Green Room - Week 11 - Day 9

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

The band Foxy Shazam has a new album out: "Gonzo".

Two albums ago, they had a hit in "Unstoppable". The NFL used it in their commercials and I even heard it on the radio. They were doing major festivals. The album after that did well, but didn't really produce any big "hits" in the same way.

"Gonzo" went in a different direction. It is ONLY available on vinyl (through the band itself) or free from the website Bandcamp. That's right - you can stream, or download their album, completely for free! The only way you need to give them a single dime for it is if you want a physical copy.

This led my thoughts down two different directions:

(1) Is this the direction of entertainment in the age of new media? They're not the first band to do this, but unlike the Radioheads of the world, or the small indie band, this was a band that was "starting to get known" who pulled the plug on their standard record routine, and did something else.

One thing that Eric has said about it is "When you find yourself lost - change your direction". Which reminded me of the Mitch Hedberg joke "When you find yourself lost in the woods - Build a house. Then you will be home."

Which got me thinking about how personal this album is for them. It's very much about losing your identity and trying to figure out who the hell you are.

(2) Which dovetails nicely into the second point, and a comment that received yesterday about the Idol topics this season. I won't say how accurate or inaccurate it is based on my own plans - but I will say, I found it interesting:

"The theme for the topics this season can be summed up as "challenging beliefs"

What we think is funny...or about ourselves... How we chain ourselves, our own sense of novelty, fear. Commonly held views and how we let our beliefs influence us."

I like that: Challenging Beliefs. Turning things on their head and examining them. When you get lost - change your direction.

This is Livejournal. At any given time, at least half of it is in the middle of a journey to figure out just who the hell they are, and what they want out of life. Some are in the middle of changing direction, whereas others are trying to find the moss at the base of the tree.

Where are YOU on that spectrum? How about a year ago? Where do you hope to be by the time Season 9 is finally over (sometime in 2019? ;D)

***

Oh, and we have a poll: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/747180.html

Comments

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

First?

Also, it is my damn birthday today. Where's my tiara?
(rough day at work, but maybe get to leave early at least)

[swirlsofblue.livejournal.com]

~*HAPPY BIRTHDAY*~

And yay first :).

*Have some cookies* Hope your day improves :)

[alien-writings.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!!!

I'm afraid I don't have a tiara for you, but would you like some fucking waffles instead?

And you're first!

[malruniel11.livejournal.com]

Happy happy birthday here and everywhere!

I don't know where your tiara is, but I'll share mine for the day, I suppose...

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday....hope its gets better:)

[joyfulfeather.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

Here's to an AMAZING year!

[beeker121.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!

Maybe your tiara is quietly waiting at home?

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! Here, have a crown!

[swirlsofblue.livejournal.com]

That's an intriguing idea about the topics, I think it works quite well. The idea of our place in the world and those around us and moving forward is so key to evocative writing, especially topics around ideas with quotes about oppression and rights.

I'm on the 'I don't know what I'm doing with my life' part, but then on that next question I see I'm a lot better than I could be. This time last year I was at the beginnings of leaving the house on a regular basis again and working a volunteer job. So I've come a bit of a way since then.

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

I"m with you on the topic thing...very interesting and personally I've enjoyed the topics.

Glad things in life are going better now than they were a year ago. That's always a great thing when things start going up/getting better.

[malruniel11.livejournal.com]

I like that point about the topics, and so far, I agree, it holds true. Next week may not be the case - we don't know yet - but over all, yes, that seems to be a theme. And it's an evocative theme, which pulls so much greatness from us.

I'm finding myself in the same place this year as I was last year, only not quite the same. It's as if this year is an alternate reality to last year and we've come to the fixed point in time: that point where roommates go crazy and give me the boot, and I don't know where I'm going to land, but this year, it's much better. This year I have peace about it, because I've been here. I know this landscape. I know what I need to do. I know I'll be okay. And I know that I'm done with roommates. The only one who can screw me over any longer is ME.

[banyangirl1832.livejournal.com]

*applause*

[kandigurl.livejournal.com]

Augh, I love this GR post. I am trying to find the emotional stability I felt a few years ago, I sort of chucked it down the drain, part of me thinks I did that as a way of challenging myself to go through the process again. I find I love process way more than end result. But then there's another part of me that's like...you fucking bitch.

As far as art is concerned, I tend to listen mainly to bands (and support artists of all stripes) that already play around with the way their work is distributed and paid for. I definitely think we are already in a space where artists have the freedom to do that, as if marketing and distribution is an extension of their art, which is awesome.

Even more well-known artists are breaking the distribution mold, look at how Beyonce was just like, "HEY HAVE AN ENTIRE ALBUM ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING." It's pretty fun to watch the changes!

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

I LOVED how Beyonce took everyone with surprise...and it worked well for her.

Good luck on your process:)

[joyfulfeather.livejournal.com]

I keep wanting to say that I'm in the same place I was last year, because it feels that way. Same job, same friends, same pets, same lack of romantic relationship... But I'm a homeowner now! And I have a master's degree! And I'm making more money! I just don't feel any different.

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

Oooohhh...all GREAT things. Congrats!!!:)

[banyangirl1832.livejournal.com]

Ugh, Gary, why do you post GR "food for thought" intros that are way too relevant to my life? I'm in the middle of a major shift right now and even though nothing is actively happening, Big Scary Life Things WILL be happening in the next six to eight weeks, so it'll be interesting to see how they and Idol intersect.

I have my driving test tomorrow! That is going to be the kick-off of the Big Scary Life Things happening (assuming I don't panic on the back-in parking and completely bomb it). Keep all of your fingers and toes and extra limbs crossed for me!

[flipflop-diva.livejournal.com]

Good luck on the driving test!! xD

[flipflop-diva.livejournal.com]

I feel like I'm at one of those points in life where everything is plodding along, but I'm ready for more, but I just don't know where the more is or where to look for it. I think some of it is so many people around me are having babies or moving or this or that, and I'm kind of staying in place. Which isn't horrible. I love my job, I love where I live, I have a house, I have friends, I'm happy ... but I kind of want the excitement of a challenge.

I don't know. It's a quandary!

[kajel.livejournal.com]

I just realized that today, Wednesday June 11th is the 6 year anniversary of the house fire we had. The fire was Wednesday, June 11, 2008. It's strange. So many things changed after that event.

This time last year was not bad. My summer didn't fall apart until the 25th of June! The day after my birthday.

[kickthehobbit.livejournal.com]

I know who I am and where I want to be. I've known for at least two years. :P Still figuring out how to get there, though! :)

[dreamsreflected.livejournal.com]

I feel like my identity is in permaflux. I'd like to think in this phase of my life I am in the chrysalis trying to decide if that's where I'm always going to stay or if whatever comes next may be worth breaking out of complacency for.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I'm at the point now where I truly realize that I am not my job, no matter how much my job thinks I am, and if I've been my job for so many years...then what?

It's the "what" that catapults me in so many emotional directions.

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

bla bla bla Girl Genius is taking interesting turns.
Now back to your regularly scedualed green room.
Unless, its actually purple?

[anyonesghost.livejournal.com]

I'm doing all right. Stability amidst chaos. Opportunity amidst change. The goal is to take the turns at speed. The trick is to keep breathing.

[i-love-freddie.livejournal.com]

I feel as though I am at a crossroads in life. I don't like to think about it; it is too depressing.

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Ha! yes..I guess I am there too..a different crossroad but crossroad nevertheless...and even I don't like to think ab't it. ;)

[reckless-blues.livejournal.com]

I'm always thinking about the distant future. I'm preparing myself to be a surgeon. I need the knowledge I' m acquiring, but also the mindset. Though, you know, I don't even have my bachelor's in medicine yet and I'm already picturing myself in the distant future ... Especially, worrying about how I'm going to be able to afford to pay rent on a surgeon's salary (Doctors are some of the lowest-paid people in Russia. After school I'll probably have to get out of Moscow and go work in the sticks, maybe apply to Doctors Without Borders after a while ... or starve to death. Or get married to somebody who owns an apartment. One of these.)

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Ah!Interesting GR post..you do write well..:)
"Challenging beliefs"...yeah it does suit the theme and I like that.
"When you get lost-change your direction." sounds like an apt advice, now the qt that comes to mind is which direction to take...:P
As far as where do I see myself in the spectrum...I am in the middle of the journey figuring out who the hell am I & what do I want..and I really don't know if I am ready for a change in direction.
A year ago I was at the crossroads of life and am still pretty much there just that I have started finding solace in the chaos it creates. What after LJ ? well, haven't really thought ab't that one..:)

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

I am in a totally different place this year than I was last year, and that's ok. Some things are better, some things are worse, but, mostly, things are just different.

I think my entry this week was definitely about "changing beliefs", but only this morning did I realize that it related a lot to current events/emotions I'm dealing with instead of just something that happened in the past. I wonder how subconscious my writing process was after all.

So thanks, Gary, for making ME think and then rethink.