Music

Music is a major part of my life - it is the background to everything I do. I don’t mean that if I hear a lyric about eating a banana, I will go and eat a banana - I hate bananas. I mean that whatever I am doing, be it homework, eating, reading or playing a game, I will also be listening to music.
I like quite a few bands, but the majority play music of the rock genre. My top 10 bands are:

1.Jimmy Eat World
2.No Doubt
3.Muse
4.Lostprophets
5.Feeder
6.Dream Theater
7.Athlete
8.Foo Fighters
9.Incubus
10.Funeral For a Friend

There are a good few more, too.
I had only ever been to four gigs until November 2004, but then I went gig crazy and went to 4 in the space of 6 weeks. Since then I have also seen The Killers in February 05, and i also went to see Mooney Suzuki in April. In November I saw Athlete and then two days later I saw My Chemical Romance. I then saw Feeder in March 06, and then again at a very intimate gig(only 40 people in an underground bunker - true story) in April. I saw the Zutons in June and 2 days ago (June 26th) I saw the Glitterati. I saw Protocol in September and Useless ID in October of this year. Pretty much every gig I have been to has been good. I choose well.

The 18 gigs I have seen, in order of enjoyment, are:
1. Scissor Sisters
2. Muse (Earls Court)
3. Feeder
4. The Zutons
5. The Darkness
6. Mooney Suzuki
7. The Killers
8. The Glitterati
9. Feeder (bunker)
10. My Chemical Romance
11. Muse (Wembley)
12. Lostprophets
13. Useless ID
14. Athlete
15.Protocol
16. Rammstein
17. Reel Big Fish/Goldfinger
18. Culture Club/Bananarama/Belinda Carlisle

The thing which put Scissor Sisters top, was not that their music was amazing. I do like their songs, but I like Muse and Feeder songs more. However, although Muse put on a decent live show, with special effects and lighting on the stage, and played their songs brilliantly, the Scissor Sisters put on a great show, playing their songs fairly well.
The show consisted of lots of talking to the crowd by their singer, a lot of crowd involvement, and lots of special effects and lighting tricks to enhance the show. They made witty comments, and generally delighted all who watched. Their enigmatic singer also helped to improve the atmosphere with his strutting and dancing on stage. This isn’t a Scissor Sisters advertisement, but I strongly recommend that you see them live.
I also went to READING FESTIVAL 2005! which was incredible. Bands I saw there include: (whole set) Foo Fighters, Nine Black Alps, Hot Hot Heat, Kings of Leon, Charlatans, Arcade Fire, All American Rejects; (partly) Biffy Clyro, Roots Manuva, Editors, The Cribs, Puggy, Razorlight. I also saw the comedians Ed Bryne, Rick Rocks (a witty Australian comedian with a guitar) and some other American guy who was funny.

I play two instruments: Piano (for five years, done three grades, now given up), and Drums (for four years).
I don’t get drum lessons, but I have a kit and I play to music in my spare time. I enjoy that a lot. The neighbours don’t.

I am currently in a band called Major Major (although there is much controversy over a possible name change). We are about to play the UCS battle of the bands, and two other gigs within the next few weeks. We are really, really good. We are similar to No Doubt, Head Automatica and We Are Scientists. Come see us live.

I like to break music down when I listen to it, rather than just having it pumped into my ears. For example:
I play a track I don’t often listen to. I hear the intro, and in the background I think I can hear a harmonica. I go back and listen again, and I hear it more. It makes the introduction better to have this harmonica, although to the untrained (I am so modest) ear it doesn’t exist. But I hear it, and it gives the song extra value. There are so many things in the background of a song which you don't realise that you hear, but without them the song would seem emptier. Attempting to hear these things will greatly enhance the song. For instance, "This Given Line" by Electric Soft Parade has a harmonica introduced on the second chorus. You don't realise its there, but once you hear it, it is always there. It's like those hidden eye pictures, where it's just a load of spirals or dots, but then if you catch it out of the corner of your eye, it resembles a picture.

I don’t do this with every song, obviously, but I do it every now and again when something in the song catches my attention.

In songs, I also like the harmony of voices. When I hear a song, I hear not only the lead singer, but also I like to listen out for the vocal additions of the rest of the band in accordance with the lead singer. If the harmony is good, it makes the song better in my opinion. Some good examples of perfect harmony in songs are:
Backseat Love – Scissor Sisters
We still Kill the Old Way – Lost Prophets
Thin Sand - Major Major
Track 10 on Shatterproof is not a Challenge – Hundred Reasons
Song 5 on Contraband – Velvet Revolver
World You Love – Jimmy Eat World
Sweetness – Jimmy Eat World
If you Don't, Don't - Jimmy Eat World
And most other Jimmy Eat World songs, really.

Some other bands which are currently rocking my world are: Anberlin, The Fratellis, The Guillemots, Air Traffic, Sparks, K's Choice, Men Women and Children, The Feeling, Snow Patrol, The Zutons, Simple Plan, The Wildhearts, Head Automatica, Do Me Bad Things, New Found Glory, The Charlatans, Jamiroquai, Phoenix, Hard-Fi, The Killers, Scissor Sisters, Hot Hot Heat, The Glitterati and Nine Black Alps.

Some Songs which i really love (both currently and songs which i have always liked) are:

Just Tonight – Jimmy Eat World * ^ +
About to Crash (reprise)- Dream Theater +
New Skin - Incubus +
Everything Turned Red - Useless ID *+
Dirty Dancehall - The Zutons
Time and Time Again - Chronic Futures ^
Over and Over - Turin Breaks *
Civil Sin - Boy Kill Boy
Make a Sound - Autopilot Off ^*
Don’t Steal Our Sun – The Thrills
Tourist - Athlete+
Freestlye - K’s Choice
Kobrakai – Lostprophets *+
Everything For Free - K's Choice
Midnight Show – The Killers +
Stockholm Syndrome – Muse ^ +
Purple – Feeder +
Shiver – Coldplay
Shiver – Maroon 5
Vengeance and Fashion – Electric Six ^
Black and White Town – The Doves
Hitchin’ a Ride – Greenday +
New York Girls - Mooney Suzuki ^
Talk Talk Talk – Ordinary Boys
Day by Day – Serafin
There’s Only One Hell – The Wildhearts
How High – The Charlatans +
You Had Me – Joss Stone
Smooth – Santana and Rob Thomas ^
Destiny - Zero 7 ^

(* - Great harmony; ^ - you HAVE to download it; + - there are millions of other good songs by this band)

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