Boxes of Tangerines

Due to the fact that I have no earthly clue how to make/create a podcast, I decided to take thorough notes on my interview with Brian. Here were my results: 

1. What’s your earliest memory of music?

-Well, my Mom used to sing lots of showtunes to me when I was younger. They were my form of lullabies. Specifically she sang songs from a Chorus Line 

2. Did you have a favorite song when you were growing up? What, and why? Do you still like that song?

-No, but I did have a favorite musical…My Fair Lady…. I liked it because of the pretty colors in the movie, and I really enjoyed the performers randomly breaking into song; it was quite tuneful. -        

-I don’t really like My Fair Lady much anymore because I watched it too many times when I was younger

3. What role does music play in your parents’ life?

-My mom sings all the time at home because she used to sing showtunes in high school. She still really likes music.

-My dad likes music that he can relax to, namely bluegrass and country Johnny Cash is one of his favorites

4. What was the first song or album you bought with your own money?

-Embarrassingly enough: Britney Spears Hit Me Baby One More Time 

5. What was your first concert? Tell us about the experience?

-I was a freshman in high school, and it was at The Third Floor on Carolyn St., Tereau Tereau was playing and it was so loud that I couldn’t really hear the music clearly. 

6. Who are your favorite bands and solo artists today? Why do you like them?

-Barbara Streisand, Liza Minelli, Johnny Cash, Elton John, Billy Joel

-I like their distinct voices because they are so different but powerful none-the-less. I really like different sounding voices

7. Do you play a musical instrument–or instruments? What, and for how long? Do you sing?

-No

-I was in chorus in high school but I don’t really sing

8. Have you ever been in a band? Tell us about it.

-no 

9. How does it feel to take a college course in rock, soul, and progressive music? What do you hope to learn as a result?

- It’s a fish out of water experience. I fell like I know the subject but the songs we are learning about don’t really ring a bell. By the end of the semester I hope to get confident enough to know what is being talking about completely in class, and to be able to carry on in a conversation about rock, soul, and progressive music.

   This past Wednesday I drove up with my roommate and my boyfriend to Washington D.C. to go and see the Kimya Dawson concert at the Crooked Beak. To my utter disappointment, my boyfriend got lost in the midst of D.C and we were late to the free 7 o’clock show. This meant that we drove an hour to see the outside of the record store. Fortunately Kimya came to play three songs outside the store for those people who were waiting in line (aka for those who had no chance of getting inside to see her actual performance). Unfortunately we were parking when these events occurred and we later found out from friends how much we truly missed out. So instead of seeing Kimya we made the most out of our situation by eating awesome falafels at the dive across the street. So the gas and time away from studying was not a complete waste! 

      I must say that my rock/soul/progressive experience thus far has thoroughly intrigued me. I am extremely excited about this class and the novels that we are to read, but this blogging business is perhaps the only cloud in the imminent future. I am slightly terrified of working on a computer for significant lengths of time, but I am prepared to do so for the sake of rock/soul/progressive. Aside from talking about blogging, class has been ideal. I really enjoy listening to music and then discussing the different aspects of  songs. Hearing others opinions and gaining added insight from their perspective also helps out in this Socratic atmosphere. 

      As far as the book is concerned, I think it is a little bit of a slow read. I really enjoy the tidbits of information presented that I had never actually known ( like how Atlantic Records started, or that Elvis in his youth was an oily/pimply faced teen). In this respect, the book is informative and appealing, yet it still takes a while to process information presented when I am not completely aware of what is being talked about. Reading about music is a difficult task (and I guess converesly writing about sound is also a daunting endeavor).  Whenever Miller describes the music I get lost and end up skimming through the paragraph because reading of the sounds does not transfer them into music in my head. Upon hearing the actual music and comparing it to the descriptive text in the book, it all comes out clear and recognizable, but up until that point I have difficulty processing.  Due to this fact, as of right now in my reading, I would say that Miller is an excellent writer, though when the audience is unknowledgable on the topic of either the history of this music or the sounds created, it is tough to transmit these ideas. Hopefully in class we will continue to decipher these musical pieces and their background information so that I can actually understand the reading, and continue on my journey of learning of rock, soul, and progressive music.