What's up with wearing a short dress?

I wore a mini dress yesterday. Nothing sexy though. Just a pencil shaped (is that the word? I'm clueless) mini dress with Alice in Wonderland inspired prints. There's a big grinning cat on it. It's anything but a little black dress. There was no cleavage whatsoever. I wore legging under it and you could clearly see it were leggings and not tights. It was a working day. I was perfectly decent dressed, fully covered up. I'm far from model material.

But what happens when you are wearing a skirt or dress? Some women will give you dirty looks. What for? And men? They honk with their cars! What's up with that? Do they only see 'short dress' and nothing else? Don't they see my hideous knees which look like they're floating around there where I'm bending my legs (this is true)? My mahoosive upper legs (I'm a cyclist)? My highly unflattering Dr Marten's boots? My lack of showing any skin? Are men idiots?

What I'm trying to say is, with reactions like this, women looking dirty at you if you're wearing anything that isn't in their closets and men reacting like apes it's not really surprising that people would not feel comfortable wearing what they like. Just be safe, follow the masses, don't stand out. Standing out will make you noticed and you will get reactions. Maybe not verbally, but you will. Better safe than anything else. Follow the gray masses. This is what the Dutch are good at. The majority is dressed the same dull way. With this skirtathon I'm forcing myself to wear anything else than jeans and t-shirts. I must say, it's great. Good on me! I should keep it up, also after the skirtathon is finished. You want to look? You want to honk? I might sigh but won't respond to you. I think anyway. I'm blogging about it after all.

The rock star as we know it is dead.

Thanks to the social networks, the internet in general, the blogs, the news site, the quick connection between internet users who post links to news, videos and what not to each other, even to people they don't know, thanks to all that, it's quite easy to keep up with what your favourite artist is doing nowadays. Artists themselves are helping as well be tweeting their every move. You know where they are, what they eat, what they listen to and what they don't like.

Back in the days musicians were rock stars with their rock and roll attitude. All we knew about them was that they trashed hotel rooms, had loads of groupies and were constantly drunk or high (or both). There was this 'wow' factor around them, they were untouchable, they were heroes despite their constructive ways. Rock stars were cool. They stuck a finger up against society, they rebelled, they yelled, they were mystical creatures. They were gods.

Thanks to rock stars using twitter we know what they eat, where they eat, that they giggle when they're drunk, what they're wearing, that they went to visit aunty in the elderly home, that they listen to Girls Aloud, and like the next scenster kid think they are true and originals individuals not following any herd whatsoever. Rock stars still believe they are rock stars but surely, when rock stars tweet the same things your neighbour does, you little sister does, that politician does. We don't really want to see our neighbours latest butt tattoo just as much we really don't want to see Courtney Love's latest butt tattoo. So your brother is looking for some weed, that info is just as useless as The Thermals offering free tickets for anyone who brings weed to the show. Rock stars complain about their fans taking pictures during the concert and tweeting them immediately but when their rock star friends are doing the same it's fun. Musicians tweeting each other to meet up for a drink? Dude, use the telephone and TALK to each other!

I wonder, the stalker who lives in each and every one of us embraces the internet and the social networks and the rock stars greedily abusing the networks, we know more than ever about our heroes but really, is it really all that good? We technically could talk to the rock stars (if they weren't as friend-shallow as your next door neighbour only), but isn't it much nicer to meet them after a show and be actually excited about meeting this star? Don't we rather hear about rock stars trashing a hotel room rather than them meeting each other for a cup of tea at the house of the guitarist's mother? Didn't the internet, the quick media and us fans exchanging news and other info so quickly and easily not take away the mystique of the rock and roll star?

As much as some of us might moarn the death of that mystical rock star, we too wait for that rock star to finally tweet something, only to make fun of the tweet and considering him a wanker, just like that boy that lives across the street is. Rock stars of the 21st century are boring people just like you and me, no matter how outrageously they may dress. We've all come to accept it.

Because I'm way cooler than that

Let's talk about 'Old Skool keeping it real, I don't like anything after the first demo'* fans for a second. You know the kind. Long before a gig is announced they have everyone know they by no means are going for front row because they're too good for that, only to queue hours before the doors open, run to the bar and have a loud drink with other 'holier than thou' fans only to reclaim a front spot during the gig by obnoxiously pushing other fans away, calling it moshing and having a good time and boast after the gig about their bruises, injuries and puking over the pavement (not the band). Every band has them. You can say all you want about the fangirls (and fanboys alike) with their cameras giggling their way through meeting a bandmember / crewmember / support band / bus window cleaner, at least they're honest. They like the band and they're not ashamed to show it. Annoying as that may be for other fans and band alike, at least they're not pretending to be something they're not.

I will never understand why people queue only to dash to the bar first. I will never understand why fans think they own the front spaces even though they only come to the stage when the band is on. I will never understand why you need to show off loudly when you do know that old song the band is playing. I will never understand why you need to shout the names of the crew when they're setting up.

But what I really will never understand why you have to tell with every release that you prefer the first album or their even earlier days. If you don't like anything as much as the first fart the band let out, why still bother? If album after album you don't like it that much, give it up. The band will not go back to recording that same old fart over and over again. Interests change. People change. Bands change. At least, that's the healthy way. So, give it up. Don't patronise the fan who does like the new release. Don't patronise the fan who prefers to stand in front row (some of us are only 5'6"). Don't patronise the band for evolving after they released their first album. Either own up that you too like the new stuff and enjoy it or shut up and let it be. There's no shame in stop liking a band if they go for a direction you're not interested in. But if that direction is releasing real albums on a real label and getting a little bit more successful, I do have the right to pity you.

* quote by Gary Jarman, feb 2007 on myspace. He meant to address his own old-school fans. He's a hero.

So, you think rock is dead.

Oh no! Rock is dead! Rock doesn't chart anymore! Rock does not sell anymore! Panic is spreading over the internet faster than the Mexican Flu. At first I read with a slight feeling that vaguely resembles interest but over the past days this has changed into, if I take the time to read the panic bulletins, something that resembles annoyance. So, rock is dead you say? I'm not even going to investigate whether this is true or not. Does it even matter whether rock is dead or not? Does it really?

Rock is predicted dead since the 1950's. Music doesn't need to chart to be alive. Does Jazz chart (Jamie Cullum and Katie Melua do not count)? North Sea Jazz pulls thousands and thousands of people to an arena every year. So, is it dead? Of course not. The fast-media-generation who is the most interesting for commercial purposes might not care, but there's a lot of (different) people outside that group.

As long as there is one band who makes music I thoughoutly and shamelessly enjoy, as long as I can listen to that band, to their music, enjoy their sounds, it's not dead. It's very much alive, maybe just for that band and me, but it's alive. The band is alive. I am alive. Rock is alive. So think again when you read ROCK IS DEAD over a lengthly article. If you still like it and enjoy it, it's not dead.

Why the young downloads and the old cherishes vinyl

Currently the talk about the death of physical album releases has become more prominent again, triggered by the announcement by HMV that they'll be closing 60 of their stores in the UK. That's a massive amount of stores and yes indeed, this may mean a lot of towns in the UK will lose their very last music store. This is a sad thing. A very sad thing. Are people really so ignorant to not care about owning the real deal anymore? I do admit to listen to most of my music on my walkman or on my laptop while spending my time online (this sounds so much sadder than it really is I suppose), my walkman is just convenient and my laptop, that's laziness for most part, I'm too lazy to go to my CD cabinet, pick out a CD, make that choice (torture) and change the CD when it's finished. I however cherish the album and when I don't feel like listening to random songs (like on the radio but then only songs you like), I listen to the album, be it on my walkman or on my laptop. Nothing beats the sound of the CD or LP but that's the price I'm paying for being a lazy bastard.

The world is at our fingertips, we slide through our mobile phones, play and share, it's all so easy and so fast. Do we even remember what we're listening to? Those who grew up with this technology, who know no better than to slip and slide through a screen only a few inches small, can you blame them? Why would you go to a store, buy some silver disc and then go home to rip it before being able to listen to it. It's too much hassle for today's younger generation and the older, well, why bother right?

It's not really surprising that in this age where album sales drop dramatically the demand for cassettes and vinyl grows every day. Those who don't want to conform to modern times yearn back to the good old times, before Napster (or, maybe not quite before Napster because before Lars Ulrich heard about Napster, it was like being a kid in a candy store) and what's older than the MP3, what's older than the CD? Exactly, vinyl and tapes. It even sounds old and genuine. We can hold it, gaze at the artwork, read the booklet. Back to the times where we actually went into the store, bought an album and hurried home to put the needle on it or press play and read the thank you notes in the booklet. It was one of the first things I always read, the thank you notes. I actually still do that and I'm really disappointed when it just says 'family and friends'. I want names! Even though I wouldn't know who these people are and how they relate to the artist, the thank you notes... you don't get that with an MP3!

Record stores aren't allowed to die, not in the streets and not online. Music is important. Music is something you want to be happy about. Did you know you don't even own the MP3s we download? We buy the right to listen to the MP3, but we do not own them. It's just a file. A CD, LP, a cassette, that's something you own. You can touch it, feel it, read it, and unlike an MP3 album, you can give away a CD as a present. Seriously, think about that and then try to put a ribbon on a MP3. You can't. I got a CD gift check for my birthday last month, I'm going to own myself some music this Saturday. But in the end, the only person who really owns their music is the artist him or herself and that's the way it should be.

While writing this I listened on my laptop to 2010's most amazing album 'American Gong' and 2008's masterpiece 'Real Emotional Trash'. Ripped from the actual CD, naturally.

Tour of Duty or For what it's worth (a flashback)

As a young teenager I enjoyed watching the US war TV series 'Tour of Duty'. It was the close friendship the Vietnam soldiers maintained that made the show what it was. Every week I sat in front of the television to watch the 'adventures' (it's a little wrong to call it adventures, this is war and not quite Indiana Jones) of Zeke Anderson, Danny Percell, Marcus Taylor, Ruiz, Duncan and, of course, Myron Goldman. The show didn't focus on the actual war cruelties on fight, but more on other issues such as racism, suicide, fragging, terrorism, civilian deaths and drug abuse. It made the series human.

What also heaviy featured was the music of the era. Sixties music. The theme song was 'Paint it black' by the Rolling Stones. This song will forever be connected with how the helicopters landed on the field and the actors jumping out with their shot guns and Zeke looking back over his shoulder, pausing and showing the name of the actor (Terence Knox, in case you're interested). A few years later I was at a Rolling Stones show and waited patiently until they played this song and went nuts for the few minutes it took. The show was a huge success in the Netherlands and was shown on Veronica, then still part of the Public Network. They knew how successful it was, not just the show but also the music and always being a music pioneer (Veronica originally started as a pirate radio network, making radio from a ship at sea, just outside Dutch waters), they released a few compilations, releasing the music from the TV series, a mighty fine collection of the most delicious sixties tracks. Even as a young teenager I wasn't too keen on 'modern music', so that cassette bought from my own money was played constantly. As always, the first part was better than the follow ups. And on that tape was Buffalo Springfield with 'For what it's worth'. I instantly fell in love with that song and I'm both surprised and worried about how valid the words still are today.

I had to think about that just now, as it played on the radio. I had to think of the TV series. I decided to share this song here. Very fitting to my sixties mood I'm in at the moment. Enjoy this (sadly) timeless classic.

The Queen of Effing Everything and her new Throne

I have a new office chair. We used to have a boss who sat in the room next door, he had this boss-chair, but doesn't work here since about two years and no one ever sits there any longer so, long story short, after asking me four times and me answering with 'are you mad?' for four times if I wanted that chair, my colleague rolled in this boss-chair which flops back if you want to. It's of course a shame to leave this chair un-seated but most of all I got it because I'm the Queen of Fucking Everything. Coffee mugs don't lie. That's how my crap office chair was replaced by this quite fancy one. I moaned, of course, it was too low (you can't set it higher) but the truth is, it's comfy. And uhm, maybe a little too comfy.

I have suddenly gained full understanding why bosses and managers aren't doing so much. It's not their fault. It's the chair! The chair is built to flop back, feet on the table and 'think'. It's built to sink back and 'think' about what strategy is best used in the current situation. The chair is built to... lie back and close your eyes and to feel yourself softly slide away into a nice nap.

Lock the back of the chair! Eyes wide open and go! I'm not a manager! I'm not a boss. I'm the Queen Of Fucking Everything. And need to do a little. Coffee and other drinks however are still being brought, as always.

Gras driving, forest friends and Corin Tucker

Three days into my working rhythm and I'm still not used to it. Work really needs getting used to, why can't people just take it slow and easy? Work is annoying. It always takes a while to get back into real life after a vacation but I what I really need to do is getting my act together when biking home. So far I managed to drive my bicycle into the gras every single day while I was telling myself what great music I got on my walkman. I either need to get over the fact the music is great or I should pay more attention to the road. Probably the last one.

Just before I went on vacation I noticed that the left top tile at the lady's toilets at work sort of looks like it has a Bob Ross painting on it. While looking at it I could see a forest with animals on that particular tile. Of course when you are tired you are able to see weird things so while thinking it was nice I thought I saw these things simply because I was tired. To my surprise and joy I noticed my forest friends hadn't left the tile. They are still there. The fox sitting in front of a tree which has a owl sitting in it. And there's also a bunny jumping at the right side of the tile. It's these small things that make life a little brighter or maybe I'm just a bit coockoo. I want these tiles in my own bathroom. I wish I had bought these rubber duck tile stickers now at one of Sweden's best stores, Lagerhaus.

Sometimes there are these album releases you just know must be great. Everyone tells you it's great and considering the artist and what this artist has done in the past it has a big, bright, neon THIS IS GOOD STUFF label on it (blinking of course). They ooze GOOD STUFF so much that you're actually scared to touch it, scared to be disappointed because you also read this album is not what you'd expect (but still good). Curiosity won at last and scared I put on this magical album, '1,000 years' by the Corin Tucker Band. In case you don't understand what the commotion is about, she's been in Sleater-Kinney. If that doesn't make you understand the commotion your musical interests differ from mine (but that's fine if you let me be). Still, being excited for an album just because of the name is a very big risk. Your expectations might be sky high, the music is more likely to disappoint you. There is a risk of not liking this artist so much anymore. I didn't want that to happen, even though I know Sleater-Kinney does not equal the Corin Tucker Band, I never expected that in the first place. Still, in a way you do want to like the album by this power woman.

So, I put that album on. After 10 seconds into that album I knew I was listening to something quite incredibly amazing. What a great rock album! I was thrown to many directions while listening (ditch included), she sings gracefully but powerful. The music is so 90s in the best possible way. Especially 'It's always summer' made me think of the band Kindred Spirit, and that band came up a lot of times (I love Kindred Spirit, they were pretty much overlooked and under-promoted) as were (the obvious aside) early REM and the Who. If Tucker singing The Who tickles your fancy you might want to ask the kind people of Quasi nicely if they have a copy of their NYE Who party DVD left, but this on a side note. I had no real expectations for this album, I threw them all aside, but it really amazed me. Now here's an album that shot right into my list of the best albums for 2010. Tucker might be a dedicated mother and doesn't scream out her frustrations, she's a damn good musician and songwriter. This goes right into my favourite alt rock albums shelf next to Pavement, Modest Mouse, the Minders and yes Sleater-Kinney. And so it should be.

Don't read the papers at work or else

I'm at work after a good two days of vacation which has been good to the extend that I have not really a clue what it is exactly what I'm doing here 5 days a week so let's say that's a good thing. It gave me some time to catch up with the domestic news. Please, someone, take me out of here!

Today the trial against Geert Wilders starts. And modern day society seems to think we have to watch this live in television and so you can. Why on earth do we have to see trials live on television?

But anyhow, what really pissed me off is that once again mister Wilders complained about how badly he's been treated, how this is an attack on freedom of speech and an insult to him and the 1,5 mln people who voted for him.

I am so sick and tired hearing him whine about him and these 1,5 mln people. I don't know who these people are but what makes them so special when there's 15,5 mln people who didn't vote for him. Freedom of speech dear Wilders, oh, and this is also this thing called democracy. Majority counts.

Which, in a slightly unrelated note, makes it totally unacceptable to be stuck with this retard right-winged government we're rapidly heading toward to. The majority of the Dutch people does NOT approve of this government. But never a word about that of course.

One week in Göteborg

I'm in Göteborg, Sweden, for a week now. It feels like I haven't been here in like forever but in reality it's only been a few years. I've been wondering about how little has changed but also how much has changed. I've lived in Göteborg for about 18 months just before the change of the millenium and I've wondered about how much that supermarket has changed. The Gamla Ullevi, the football stadium, has changed drastically, it's been completely rebuilt. The last time I was there we stood on wooden floors and we jumped to the point you actually wonder if the wood would hold on and we got in for 80 kronor. Now we sat in a real stadium on plastic chairs and paid 200 kronor. The travel system has changed (rants on that later). There's this massive Wheel of Göteborg which gives you an impressive sight all over town. You can buy chocolate with licorice flavour (seriously!).

On the other hand it's still a big city with a small town feel. You can still buy the super ice cream in Nordstan (for more, obviously). The sausage stand at the bus station is still there (and equally good). The trams are all the same. IFK Göteborg is still the number one football team in town. And my Swedish still isn't as terrible as I think it is. You impress people by saying that you speak a bit Swedish because you lived there but you never think it's good enough. It still isn't good enough for my liking but I'm not a helpless monkey like I am when I'm trying to pay for a croissant in France. I just give 20 euro and have faith that I get the right amount back and hope to actually find a croissant in my paper bag when I leave the store. In Sweden I can order a forest fruit yoghurt pie with a coffee and ask if the next cup is included for free and ask the lady at the counter if she'd prefer five kronor to make the change easier.

I have a couple of days left in this city and the weather is promising. It's dry and there's the promise of sun as well. That's all I want. I don't need an all-inclusive resort in a warm country. This is just fine.