Since working, staying up until 4am to find new music wouldn’t really go well in my favour. Functioning on 3 hours sleep would turn me into a hormonal teenager. Being a functioning adult is hard, but it could easily be worse. Everyone works in different ways. Some ways are obviously questionable but no one should ever judge. I used to live off custard creams and cheap squash because I had nothing. All I could was stay up late. I seemed to be waiting for something. I realised I was waiting in the wrong place. A place where nothing (good happens). I grew up and left. I found things along the way. Some things I’ve already forgotten, but maybe they weren’t worth remembering. It’s a normal hour and I’ve found a new band to fall in love with.
Bare Pale are a three-piece from London. They posses an eerie Shoegaze sound. Haunting and brilliantly chilling (I don’t mean in a relaxed way.) It’s the kind of music that used to keep me up at 4am. Now it’s the kind of music I just listen to at any time.
Bare Pale are three guys who make music that doesn’t sound like the “typical” London scene. There’s probably only one other band that aren’t falling under that trap and that’s Loom. Both bands are making their own kind of noise in their own kind of way that is accessible to anyone but found only by those who truly want to be moved. Moved in a way that shakes everything bad out of your brain and pours some goodness into your soul.
They only have a handful of songs, but it is enough for me personally, to know that they’re pretty much above anything else I’m listening to right now. They make music that is perfect for these intensely hot days. I could listen to these guys on the tube into work and not really care for the obnoxious stench of sweat that pours out of some passengers. Makes the commute a little easier.
Rub It In is so far my favorite song by Bare Pare. They have a West Coast mood to their music that amounts to them creating a brilliant lo-fi vibe. They make music that makes you glad to be young and in love. If you can get to old and in love with the same person, then you’ve both done something right. Bare Pale are a band that you can kill time to but also create beautiful moments to. You can laze about to them or you can go create your own fun. I just think they are one of the most exciting bands I’ve heard in a long time.
If those pretentious Music Journalists get hold of Bare Pale they will no doubt compare them to the first band they can think of. It’s lazy and insulting to the band. I really can’t think of a band they sound like, which is why I love them. If I wanted a band that sounded like whoever-I’d go listen directly to that band. It’s easy to throw about pointless comparisons, but ever so silly. I just love Bare Pale’s fuzzy sound. It takes you to a place that is calm; I guess they just give you a hint of peace in a world that’s full of rage. As relaxed as their sound is, if you listen real close you can hear hints of frustration coming through.
I can only hope they get heard by millions but you know what people are like, they listen when it is too late. But, whatever. I love them. Maybe someone who reads this will love them too. You can listen to their intense yet beautiful sounds right here: http://barepale.bandcamp.com/
London should be proud to have produced a band like Bare Pale. VIVA MUSIC! Or something….
Time can give hope, it can also continue to make matters worse. It does a lot of things. From healing to despair. It’s everything and nothing; all at once. I should be getting ready for work, but I’ll only annoy myself if I don’t write this down now.
Two years have passed. You remember exactly where you were and who you were with when you found out. I was crossing the road in a place I loath with a very good friend. We got home and put the news on.
For me, Amy’s death changed everything I feel towards music. It changed how I listened to music. It’s been two years since I listened to her music; I simply cannot listen to her voice without wanting to cry. I feel ridiculous feeling this way, but her music was as important to me as is Morrissey’s music. It is on that level.
When I went to see Patti Smith in April she performed her song, This Is The Girl. Her tribute to Amy. Of course I cried. But I cried because someone who I have looked up to since I was very young was singing a song dedicated to a person who was also an inspiration to many.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding of her death and the demons she faced; she was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister. She will always be loved and always remembered. Seeing her being labelled as part of the “27 Club” is just disrespectful. I don’t agree with it, I never have.
Maybe one day I’ll listen to her music again and not want to cry like a baby, but until that day….
Her music comforted us in our own heartbreaks and also showed a side of love we may never know. Her music captured everything we wanted to say and if you have never cried to at least one of her songs; then your heart is made of stone. She got to the very core of a feeling and no matter how ugly it was, she made it into something beautiful. Her music was a source of comfort, and was that friend at 4am when your heart and thoughts got too heavy.
1990. I’m a baby; in my mother’s eyes I always will be. I’m only 4 years old in 1990 but I already had a love for music that was evidently going to stay with me forever. I saw a video on MTV that was bright and had something about it that I instantly realised- this band would be in a line of those I quite simply, couldn’t do without.
I Left My Wallet In El Segundo was the first song I remember hearing by A Tribe Called Quest. They had an approach to Hip Hop that, at the time I didn’t really get. I was too young. Move on 10 years and I get it. I hear sounds and words that made a world of sense to me. Words and sounds that eased the soul and freed the mind. Their relaxed vibe made me feel like an alien to where I was growing up. Where your heart is, that is home. My heart was in Hip Hop and I know it always will be. Hip Hop and Punk. Both entirely different but the same in some respects. Both allowed you to be free. A Tribe Called Quest were a ticket to a different world. It all started with leaving a wallet in El Segundo.
Stressed Out which featured the beautiful Faith Evans will always be one of my favourite A Tribe Called Quest songs. It’s like a comfort blanket and a release in one. Again, they just soothed the soul and take you to a spiritual place.
The way Phife and Q-Tip went back and forth with their lyrics was insane. It felt like they never wrote anything down; that they just brought it out of each other. This laced with Ali Shaheed Muhammad’s production skills just made them stand out from everything else that was going on in Hip Hop. They didn’t project anger; they oozed this brightness to their sound that is found in the likes of De La Soul. They were, as lame as it sounds, fun. Fun is such a shit word, I’m sorry. But they made you feel as if you were part of something worthy of being proud of. They were the first Hip Hop group that made people consciously aware, maybe. Of course there were some before but I feel they brought it to the mainstream for others to see. If I started a Hip Hop group, I’d use all their records as a blueprint to what I would want to create.
Even in their solo projects they still managed to keep that Quest vibe to their music. They went in different directions, but still carried that sense of unity with them wherever they went and with whoever they worked with.
Scenario turned many on to the insane sounds of Busta Rhymes. There’s a live performance of the song where Busta turns his hat inside out and raps as if it was nothing. He quickly became one to watch; he had this way of creeping up on you on Scenario, I think that style stuck with him. Especially early on in his career. He had a wild style that caused many to fall for. Just like how A Tribe Called Quest had that calm vibe about them that lured you in; it stayed with them.
I have no idea what the world thinks of A Tribe Called Quest or what caused people to fall for them. I can only speak for myself. I just know that they’ve always been and always will be a massive part of my life. If not from a musical perspective, but from a spiritual way too. They offered more than music and they offered more than most.
They was Phife and Tip confidently bounced off each other whilst Ali Shaheed Muhammad stayed cool behind them was something that just set them apart and above the others. They sounded like none before and none after sounded like them. They had a unified sound and a family vibe. They created a world where everyone belonged. It didn’t matter where you were from or what you were- they made you feel alright with the skin you were in. There aren’t many bands that do that now. Maybe no one else ever will. It’s alright, because what A Tribe Called Quest gave us was priceless.
Every member was (and still is) distinctive in their own right. When you recite their songs you don’t know if to be Phife or Tip- so you recite both parts. You become A Tribe Called Quest and that is exactly why their music is not only important, it also improves that they will always be there.
With so much hate surrounding us in daily life (you just need to pick up a newspaper to see it) it is hard to believe that there is any good around. Everything is so cruel and vicious. You might as well leave your TVs off, deactivate any of those social media accounts you have and stay in your bedroom until your time is up.
Or you can find something that makes you forget all the cruelness for a brief amount of time; causing you to create your own world. There are certain bands and singers that just make everything feel right again. From the relaxed tones of Warpaint to the unified chants of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. You listen, and everything seems alright even if it clearly isn’t. You can’t expect to take on the world’s problems if you cannot face up to your own. But we still try.
I listened to The Very Most’s new EP and was yet again in awe of just how gentle the music they make is. For the most part I really love music that is a bit rowdy and slightly brutal. Nothing like the person I am; which is why I love it. I probably like music like that to get away from how I am. Too deep for a late Saturday night. Some are asleep, some are vomiting in bus stops. I’m doing this. Sorry.
Just A Pup is a lovely title for the EP. It sums up the innocence of the band. There aren’t many bands around that have a quality like that. A lot think they know it all already, but they end up being forgotten. Sort of happens to regular folk too. Nobody knows everything, thankfully. Some think they do, but we don’t care for them.
The Very Most have been constantly releasing EPs; and it makes you think why don’t they just put a full length record out. I’ve thought about this for some time, but I think they are one of those bands that sound better with a string of strong EPs rather than meaningless full length releases. They leave you wanting more; anticipating in a blissed out state. This is why I really love music.
The EP features an excellent guitar solo on the title track by Danny from Seapony. I advise anyone to listen to them; truly beautiful. I’m not a Tom Jones fan at all, so obviously I think their cover of It’s Not Unusual is better than the original. It features vocals from Liz who is in a gorgeous band from Cardiff called The School. Check them out too.
Just A Pup is made up of four songs that just lift your spirits; and looking at the state of the world right now, we really need this. A perfect band to listen to as the sun goes down or even as it rises.
Formed over wine and whiskey in one of the best places I’ve never been to (Brooklyn) Frank’s Daughter make music that is made to be enjoyed alone; in the midst of an emotional breakdown. Purely because they will pull you through. Not much can lure you out when your mind decides to go askew, but they are perfect enough to assist with bettering you. Each song is an insight to how sometimes, when it feels insanely dark- it is sometimes when you are at your best.
They’ve recorded some of their songs in a closed season Alpine hotel when London got too much, or maybe it didn’t provide enough. I fully understand how this city can break and lift one’s spirits at once. Oxford Street is grey hell hole. Soho is a thriving den of the weird and wonderful. You find bliss after a stint in hell.
The Sound Of A Heart Unravelling is one of the best titles for a record I’ve heard in a while; mainly because it fits the mood of the record. Frank’s Daughter posses the darkness that is found in the likes of Placebo; they make you flail about in angst and despair. In a way that doesn’t seem self-pitying but feels like an anticipated catharsis. They manage to provoke all your troubles in a way that, if anyone else did it- you’d be massively pissed off. Frank’s Daughter caress your internal wounds and make you feel as if nothing else even matters. Maybe it is what you need; maybe it’s what we all need.
Song For The Witches is a delicate piece of art; the whole record in general is a gentle rocking of the soul. I’m not a massive fan (or really a small fan) of Radiohead, and I feel quite reluctant to state that Frank’s vocals are similar to Thom Yorke. He’ll probably get it a fair amount because the vast majority of Music “Journalists” are lazy and pretentious. Personally, I feel he has the vulnerability in his vocals that is found in the likes of Antony Hegarty. Vocally they don’t sound the same- but both make you connect to the music in such a heartbreaking way. This is music that just bares complete and utter soul. Soul music. Song For The Witches and Ugly Water are beautifully frail songs with a haunting atmosphere that is set to melt many hearts.
In the piece I wrote about Frank’s Daughter for Music Broke My Bones (here, have some shameful plugging: http://www.musicbrokemybones.co.uk/?p=8836 ) I likened the atmosphere they create to similar bands I really adore such as Deptford Goth and Wife. The kind of music you play late at night when you know the world is asleep, but slumber misses you out.
This debut record is one that as horrifically clichéd as it sounds, should not be ignored. It will heal souls, it will open minds and it will free those who feel trapped in the mundane aspects of their daily lives. And although many have said it about many records in the past (and those to come) The Sound Of A Heart Unravelling sounds like it was created from a band who are well into their career. It just proves that time means nothing; it is in the moment. It is truly beautiful. A perfect duo making perfect music to get you through; and to get through to you.
The Sound Of A Heart Unravelling is made up of soul-filled symphonies with dark moods and heartfelt lyrics. Every moment in all of the songs is rare and to be treasured. What you feel the first time you listen to it will be different to how you feel times after. Moments are created as old ones fade. Frank’s Daughter aren’t for certain kinds of people. They are just for those who want something more, and know it is out there; using music as a means to get there.
Last year I completely and utterly fell for a band from Los Angeles that had only one song. It wasn’t a full song; it was just a demo. This is a frequent pattern I launch myself into. I don’t mind though. It is better than missing out on incredible talent.
This band I fell madly for is called LA Witch. Three exquisite female musicians from LA making stunning noise to shock the nervous system in ways you never thought were possible. I’ve not written anything in some time; I’m not sure why. I think it is because any time I’ve tried to, I’ve thought “No Olivia..just stop.” Then I was sent LA Witch’s debut EP by the band and it all changed. Something clicked as I hit play and listened to LA Witch’s debut EP. They ignited something the first time around, so it is no surprise that they’ve done it again.
Before I tell you about the songs, you should know who they’ve worked with on this exceptional EP. On the EP, the band have worked with Joel Jerome (from Dios Malos and Babies On Acid) and Lucy Miyaki (Tashaki Miyaki and Stone Darling.) Working with greatness means it is no surprise that they have created something truly remarkable, and I can only hope that are hugely proud of themselves. Without delving into “proud parent” mode; I am massively proud of how far they have come from having just one song (Your Way) to an EP with so much fight and determination. This is why I love them.
You Love Nothing is a hazy state of bliss that makes you want to do nothing but listen on repeat. I’d quite happily spend the summer listening to just this record, just this song. LA Witch are the feral cats of the West Coast music scene. They’ll stir something inside of you, and when they do- just know, nothing will be the same ever again. All that was once dull will no longer matter.
Get Lost has a haunting 80s vibe to it. Sort of like The Jesus And Mary Chain meets Noothgrush; but a lot calmer. The fuzzy tones and distorted vocals really justify my love for LA Witch. Then you’ve got the relaxed bluesy feel of Heart Of Darkness. This is like The Long Wives meets Cat Power and they go on a road trip with The Kills. Basically, it’s an astounding EP that deserves to be heard. It needs to be heard.
Tonight is their last show as part of a residency at the Silverlake Lounge. Anyone who’s caught the band live will know just how brilliant their live sets are. I’ve yet to witness it, but I firmly believe it is nothing short of perfect. Silverlake Lounge is one of the many homes on the West Coast that backs new music, and to have LA Witch have a residency there is something truly special.
LA Witch give you what you need. Whether you want something dreamy or eerie- they’ve got it, and it is all over their debut EP. Make sure you check it out.
“Picking off what’s left of the rest of us, And selling it off to the wolves.”
As I started listening to Designer Mutts, I was distracted by something utterly hateful and vile. There’s small-minded pricks out there who have made a page on Facebook called “Ban Islam.” It is a pity you cannot ban small-minded and disgusting people; such as those who made the page and also those who agree with it. It just made me dislike people even more than I wish to. It was heart breaking to see photos of a young Muslim man praying and vile creatures taking it upon themselves to make vicious comments. What hope do we have? Maybe we truly have none left. I don’t think I can put into words how angry this has made me feel. Thing is, people will always have these warped views. For now there is nothing we can do. For now.
Moving on to something a lot less harmful; Designer Mutts are two lads from my favourite Australian band, Royal Chant. The lyrics to their songs are perfect. I’m obviously going to say this because I have massive love for lyrics. I read the lyrics to the songs before I hit play. The thing is, it isn’t the words they write but the way Mark sings them. He sings them in a way that causes you to immediately connect and feel as if it is YOUR life he’s singing about. Maybe he is. I feel that way whenever I listen to Royal Chant, and also Designer Mutts. There’s a wealth of frustration in the songs that is infectious in the most pleasing way imaginable. These songs were made for you to scream along to in your room, without caring if anyone hears. Maybe you want them to hear your frustrations also; get them to join in. Designer Mutts aren’t made for sacred listening. They are made for you to play as loudly as possible.
The essence of hopelessness is something I really love in the songs. To some that may sound morbid, but when you’re from a place that lacks culture and ambition- these are the kind of songs that save you. Fortunately, some of us are able to leave. The best part of leaving a place that has drained you behind is knowing that you never have to look back. When something or someone destroys you, all you can do it rebuild. Nothing nor no one is worth being a wreck over. Music heals, music is the truth.
My favourite track off their debut release, A Day At The Wauchope Racesis a song called Unrecognizable Blues. I adore the pissed off sound in Mark’s vocals. The lyrics alone stand tall, but his voice just seriously makes it. Designer Mutts play with such fury and fight. You cannot help but feel they are in the midst of leading you into a revolution (or maybe a resolution) and you stand in front of them echoing their thoughts and words. This is how powerful they are. This is how powerful music can be, and should be.
I find it easy to write about them because to me, they’re more than a band. They’re friends. Friends I’ve yet to meet (distance is a pain!) but I’ve read some of the things Mark has written. As a lyricist and just on his blog, and it is like someone has ripped my thoughts out and put them down in an eloquent manner with a touch of rebellion.
Designer Mutts doesn’t deserve to be compared to Royal Chant. Some of the same members are in the band, but that’s it. Completely different otherwise. I guess though, one other thing they have in common in this honesty in the songs. An honesty that is rare. These guys aren’t afraid to bare their soul and let every feeling; regardless of how ugly it is, be known. Their debut release is something I hope they are deeply proud of, I know I am.
Creepy sounding Garage Rock is my favourite. Such as The Gruesomes to Scotland’s finest, The Creeping Ivies. If it creeps me out and has a Garage Rock feel to it, I’ll fall in love with it. If it doesn’t make me feel like I’m in 2013 (and what a shit time to be in) then I’ll be a loving fan for as long as time will allow me.
Mikey & The Drags are a bold yet sensual Garage Rock band that will make the most stiff-jointed person throw their limbs about in a flailing fashion; the pleading vocals and thrashing instrumentals are all played with such vigor, which places them miles in front of anyone else trying to do this style. They make music that is effortlessly rambunctious, every note is a pleasurable punch to the face. You cannot help but declare yourself as their biggest fan as soon as you’ve heard the first few seconds of Spill Your Guts. If I had any musical talent, this is the kind of music I’d want to make. Immediately influential; enough to make you wish you had some musical talent. I listen with frustration and the desire to create something. Yet all I can do is write about how fantastic Mikey & The Drags are, somehow that seems enough. For now.
They play with such power and with a purpose. They play with such bite that you cannot help but be in awe as soon as you hear them. Every time I hear music like this I wish I was a million miles away from where I am or back in a time where this style of music was everywhere. By everywhere I mean basement bars that had questionable health and safety regulations. Back to a time where music had some rawness to it; fortunately we have Mikey & The Drags to kick up a storm and are making something of worth.
A lot of bands that fall into the Garage Rock genre seem to want to play ridiculously fast, causing you to not really appreciate the music as much as you’d like. I’m all for playing as loud and as fast as you can- but Mikey & The Drags seem to have really captured the true essence of Garage Rock yet made the genre their own. Not many can do that, and if they do they sometimes get it wrong. Mikey & The Drags do it so perfectly and brilliantly.
Their songs may be short, but they have that unity feel that is seen in bands such as New York Dolls to The Vagrants. They have a gang vibe to their music. They dress exquisitely; everything just fits their sound wonderfully, which makes everything they do seem so effortless. They aren’t trying to be a certain way just to be “cool.” No one is cool, it’s a redundant phrase. Unless you’re Lou Reed, then it exists. Other than that, we’re just the disciples of him aching to be as poetic. Fortunately Mikey & The Drags have got it right. This is ferocious and fearless music as its best; much-needed and massively appreciated.
I think I need to start some kind of petition to get them to the UK or maybe someone could send me to America to see them. Either option is fine by me.
Play as loud as you can and let your limbs be wild and free. They unleash all that’s been dormant inside of you for far too long. If anyone is going to drag out your inner beast, let it be these guys!
Land Of The Innocent instantly became my favourite song of the year when I heard it in January. Every song I hear seems to become my favourite song; it’s fine. I actually mean it this time. It was the perfect synth driven song I’d heard in a while, and the haunting vocals just instantly won me over. But could they do the same with their debut record? In short, yes. Stop reading now if you must. I’d advise it because all I’m going to do is tell you why I love it and not be a jumped up music journalist!
The record starts with Land Of The Innocent. I don’t need to write about that, my feelings towards that song are evident. Soft comes next and it is brilliant. Everything seems positive from here. Their music, like I said the first time I wrote about them, is as delicate as their name. A lot of bands that make this style of music seem to want to desperately bring the 80s back. Urgh. NO! I know times are shit now, but there’s no need to bring the 80s back. Unless you are getting The Jesus And Mary Chain to tour the UK just one more time; then it’s okay. Leave the past in the past. Anyone who has tried to be Punk in recent times has turned out to be awful. I don’t even understand how Pop-Punk became a thing. That’s my own personal hate there, and I’m in the minority.
If All Now Here is of its time. It sounds like nothing else before or anything else around now. It’s flawless enough for it to influence a bunch of musicians struggling to make their own sound. Without sounding like a dick, it is a strong record. I don’t mean it in a cheap slang way most use; I mean it in its truest and purest sense. It is a record that you can put against a lot that have come out this year, and previous years that made (or tried) to make music of this genre- and it will be the one that blows the listener’s mind. What I love about If All Now Here is that it has no obvious influences. I don’t like it when you know straight away who (or if) a band are influenced by. I could quite happily research what has influenced some of my favourite bands, and spend hours listening to them and finding the one song that is evidently their backbone. I don’t like it when it is obvious. Maybe I just like making life difficult for myself at times.
I really love Dream Song because it has such a tame vibe to it. It feels like watching the sunset as you go off into the unknown. There’s a lot of comfort on this record, and Dream Song is the main track that really expresses this. It honestly does feel like a dream; the whole record feels like you are falling deep into the most pleasant trance. An ethereal state takes you over; every song feels as if it was made for you to dream to.
Feathers quickly became my ideal band back in January and the anticipation I carried for this record was much like what I carry around waiting for the new Warpaint record. Although both make different styles of music, both manage to take you on a gentle journey to the most perfect state of bliss you can imagine. For me, I have no problem at all with firmly stating that If All Now Here is one of the best records of the year. No doubt it’ll be the most ignored because everyone loves Haim; but Feathers are doing something different. You don’t always have to go with what the hype says you should, because when you do you foolishly ignore the good stuff. But, again, my opinion and I carry it alone.
If All Now Here doesn’t sound like a debut record; that’s how powerful it is. It doesn’t sound like something from a brand new band, but that’s what makes them worthy of your time. The dark and mysterious tones in their music is well hidden; listen intensely and it all becomes clear. When a band mix dark lyrics over cheerful sounds it is just the best thing because at first you are unaware of the darkness in the lyrics, but then you really start to listen and you then connect. That’s what makes a band not only powerful but also, believable. A prime example of this on If All Here Now is the track Dark Matter, I know it is eventually obvious on all songs but Dark Matter really captures. I adore the church bell sound on Night Seances; an eerie song that makes you feel as if you are in contact with another world. All of the record feels as if you have stepped into another world. One with meaning, one with ease. It is a phenomenal record; only a fool would find fault in it.
A few things in life bother me. These things may be trivial, but the others may mean something. I despise injustice and any form of judgement cruel and utterly vile. From name-calling to violence, it is all disgusting and just cannot be tolerated. Which has sort of led me to something that’s been irking me for some time. This minor rant may be incoherent, but I’ve never stated anything I write to make sense.
You can try to disguise it all you want but all forms of sexism, racism and homophobia is in music. It’s bad enough it being on our doorsteps, but when it is in something so many of us use as a form of escapism, then something MUST be done. But how? Because you see, we are all entitled to “free speech” but to what extent? Free speech is a basic human right. As is the right to live in peace, free of any judgement from small-minded fools. This would happen in a perfect world, but the world (as its inhabitants) is full of flaws.
The thing that has sparked my rage is Azealia Banks’ use of the word “faggot.” Obviously as a gay woman, I find this word bloody offensive. I also hate anyone (regardless of colour) using the N word. I cannot even type it. It’s a totally vile word to use. I don’t care who uses it; it’s a horrible word. Great people such as Rosa Parks to Malcom X were subjected to racial hatred for most of their lives. So why is the N word seen as “acceptable”?
I’ve been in clubs (not a fan of them, I’d rather read a book) and I have seen flocks of white people sing along to that awful Jay-Z and Kanye West song, N**** In Paris. Aside from the song being utterly awful, seeing a bunch of white people recite the words including the N word is just heartbreaking. I know I could possibly be stupid for writing any of this down and having such feelings towards it; but that’s just how I am.
Thing is, I love Hip Hop. I was massively obsessed with it from the ages of 12-18. It was a huge part of my life, and dragged me through my teenage years. Eric B & Rakim’s records got me through a lot. Do I recall them ever using the N word? No. Never. It was a word that I never heard from them. Rakim rarely cursed on their songs; making way for intellect. I’ve always had a soft spot for conscientious rappers such as Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli and Jurassic 5 (yes I know they use the N word, but it isn’t as frequent as most.) Thing is, I didn’t listen (and still don’t) listen to Hip Hop to rap along. I listen to it because it is like poetry. Just like Gil Scott-Heron and The Lost Poets. They paved the way for intellect to just shine. Lyrical content, in any genre, is important. Well for me it is anyway. Others just want a good beat. I don’t. I want something that makes me think and makes me write my own thoughts down in a similar way. My love for Hip Hop will ALWAYS be firmly in my heart, and on my mind. Especially when I think of the songs that made being a teenager less of a challenge. I remember someone grabbing hold of my Sony Walkman and saying “What are you listening to?” And I told them it was Gangstarr (Guru, bless his soul, was one of the greats) and they said “Why are you listening to that Black music?!” in such a disgusted tone. I walked away. I had no response because I feel if I unleashed how mad they made me, I would never have shut up. How can music have a colour? Maybe it can. I’m not sure. The thing is, as a rule, I really don’t like White rappers. Mainly because their lyrical content and voices just annoy me. I really don’t get the appeal of Eminem nor do I get the hype surrounding that Mackelmore. Don’t get me started on certain English ones. Am I being racist towards “my own kind’? I don’t think I am. I’m just saying I don’t like the style of some White rappers. I don’t like 50 Cent. Not because he’s Black, but because of his songs. Simple as.
I’m slowly reaching my point.
Recently there’s been an exchange of insults between Azealia Banks and whoever she feels like attacking. One that’s stood out is her row with Perez Hilton. I heard 212 by Azealia and genuinely loved it. I loved Jumangi, I really did and I loved Vogue. But recently, her online spats have caused her to appear like a petulant child. Using the F word (I’m not typing it, I’ve done it once and cannot do it again) towards Perez Hilton was not just offensive to him; but the vast majority of the LGBT community. Whether or not she knows it, Azealia has a lot of homosexual fans and may have lost a lot by acting in such a vile way. When she said she used the word to say that she used it as a way to describe “a male that acts like a female’ instead of using it as a homophobic slur, it is still offensive. To men and women; regardless of sexuality. She claims that society has accepted the N word, but has it? Am I in the minority where I find the word disgusting and offensive? No one, regardless of colour, should claim that word. I’m gay but no part of me wants to claim the F word at all. It sounds horrible and the word cannot leave my tongue; let alone type it.
Music is a form of expression. A form of expression in its purest form. We will never stop people using hurtful language in their music. People use it as an escape and as a way of feeling at ease. Maybe because Azealia is so young she doesn’t understand the consequences of using such words, or maybe she does. Only she knows. If it’s some shitty publicity stunt, then she doesn’t need to do it. Her music is decent, but I don’t know if I want to be a fan of someone who uses the F word and thinks its alright. I also think stupid people use the word “gay” to describe something that’s shit. People are becoming less and less familiar with proper words, so they resort to using words like that. If something is rubbish, then say it is rubbish. Do not use a word used to describe someone’s sexuality to belittle it. I don’t care what your sexuality is, when you use the word “gay” to describe something rubbish, then maybe you need to go back to school and re-learn English Language.
If I’ve offended, then I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention. It never is. Writing is my outlet because I’m awfully shy and vocally, rubbish with words. Maybe I’m useless with writing them down. I have no idea, but who does. I hate injustice and use of hateful words. From anyone using the N word to some idiot calling someone a “slut” because of what they are wearing. Words hold more power than we sometimes realise. It’s easy to say we should think before we speak, but most find it hard to practice. It’s easy to use the tongue and unleash words without thinking, it happens. I understand that, but when you get to a point where you offend a group or whatever, then one must think entirely about what they are saying and why. If it’s just to get a rise out of others, then please PLEASE grow up. If it is because you are full of hate, then please go cuddle someone. Chances are you need to be exposed to love and a gentle touch.
Words can do more harm than good at times, but tied in with positive actions; words can heal and be of comfort. Enough with the hate, enough with offensive words. Open your eyes and educate yourself.
Equality is something we will all struggle to gain. In religion, race, sexuality, gender etc. Maybe one day views will change. An uphill struggle, but don’t back down.
Beat In My Bones. 