FTW!

Wow.. It's been more than a month since my last post.. Real life caught up with me..or is it me that is trying to catch up with real life? Either way, way too many things happening right now, way too many things that have to happen and as always a head full of ffwds and rewinds getting in the way.

But I digress. It's Christmas! Ha!



mood: sick

CHRONONAUTS DO IT BETTER

Today, apparently its Wednesday. I didn't know and it came as a complete surprise to me when I found out this afternoon. By a reliable source, nevertheless so I didn't doubt the information. At some point tonight, though, I was sure for a few minutes that it was Saturday. Then I remembered that its Wednesday. Could be worst. Or, could it?

New mixtape! Turn it up!

By the way, by the time I'll finish this post, officially it will be Friday..

mood: chipper

I WISH SOMEBODY TOLD ME THAT THEY DREAMT OF ALLIGATORS..

..because I would hug them and then we would talk about that ladder, the perfect opening just before/behind/with "receiving department, 3 a.m. staff cuts have socked up the overage" and for a little while everything would be about that green, that white and light blue.

I know I am not making any sense, I'm not really trying to. Though, it's all about UP..

mood: working

THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN

Unfortunately, even though people in America showed that they want change and they believe in democracy, there are some that still believe that they are more equal than others. Unfortunately Prop 8 passed. You can read the Final Statement from "No on Prop 8" Campaign HERE.

Well, these are truly sad news. I guess people feel secure only if they hate, only if they discriminate. A few days back I saw a documentary about Joe Strummer called "The Future Is Unwritten" and it ends with these words by Joe himself. I think they are very appropriate on this sad occasion:

"I'd like to say people can change anything they want to; and that means everything in the world. People are running about following their little tracks. I am one of them. But we've all gotta stop... just stop following our own little mouse trail. People can do anything; this is something that I'm beginning to learn. People are out there doing bad things to each other; it's because they've been dehumanized. It's time to take that humanity back into the centre of the ring and follow that for a time. Greed... it ain't going anywhere! They should have that on a big billboard across Times Square. Without people you're nothing.That's my spiel."

Joe Strummer, from the DVD "Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten"

Ok, on TBT news, "TBT mixtape#4: Something I learned today" is online and ready for streaming and/or download. GO!




mood: shocked

SO THIS IS HOW IT FEELS!

Unbelievable! Barack Obama is president of the United States! Even though I am not American nor I live in the US, I feel very proud today! I am proud of all those people that got out of their houses, stood in lines and waited to vote.

And I am witnessing all this with pride but also with amazement. I am a horrible cynic in my life. So, the thing that amazes me is the fact that all those people actually believed that a change was possible! They believed that! And they were right!

Witnessing this historic moment, has been a very moving experience for me. This victory was truly inspirational in the most profound way. Congratulation Americans! For once in my (almost-30-years-of-a)lifetime, congratulation humans!

Let's hope now that California rejects Prop 8. Come on Americans! You made a huge step forward for equal rights for everyone by making gay marriage legal in that State, don't fuck it up now! No to Prop 8! Make those conservative religious fuckheads, take their proposition home and shove it up their asses!

(Obama icon by iconseeyou)

mood: restless

OBAMA '08

YES HE WON!






mood: happy

OCEAN VIEW, 0:00

This month is almost over. Aaalmost. Thank gawd. Let's recap what I have been doing/ has been done to me while I have been neglecting my sweet little blog:

Found a job, lost the job STILL haven't been payed, got really sick and literally couldn't eat or move for 3 days, lost my ID, ipod decided (without my permission) to erase ALL music files inside it's evil little hard drive, ATM swallowed my cash card thus no access to money while in my pockets there were ONLY spare change, got it back was canceled thus useless thus STILL in my pockets there are ONLY spare change, applied for a new one-was supposed to be here this morning but it's afternoon and it hasn't shown it's evil little chip YET.

So yeah, been kind of busy..

mood: okay

STRANGE OVERTONES (PART III)

"I'll find a place somewhere in the corner
I'm gonna waste the rest of my days
Just watching patiently from the window
Just waiting, seasons change, some day, oh oh,
My dreams will pull you through that garden gate.."

mood: sick

STRANGE OVERTONES (II)

"You may think I look sad
But I am just sleeping,
It's my facial expression
I am probably dreaming.."

mood: confused

STRANGE OVERTONES (I)

On the 18th of August, David Byrne and Brian Eno released a new album. According to D. Byrne:

"Brian Eno and I recently finished our first collaboration in about 30 years. The name of the new record is "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today". For the most part, Brian did the music and I wrote some tunes, words and sang. It's familiar but completely new as well. We're pretty excited."

On the official website you can download a free track and listen to the whole album online for free (in excellent streaming quality I might add), so this is pretty cool.

These two artists have been incredibly inspirational and influential for me. So, this is a perfect opportunity for TBT to visit the wonderful world of Byrne and Eno. Today's post will focus on their music collaborations (PART I) whereas the two posts that will follow will focus on TBT favorite moments in their respective solo careers (PART II and III). Here we GO!

mood: sleepy

MACHU PICCHU

...and there goes a whole month! It's a known fact(to the people who know me) that my relationship with time is "complicated" and "peculiar" but sometimes I surprise even the "There is a possibility that I am an alien but I don't mind at all"inner me. So, as I write these lines, I look back and wonder: "where the hell was I?"

I'm not going to try to answer. I know better than this. Instead, I'll focus on today and today's post which is going to be about Roisin Murphy and the reasons why worshiping her should be an obligation under international law.

mood: nerdy

YOU ARE HERE

I spoke too soon. Suddenly, it started raining tonight. But, light Summer rain makes everything so.. sweet and tingly.. Like a walk home (without an umbrella ella ee ee ee) while listening to Can..

Can - Sing Swan Song





mood: calm

IT'S ALL IN YOUR MIND

Today, the weather is hot after quite a long autumnlike period. It's not cloudy, it's not rainy, it actually looks like a proper mid-summer Sunday. Maybe that's why I'm having trouble gathering my thoughts. I think they are evaporating. The music is not helping either. It's not helping me to think, that is. Because it sure helps to dream, to relax and to enjoy this oxygen sucking yet wonderful summer afternoon in the city. Pixies, Daft Punk, Sebastien Tellier, Etienne Daho, Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy...and now I'm sitting here trying desperately to write proper sentences while words and thoughts keep fading away.

Today, it's time for part 2 of TBT 80's movies tribute. Did you miss part 1? Overall, this is going to be a loong long tribute with many many parts 1)because there are so many excellent 80's films and 2)I am such an 80's movie buff. So, here we go!

mood: chipper

ANGEL

If somebody asked me what is my favorite Massive Attack album, I would say without any hesitation "Mezzanine". "Blue Lines" and "Protection" have always stolen "Mezzanine"'s thunder but this album is truly a remarkable piece of work. It's dark and creepy in a perfectly subtle way.

I felt a huge urge this last couple of weeks to listen to this album again. Maybe it's because I am (finally) listening to the new Portishead album (expect a relevant post really soon) and I started to reminisce about the days I was listening frantically to these bands.

I love all four singles that came out of this album: "Risingson", "Teardrop", "Angel" and "Inertia Creeps". But, "Angel" ..... is my favorite one.

mood: Serious

I DON'T SLEEP, I DREAM

Due to peculiar sleeping schedules, thoughts are coming as bullet points.. Sooo:

1) WEEDS is back. Thankfully this new season looks better than the last one (that horrible horrible Season 3 of disgustingness and awfulness) but this show is obviously never returning to the glory days of Season 1. Meh.

2) I've been watching BSG's season 1. It was 4 years ago but everyone looks so much younger! Apart from this weirding me out, they are the coolest cast ever!

3) I want to start watching THE WIRE but I am constantly postponing it. It's been such a long time since I watched a police drama (and also I have watched SO MANY police dramaz) that I don't know if I really want to go through 4 seasons of drugs/cops/guns again.. But, I'll give it a try. Too many people say it's worth it.

4) I am reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5" and I don't know if I like it yet. The next book in line is David Sedaris's "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and honestly ICAN'TWAIT.

5) No more technical problems! All Mixes in the Mixtapes section are once again available for online streaming.

6) I watched "Muriel's Wedding" again. What a film!

7) Is it autumn, yet?

mood: crazy

TRAINS, BOATS AND PLANES

"Tree cracked and mountain cried
Bridges broke, window sighed
Cells grew up and rivers burst
Sound obscured and sense reversed".

Brand New Mixtape..!


mood: content

POSITIVISMIOTICS

My computer is breaking down, the online mp3 hosts I am using are not at all reliable (especially in a time of a crisis), hell's doors have opened and their exact location is underneath my desk chair

Did you see the sign on the door today? It says "Warning: after serious need of positivism/optimism/a gun, humongous LOL waves are coming your way"..

mood: restless

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW (AND BEHIND THE RED LINE) THERE'S TBT'S MIXTAPE#2

Holy @#$#@$^&$$ it's unbelievable how many computer and internet problems I'm having today... Uploading and online streaming preparations have been a true nightmare. And there is a red line on my computer screen that appeared out of nowhere.. I wonder if I am projecting the limit of my patience directly on the screen..

After many many problems the new TBT mixtape is (finally) up and ready for download and/or online streaming. CHECK IT OUT!

Also, as of today I'm going to add the "mood" feature in the posts. And the TBT mood "theme" is going to be...Woody Allen in the movie Sleeper.. I would be excited if I wasn't so close to having an aneurysm. What a day..

mood: infuriated

TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, MY FRIEND

I have been watching and admiring "The Twilight Zone" again (my favorite series of all time), and besides from it being the incredible show that it is, it also has one of the spookiest and coolest opening titles evah!

So, today I'll take a dive into my TV fandomcrazed mind and make a list of the TV show opening titles that make me go HELL YEAH!

WITHNAIL AND I

A few months ago I moved to a new city. I left all my stuff (including all my dvd's+cd's) back home. There are days that something is missing. Sometimes, it's a song, sometimes a book and sometimes a movie. It's not that any of those are rare or impossible to find, it's just that before, they were there at the reach of a hand whereas now.. well, they are not.

Sometimes, you need to travel light. Other times, you need close to you objects that basically are pieces of a very personal world.

Today, I miss "Withnail and I". A lot.

UH HUH HERx4

These last 3 days I have been listening to a song repeatedly, manically, over and over and over again. It's called "Not a love song" and it's going to be on the new Uh Huh Her album ("Common Reaction") coming out in August. I really think that I am going to listen to the album and then my head is going to explode. From joy and overexcitement, that is. HERE is why! Amazing music!

FRI-DAY, MO-VIES DAY!

1) the universe is expanding and 2) I have been reminiscing about my favorite 80's movies. I really believe that all of us, kids of the 80's, are the luckiest kids in human history. I mean it doesn't get any better than growing up in the 80's, period! So, Friday today so why not make it a "MOvies day"? CLICK!

(Semi-direct) Quote of the day: "When somebody starts talking to me about what I'm doing wrong, my eyes turn into led garage doors and..I fall asleep".

WHEN THE FROZEN DONKEY WHEEL IS A FROZEN DONKEY WHEEL

Hey, want to hear my New Year's Resolution? Yes, even though New Year's eve is not up yet for 7 months? NO MORE LOST SPOILERS READING. And just in case I cave (there's a 99,9% chance of that happening), here is my plan B New Year's Resolution: NO MORE LOST FINALE SPOILERS. None. Nada. Because last year the finale was so kickass that even if I was already spoiled it blew my mind, but this year I think reading the finale spoilers beforehand totally ruined it for me. I really don't know how I feel about this year's finale.

Today I watched it for the third time and yet..I am not quite sure what to say. Of course, there were many amazing OMFG moments. But, this episode was not just one more LOST episode. It was a LOST finale. And LOST's finale episodes are a very special category of TV momentum/geekness. They are the special category of awesomness x mindfuckingness x head explosion x tears x jears x drama. So, I think I need to watch it again and then I'll do a season 4 LOST post that will sum up all of my lost thoughts. Still, this must be said: I love this show. Fo realz. ILOVEIT.

COURSE CORRECTIONS

Noo, I'm not dead I'm just busy running around, spending weekends without internet connections, forgetting important stuff, avoiding serious stuff, playing music, learning about synthesizers and sidechaining, daydreaming as hell...

And where is the LOST post that I promised? Well, because of the Grey's Anatomy 2 hour finale, ABC decided to air LOST's 2 hour finale next week.. As if we didn't wait long enough this season(*iz bitter/shakes fist in the air*), we have to wait some more... So, I am planning a LOST special something something, sometime next week before the finale.

This is a good day.. I have been writing new music.. A TOAST! Here is to more sidechaining and (hopefully) less daydreaming!

Hidden Cameras- Boys of melody

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART7: CLOSING CEREMONY

Wow. Just wow. In terms of TV shows, this week has been SO great! First, LOST and now BSG.. Ok, truth been told LOST has been kicking ass ever since it came back from the hiatus, but BSG has been kind of meh for me this season. Last night's episode though ("Faith") was AMAZING. Man vs Cylons vs Cylons vs Man+Cylons.. And Tricia Hefner simply PAWNS ALL as six: "Is that enough human justice for you?" Blood for blood?” Sorry my lovely Starbuck, you've just been PAWNED.

And now, it's time to announce THE END of the week- long- TBT- favorite- music- video- marathon. It's been so much fun to gather favorite videos and watch them again and try to be a control freak and categorize them and all! To celebrate the occasion, today I'll indulge myself and post 3 of my all time favorite videos. These are videos that I grew up with and changed my perception of music videos and music+imagery, forever. CLICK!

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART6: W.T.M.S.T.H.O.S. MUSIC VIDEOS

OMG is it possible that Season 4 of LOST is almost as good as season 1? Last night's episode ("Cabin Fever") blew my mind sky high! Again! WHAT.IS.GOING.ON? This season is really close to becoming my favorite.. 2 of my all time favorite LOST episodes are season 4 episodes( "The Constant", "The shape of things to come") and after last night I think I have to put a third one on the list. But, I'll talk about LOST in a more detailed manner at some point next week, where I'll do a LOST post to prepare myself for the first part of the finale that airs Thursday. Yay!

And now..Video loav! We are 2 days before the end of TBT Video Marathon and since it's Friday, we are gonna go crazy, kids! Today's theme is W.T.M.S.T.H.O.S. which stands for "way too many surreal things happening on screen" while the song is playing.. Not really sure what I am talking about? Everything will be explained after you press play, I promise.. CLICK!

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART5: "MOVIE INSPIRED" MUSIC VIDEOS

I'm writing this post while I'm reading reviews from Canadian viewers that just watched episode 4.11 of LOST (LOST airs in Canada first, then in the rest of the States) and I.CAN'T.WAIT. until tomorrow to watch it myself. I won't spoil anything but I will only say, things are getting even MORE complicated.. Yes, apparently it is possible to complicate things further..And next week it's the first part of the 3 hour finale.. The wait is going to drive me insane. This show is killing me.

Anyway, enough with the LOST madness, let's get back to TBT video marathon. Today the 3 videos I have selected have in common the fact that they have been inspired from/ pay tribute to a movie. One from a 10's movie, one from a 70's movie and one from a 00's movie. Let's GO!

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART4: "ROBOT" MUSIC VIDEOS

ROCK, ROBOT ROCK, WAWAWAWAWAWAAA... You know that saying, that goes "You know that something good is going to happen, when Robots start to play guitars"? No? Well, that's normal since I just made it up. But, nevertheless, it's 100% true. Honest.

Well, obviously today's theme is robots..but not quite. Actually, it's a bit more exciting than that. Today's theme is "artists that are robots in their own music video". Pretty cool, huh? Huh? [..Read the rest of the post]

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART3: "THE SLOW-MO EFFECT" MUSIC VIDEOS

First things first! Trent Reznor is back with his master plan to revolutionize the way the music industry works and once again, he is offering NIN music for FREE. Yes! The whole new NIN album (called "THE SLIP") is totally and completely free, in excellent audio quality. But, I'll let the man speak for himself..From the official NIN website:

"As a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new Nine Inch Nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com. The music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. Your link will include all options - all free. All downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits. For those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon.

We encourage you to, remix it, share it with your friends, post it on your blog, play it on your podcast, give it to strangers, etc." ©2008 NIN

I just got my link and I can't wait to hear it! In other TBT news, the favorite-videos-marathon is still going strong and today, I'll be hosting 3 amazing videos that have in common the slow motion effect. Let's go!

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO CLIP MARATHON, PART2: BLACK N' WHITE ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEOS

Day 2 of the lovely TBT favorite-music-video-clip-marathon! Today we stay in the animated videos category, but we are going to visit worlds, a bit darker and more mysterious. Today, Black and White is the way to go! CLICK!

Oh, and I promise, tomorrow's theme won't be burgundy Animated Videos ;-)

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO MARATHON, PART1: ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEOS

Today is a very special day for THE BOW TIES, because today begins TBT week long favorite-music-video-clip-marathon! What this means is that everyday for the next week, there will be a post devoted to 3 TBT favorite music video clips, gathered under a common theme. Each day will have a different theme.

Now, there are so many amazing videos by so many incredibly talented artists, that it's impossible to name them all. That's why I am limiting the videos to 3 per post (ok, maybe 4 in some cases). I LOVE video clips (can you tell?) so this is going to be sooo much fun!

Today, we start off with "Animated Music Videos"! [..Read the rest of the post]

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE..TBT MIXTAPE#1 IS HERE!

Greetings from another sunny weekend! Overall, it's been a busy yet not tiring, RAINY yet not depressing week. The blog is up, for a while now and I'm still incredibly busy with the technical details. This is the first time that I'm doing this HTML/ blog maintenance/ web design thing so it's both exciting and exhausting for someone like me who is the furthest thing from a computer pro.

But enough with the fourth wall breaking. MIXTAPE ACTION! YAY! The first BOW TIES mixtape is up! CHECK it out!