You Drive Me Wild

This year is going to be filled with concerts, shows, and new music (You should test drive some of my suggestions this week).

I've spent a lot of time with my sister in Austin this past month. It's been a blessing. Great food, great music, and family are a pretty good combination for me. It's looking like I will be in Austin all of spring break for sxsw. Sam and I won some pretty sweet tickets to an exclusive Kills party (I actually have an extra spot ;). That will kick off a week of seeing some cool bands and checking out the new Third Man Records Rolling Record Store.

Ahhhhh...yeahhhh...but let's get to what I really wanna talk about.

Rock N' Roll is an interesting thing. A niche dominated by males. I used to be pretty closed-minded about women in rock bands. They generally don't have the typically masculine traits that make rock...rock, but these next examples are great exceptions. Exceptions so great...I'm obsessed. 

1. Lindsay “Coco” Hames of The Ettes

With a voice that sounds like she breathes in helium on a regular basis, Coco rocks out on guitar and tambourine for The Ettes. I saw the Ettes for the first time at House of Blues in Houston and then later at Third Man in Nashville. Although the first night was not full of memories I care to remember, I remember the Ettes. I don't usually fall in love with a band by hearing them live first, but I did here. Coco combined with an incredible drummer Maria “Poni” Silver and and maybe the most talented of them all, bassman Jeremy “Jem” Cohen, make for a killer rock band currently based in Nashville.

The Ettes

(Not a bad opener for The Dead Weather)

2. Joan Jett of The Blackhearts

Where to start with Joan Jett? How about the killer last name Jett? Not a bad start for a girl rocker. I became more infatuated with her music after seeing the movie "The Runaways" based on her. She's the original basically. Her bold tenacity is what sells her music.

Her music is pretty sick. Wish I could have seen her way back when...

(Not Joan Jett, Actors from Runaways)

By the way, The Runaways is a must see movie. Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart give great performances. Get a lil' Rock N' Roll education. Last and most obsessed with...

3. Allison Mosshart of The Kills and The Dead Weather

Allison is a combination of the first two girls. She can remind you she's just a girl, just like Coco, but then keeps on you on your toes by making sure you know she's not to be screwed around with. She gives some of the best live performances you will see for The Dead Weather, physically exhausting herself. She doesn't have a problem getting her emotion across. She's basically scary...scary good. 

She might as well be made of leather and cigarettes. 

Ya, she'll be dead in 10 years unfortunately. Crazy Chain Smoker.

She'll Rock your face off.

She's usually surrounded by men

Seeing them 3 or 4 times in the next month.

Lastly, if you ever run into Alison, don't mess around with this chick.

From the Treat Me Like Your Mother music video

She's a talented musician to say the least and very attractive, good things to have in her position.

All my music suggestions are either from these artists or are from who I will see at sxsw this year.

PEACE.

Level

My Record Player is Long Gone
No worries, I have another record player in the mail. Today, I worried that I will be out of touch with everyone younger than me, or even the same age as me. At least musically that is... When I told a guy in my dorm hall I have a record player in my room, he asked if I was a DJ. That's sad. Most friends that have never been in my dorm ask me to play a record on the player. Yesterday, Amanda Kirkscey had me play a record (a Black Keys record mind you), and she had the most shocked/happy/surprised reaction that there was sound coming of off the black circular disk. That's awesome. Most of my friends don't understand my obsession/collection of vinyls...on the other hand most 30+ year olds think it's the coolest thing ever that a young person has such an obsession. A little like the 70 year old volunteers at the voting center were excited when they saw me walk in the door. A lot of people tell me that vinyls are antiques and vintage history. This can be true, but vinyl is not dead. All of my favorite musicians know enough to keep releasing on vinyl. I love my vinyls. Everything about them is what music is supposed to be. The sound quality is immensely superior to that of audio files or cd's. The sleeves have large artwork of the album which actually makes it art! I could go on...

Instinct Blues
My favorite genre of music is blues. I love blues from every generation. I am searching for some vinyls from black blues artists from the 50's. Yes, I think that is cool.
I don't know if I would be considered "open" when it comes to music. I hate the majority of rap and pop and perhaps as Alyssa puts it "John hates everything mainstream." This is not entirely true, but I am ok with it. I am always finding new bands I fall in love with though so I think that gives me some degree of openness.

Music is infectious. It's very interesting. I infect people with my music all the time. People show me new stuff that I end up becoming crazy about. That's part of the joy of it all. Music is discovery. I am gonna wrap this up now because I am rambling, but if you ever wanna talk about this I am ALWAYS up for it.

To end, these are some bands or songs I am currently obsessed with:

Anything Jack White (Dead Weather, Raconteurs, White Stripes)
Kings of Leon's first two albums and Back Down South
Black Keys
Led Zeppelin revival
The Kills
The Happen-ins
You Only Live Once-The Strokes
Something- Beatles

Could go on for pages but I'm done.