Mixtape

''If you turned every man you've ever slept with into a song, you'd have one HELL of a mixtape''
GG

This is probably the funniest quote I've heard aimed at me all year. Lucky I have a sense of humour.
So I'm going to start this off with how much a comment made to me recently has played on my mind and that's very out of the ordinary for me, I hear things and very rarely take them personally.
I was recently called shallow due to the amount of acquaintances I have, be it male and for the night or friends I've had for a very long time. Aimed at me by someone of no specific importance to me or my tight group of friends at all but someone who I have recently trusted with tales of my shinanigans. It annoyed me and some of my other friends all the same. If I'm to be honest? I, for a moment agreed with the person who shot me down with it. Until of course, the most honest and frank friend of mine made me feel better, even if she doesn't quite know how to word things sometimes (and trust me she really doesn't). It's nice when you get a surprise though.....

''without sounding offensive to you Squire because you're the best thing about my weekdays but. That woman hasn't seen some of the people you deal with eh? she clearly doesn't know you or the people you let in your life (she pauses thinking ''shall I say it?'') or your bed (she laughs to herself for a while), just let the comment slide no?''

Now.... Anyone would take offence to that because it's basically, in a nutshell her saying I've slept with anyone and anything (and just for the record I don't let them in my own personal bed. I live with my parents that would be more grief than it's worth) but she has an extremely valid point. Bear in mind the majority of the time I'm highly intoxicated and have a very strong pair of beer glasses on. I do find the best in people even if only knowing them for an hour or month, it's not me being, easy? It's just me being naive, ask anyone, that's my downfall.
Obviously me and my colleague are very close and can talk to one another about anything, and that's exactly what we do. Working with someone and letting them know that much about you can sometimes be a dangerous game but, I think (without going into detail) it's fair to say, my workplace wouldn't be shocked if any of this came out.
With that previous comment in mind, I know she doesn't just mean who I sleep with. She means (and she has said this) the people I have ever taken in as friends, family, lovers, boyfriends. It's not just how a person looks, it's how a person acts, is and treats you.

''from what you tell me, you let alot of people in your life knowing full well what they're like and how they can be. That's not shallow otherwise you'd see through them and then choose to have nothing to do with them just to save face. You are naive.... You are not shallow, you're stupid''

The friend I'm having said conversation with is the complete opposite to me, more than you could imagine. Sometimes I look at the 2 of us together and go over conversations that we've had in my head and I find myself baffled as to how we get on so well.
She hates the same music as me, thinks what I wear is odd, she can't grasp the fact that I don't brush, dye or ADD hair to my hair, that I go to gigs and share my sweat with other people, that I mosh, that I can handle and quite happily take public transport, I don't wear fake tan, I can pick up a Spider and throw it out the window, I'll go to strange places on holiday, stay in Hostels when in that strange place, I'll try food even if it looks odd or smells disgusting, I can go to a festival and not wash for a whole week aswel as take a wee in my tent (into an appropriate object obviously, not just there next to my sleeping bag), she also can't get her head around the fact that there's an eight out of ten percent chance that when I go out I don't go home to my own bed and in the morning feel okay about it.
It is all the above that make her realise how I'm far from shallow. She can quite happily admit to being exactly that and every now and then, a little bit judgmental at the same time, she understands the fact that there is women out there that aren't like her and don't share her view on everything.
This is one of the reasons she's personally told me she likes me

''you're different and although I don't agree with how you are and what you do, it's interesting to hear stories from you happy or sad. It's nice to know someone who isn't just a plain Jane and who actually has space in her heart for everyone''

That right there, made me feel relieved and made the comment made by the anonymous, pointless person disappear.

''Katie. You go out and enjoy yourself, you see the world and its men and I can see how that aspect of travelling and music can entice a woman, I'm not personally like that but I appreciate you are and that you're honest with it. There's secretly a part of me that aspires to be like you''

I can't say I've had anyone say anything like that to me, but I've never felt happier or more confident with myself and the person I am. My friend knows there's nothing I'm more passionate about than music which is where my ''Quote of the year'' came from, if she could compare my lifestyle to anything, it's going to be a song or two.
On that quote she ended the conversation with

''If you enjoy it, what's the harm? You'd have one hell of a mix tape and that's more than most boring, uncultured women can say, that's what makes them the shallow one's. Not you''

For a young woman that doesn't understand most simple jokes and lives in her own (somewhat Blond) little bubble.... She made the most sense and brought to light the fact I do enjoy myself and should see nothing wrong with it. That's alot for someone like her to say.

Thank god for those people who don't like those people like me.

x

Band Of Skulls

Okay so... This weekend has been one of many good times. It's been based mainly on my favorite thing in life: Music. I took a little trip to Brighton to see an awesome little lady who has a taste in music as great as me (blowing my horn a bit there but.... It has to be said. HA!) My lovely little Lisa shaped friend works for Levis and got me freebies to the Great Escape festival... We hung out in bars with free drinks, ate cheap Japanese and then proceeded on to listen to some awesome bands, accompanied by her ever so intelligent friend Caroline who was working for the press and Lisa's Levi GANG! (well 2 of them anyway) :)

James, Caroline and Tiff :)
Lisa Levi Bramble Bush :)
Caroline & I - With our cool kid ''Sailor Jerry'' Tatts :)

Anyway... We headed to a niche little pub called Hectors House where Band Of Skulls were playing, we arrived a couple of hours early to watch a couple of bands... One of them being the upbeat, pop/ folk sounding ''Kassidy'' and ''Detroit Social Club'' who I can only described as sounding like a ''lad band'' the kind you'd associate with, the courteners, Kasabian and Oasis, though Kasabian are becoming a league of their own, still... Not bearded enough for me.

(Now I always feel a bit odd writing about band's/gigs/ artists because I feel like I am going to get judged on ''not knowing what I'm talking about'' I don't know how to word it all in some sort of, professional or intelligent? way, with that in mind I'm going to write what I think anyway and hopefully... I won't sound too much of a know it all...That'll never happen :)
Kassidy - Nice and bearded :)
Detroit Social Club - Put on a good show.
Back to the point... Band Of Skulls scheduled to play at 10.30 didn't rock up until about 11, which, at the time I thought was extremely diva-ish of them, considering I see them standing there in the corner having a drink... This made me feel like loosing interest in them, you know? for making us wait? BUT ALL was forgiven when they played.... As soon as they started to play, you could see they really enjoyed playing and gave it their all, they missed out a few songs from the album but what they delivered was EPIC. They played: Death by Diamonds and Pearls (which if I remember correctly they opened with) Fires, Patterns, Blood and they finished with my favorite track from the album ''Impossible''.



Yeah... He loves me and my picture taking :)



As you can see... The crowd were fun :)

B.O.S could easily be branded Britain's answer to the White Stripes, Dead Weather, Kills.... They are quite simply one of the coolest bands going at the moment, to listen to and learn from. They ooze everything needed to qualify for a band that will grow and grow musically, their debut album ''baby darling dollface honey'' has already proved to fans that they have it in them to compose and write great emotional, strong minded, clever tracks and experiment with the sounds they use.... Tracks like ''Blood'' is evidence that, they know how to add some blues into thier sound, whereas tracks like ''death by diamonds and pearls'' give them their rock n roll edge.
There's no sort of attitude with them, they play and enjoy it, they don't feel the need to do any preaching or showing off and thats what (for me) makes a great band... They clearly care about the music they make more than the fame that's coming along with it... And I'm pretty sure that, there will be lots of fame coming their way, if they keep on making that shithot music they do :)



Peace x

Overdue....

Okay so it's not overdue but....I've just (believe it or not) listened to ''One Day Like This'' by Elbow for the first time since Bestival last year and....Jesus Christ, it made the hairs stand on end, it gave me the biggest goosebumps.
It was the song that closed....Possibly one of the best weekends of my life!

It just brought back all the awesome memories of that weekend at Bestival, the amazing people I was with, the music we experienced, the dancing we did, the laughs we laughed, the silly moments we had, the costumes, the drugs we (I) experienced haha (Sorry Tom, I know you don't approve) the sweet taste of cider and Jaiger in the sunshine, the sunshine in general, the face painting, the grass and NOT MUD!

I just wanted to write it down because that weekend was one I hope I shall never forget and Elbow closing it was the most perfect way to end it, here's to this year's and it being even better :)

Currypot

Tom is probably (while the other ones the other side of the planet) my best friend.

He takes me out, buys me food, cooks me dinner, makes me awesome little things to cheer me up, takes me to gigs, buys me drinks, RUNS from Hayleys HQ in Uxbridge whilst drunk to Hillingdon hospital to come and see me whilst i was being treated for a peanut reaction, he always keeps me up to date with music and is probably the real reason my taste in music is so good :P, he invites me to pretty much everything he does (except go and see Amy but that's fine.... I don't think I'd want to be a third leg when that happens) and here's the cliche bit.... He'll always be honest with me even if he knows it's not what I want to hear, he cheers me up and always makes me feel better about things, he will actually genuinly spend time with me and want to, then to go and top it off (make the whole ''being Tom's friend'' experience a whole lot better) He's got bear banter aswel.
Quite simply we have a laugh together and he's awesome to be around....
I can't help but admit to being shit with him, I'm never nasty. I guess I'm just selfish. Tom does so much for me and I do nothing in return other than just ''be there'' which is never enough considering how well he treats me and how much he thinks of me (even though he would never admit to that, ha!) I guess, I want him to know I do appreciate everything he's ever done and does for me, I am admitting to being selfish... This shall change. I've made a promise to myself to do so, I do find it hard to change myself as a person because I'm quite content with how I am, but I shall make an exception in Tom's case because I'm not content with how I behave with him, he deserves a better friend than me or at least deserves me being a better friend.

This bring me to my next point about Tom.... His new lady friend, I like her and I'm over the moon and happy he's met her, though I can't help but be a little worried that, he's now going to be one of those friends who won't and can't do anything because he's now in a relationship.... (if you're reading this Tom, I wasen't like that and you know full well I wasen't) I'm scared I'm going to loose him, I don't think I will because he's not that sort of person but... I had a conversation with him the other day about it and he dicked around by saying he's gone and can't be bothered with me anymore. I wasen't sure wether he was joking or not and it's played on my mind.

Tom's the only true friend I really have, so I'm fucked! if he does happen to turn into a relationship freak and if he meant what he said.

So, Moral of the blog: I'm aware I treat Tom much shitter than he treat's me, I am sorry that's how I am but I will change and make a better effort (and buy him things! I have brought him an awesome gift but I'm too lazy to send it in the post or to carry it around with me when I'm out with him)

.... One day Tom will be King dontchaknow and then he won't need me to be nice at all :)

x

(If he reads this I shall get constant reminders of it all, be called gay and probably never live it all down. Nice!)

Jeff.

For those of you who don't know.... This is Jeff and I.
Jeff is my camera and my buddy, he comes with me everywhere I go now :) If you would like to know why he's called Jeff.... I can't give you any information. It's a name my best friend picked for him and it's stuck ever since, so take it up with her :)



Tom loves Jeff too.

Young Lions

I'm in love with this band, this song, that album and these lyrics. It couldn't be more....Spot on!
The Maccabees - Young Lions.

Roses in the car
Bony saddle, bony street
Corrugated iron sheet
This bed is not concrete
This bed in which you sleep
Flesh is flesh til blood runs cold
And blood is blood, so I am told

Your carbon makes a star
And after all, that's all we are
After all, that's all we are
That's all we are

All these young men, these young lions
You don't know if it's true
Or if to believe in you
There are tunnels through the stone
Where weaker hearts have made a home

Their roses in a car
And after all that's all we are
After all that's all we are And isn't it bizarre
The adults that we are
Still playing
Follow the leader

Body don't break
Til broken
Body gonna make
Another body
Don't want to be the last to leave

SHIT!!!

Anyone who knows me, understands how much I LOATHE Rihanna....But, and I really hate saying this....Her new song ''Rude Boy'' is actually....Really fucking good.
SHIT, there...I said it, I can't help but sing along to it and actually genuinely enjoy it....
Man....I'm never going to live this down.
Maybe I'm over reacting with how I think everyone is going to react. Still. I apologise to anyone who thought I had any taste!! I will now have to work for my ''great musical status'' (if I may say so myself..) to remain.

Tunng.

So I went to see Tunng last night (nice British folksy band :D) at the Garage in Highbury & Islington.
The venue was quite nice....It was a bit like a party hall, like somewhere you'd have your 21st at? Anyway, a nice little venue, nice crowd and when I say a nice crowd I mean I've never seen a crowd so full of HOT bearded men, but no, not your ordinary bearded man....HOT bearded man!!! I thought I was going come over in some sort of fit with the amount of Heart Palpitations I was having. Everywhere I turned to look, stood a man with his curly hair, beard and glasses, in his nice trench or duffel coat. It was pretty intense!

Anyway, the amount of hot men is neither here nor there and is clearly not the issue at hand....No. Tunng are the issue.....Well the subject shall we say? I can't really call them an issue because, well, they just aren't!

Tunng's performance live came as a shock to me, I've always liked them and was looking forward to seeing them perform (a big stupid amount) but I never had very high expectations, is that bad? I knew they would be good but....prepare yourself....I never thought they would be considered the best live band I've ever seen so far in my boring little life.
They were fucking....MIND BLOWING everything, and I mean everything, was perfect! For pretty much the entirety of the show I had goosebumps! I even got teary eyed at, maybe 4 songs? It is probably my current state of mind but, I think the fact that they were just magical on stage and performed in a way that was so effortless and....just plain GREAT played a big part in that....Weird little rush of emotions.

I think its cert, they have topped the list of my favorite live bands....If you don't like Tunng, go and see them live anyway and by the time you walk out of that gig, you will be taking part of them home with you in your minds and hearts :)
They're one of those bands who are better live than listening to on a CD. YUP!