit that he's a hell of a musician, even if he does sing like a pansy. And I even got Erick to come to the dark side and listen to a little country. When I showed him the Big & Rich video for "Save a Horse" and they flashed metal AND there were midgets....well he was sold!

But I digress...

What I'm saying is...when you buy an ipod and you load up your favorites, you get to really review your musical tastes and I've decided that I really like my musical history. I like that my ipod is a collection of influences from people I've known in my life. I think that's a cool little detail about this gadget that you don't realize at first. It's almost like your musical yearbook.

So anyway, if you want to see what is currently on my ipod, click on the image below. I do change it up. And since my ipod only fits 500 songs, I had to be VERY selective. Here's what made the original cut for the first few months:


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{Recent LOs}

Because of You

Credits: "Rainy Day" papers by my talented friend Traci Murphy. Pattern stitch by Fhung Lie. Happy Border stamp by Nancie Rowe Janitz. Fonts are Janelle Script, Susie's Hand.

Discover
This LO was created for the Simple Style Scrap at SBB.

Credits: "Spring Sorbet" papers created by talented artist and up and coming digital designer Christine Haskell. Crystals from Gina Miller's "Weathered & Worn: XOXO" element pack and flower from her Pretty Petals collection. Angel Hair strokes by Fhung Lie. Stitching by C. Smith. Alpha by Robin Carlton. Font is Janelle Script.

Chatting with Lukey

Credits: Everything is from the gorgeous "Soft" kit by Carrie Stephens at Fishscraps. Inked edge action from Atomic Cupcake. Font is SF-JWoodbury created by my super cool friend Jenn.

And speaking of Fishscraps Carrie is having a sale that is only through TOMORROW! So stop on by and load up on her gorgeous kits. My favorite kit of hers (so far) is definitely the "Soft" kit that I used for the previous LO. But I also loved "Love Potion" and "Shine" and I'm anxious to work with "Bellisima" soon! Check 'em out!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG Hot Cross Buns! LOL I bet I would still remember how to play it if I actually owned a recorder.

Hey listen, I love Mr. Manilow too. It's Dolly Parton where I draw the line. ROFL!

That's so ironic because that is MY favorite musical period too. That's not the irnoic part of course because a lot of people like late 60's rock who weren't even born then. I just mean that my love for that music and the Beatles really helped my Dad and I have a stronger bond during my HS years. Music baby! And that is such a cool note your Dad left you!

Oh great. I leave this entry tonight with a total hippy-vibe and I want to dive back into everything 60's and 70's. Do you know what I do when I feel this way? I read "Helter Skelter". Do you SEE what you have DONE? LOL I've been wanting to re-read it for a while now. Maybe I'll go look for my copy.......

OMG! I so canNOT read this security code! All of the letters are mashed together. WTF?

Anonymous said...

I am so with ya on the music thing Shannon. It's definitely a powerful art. I so wish I could dance. LOL Love your taste in music and I've never thought of it quite that way but it's true about the ipod being kindof a picture of your music history. I always think of music with my grandfather too. He used to play the saw and sing beautifully and there are so many hymns that I can't get all the way through singing in church without tears in my eyes.

Thanks for the comment on my blog header last night. You'll have to check it out today sometime. ;)

LadyHAHA said...

The Carpenters and Elvis RULED ALL!!!! Don't be ashamed. I'm a total 70's fan..more alongside the disco crap though. (talk about hanging your head in shame) Like Donna Summer, KC & The Sunshine Band and the ROYALTY of disco. ABBA BABY!!!

Man, did Rhonda influence us ALL with our musical tastes. I remember that she was the one that got me to like "Violent Femmes." That girl was ahead of her time.

...and yes WOMAN I will email you a pic of the wedding dress. (ugh) Please note that the email will self destruct after five minutes....:D

Julie Jewels said...

I love that you know who introduced you to what! I can't even remember the names of the people I hung out with in high school. Of course I've been out of high school a *bit* longer than you, so I'm going to go with that as the reason for my lack of memory!

There are only 2 things on your Ipod list that I'd trash in an instant-Led Zepplin Houses of the Holy and John Cougar Mellencamp.
That dude rubs me the wrong way and I can't listen to Zepplin anymore-way overload!!

Where's the Cinderella & Poison on your list? LOL

lemonsong said...

I'm right there with you on the music Shannon. I love it all. Music can transform a regular day into a memory that comes back with a particular song. I'm a big 60's and 70's girl too. It really was original back then.

And of course your LO's are amazing, but to me they always are. :) You have some SERIOUS cute in that house woman!

Random samplings of my Delightful Life said...

I have so much to do but I had to remark.

I very much share your love of music and I loved reading exactly how I feel. My tastes change and evolve but I sure have noticed with kids in the house how music can help or hinder the feeling in our home.

I think my parents were much older then everyone elses. I have a love of 50's and big band.

Love the layouts and I was inspired. I need to scrap after I get through the party.

Ps Emma wants to know what the name of cinderella and snow whites prince's names are? I thought you might know.

niki said...

shannon you are a trip! i love your tastes! people think i am a weirdo with mine! i listen to EVERY kind of music...if i like...i like it! your lo's are beautiful!!!

LadyHAHA said...

I just took a peek into your IPOD list and OMG. Iko IKo and Fade into You from M. Star????!?!?!? Seperated at birth I tell ya......

Anonymous said...

ITA with you on this one. Music can be so inspiring, motivating, it can take you back, make you hopeful for the future, everything. Early 70s is also one of my favorite music periods too. Why is that I wonder, that so many people like that time. I'm even getting a little nostalgic about the 80s music I grew up with too. LOL Brent and I had a chat yesterday about "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC. So weird.

I really, really like you list of single songs. I saw a few of my favorites on there. Jackson Browne of course, (I think I almost felt PRIDE that that was on there, LOL), James Blunt (that whole CD is just SO good isn't it) and who knew you'd like John Mellencamp too? He's another of my favorites, only not that song necessarily. And I LOVE Strawberry Wine and Celebrity. O.K., I've rattled on about that enough.

Again, I just have to tell you how much I love that top layout "Because of You", that photograph is just amazing!! AMAZING!!!!

The Gilles Family said...

Hahahaha, do you remember your Twisted Sister album? (And by album, I mean big ol' record!) The one with the TS lollipop on the cover? I remember listening to it in your room. We'd get through a song or two before we'd collapse into laughter that OH.MY.GAWD. We were listening to TWISTED SISTER. Then we'd have to start all over because someone (ahem Aunt Beth) would pound on the door for us to TURN.IT.DOWN.

Sigh. I miss that!

Awww! Your LO with Christine's papers is so cute!

And I want to squish McKenna's cheeks! :)