A Hobby of Mines

Collecting vinyl.

Favourite Quote

life is about love, lost minutes & lost evening. About fire in our bellies & about furtive little feelings & the aching amplitudes that set our needles all a-flickering & they help us with remembering that the only thing that’s left to do is live.

Frank Turner – I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous

Favourite Song

In Friends We Trust.

Looking back over the past few months I’m now pondering over the cliché crisis that is to wrap up plans and projects, but for most this would be a day that they would like to forget but for me, it’s a milestone. Last year I was depressed, my head was fucked, days would pass by sleeping them away, waking up too late and at one point almost not waking up at all.

This second half of this year is now the white to black of the above mentioned.

Now I can give myself a huge pat on the back and a pep talk for next year, for someone who swore off returning to education a couple of years back, I most certainly am eating those words with a super sized drink of ”I told you so” and a side order of “damn I’m busy”.

If I could give a high five to everyone who helped me along with this ride so far, I would, but I’ll just say thank you.

No more anguish.
No more torture.
No more suffer.
Call for restructure.

On a side note what inspired really this post today was a record I’ve spinning a lot this year called ‘Turf Wars’ from a band called Daggermouth – a five piece pop-punk/melodic hardcore band from Canada. The band incorporates the best of both aforementioned music worlds in that they deliver great songs with an edge.

Turf Wars has it all: gang choruses, swear words, girl problems, and utterly frantic drumming. There is barely a chance to catch your breath, and my head is in constant motion the whole time I crack this on. Most songs, however, sound very similar, but when they are this fast and energetic, it’s easy to look past the generic tendencies of the album.

It would be futile to try and describe the intricacies of each song but the atmosphere created is intense, yet still laid back. What I mean is that the lyrical content is easily relatable, but the delivery is far from leisurely strolls in the park and the audio cancer that is Radio 1.

Something I didn’t know when I first head this record was that frontman Nick has a history of battling depression and anxiety, last year he checked himself into the hospital and soon after it became apparent that he needed to get home, and has been ever since.

The above mentioned facts and my love for all things punk rock may tint my specs as I cant but help feel an affinity with people who have been through things similar to me but when Nick screams, “I’ll never be the perfect son you always dreamt I’d be,” it’s impossible not to insert yourself in those lyrics, no matter who you are. For me this record is a perfect example of when you realise musical success doesn’t always have to be measured by pound signs, critical praises, or any other pish like that, but rather by sheer passion.

Click the cover for a cheeky download, you may have just found your new favourite band.

Or try this wee number: Too Late, No Friends

 

Also this is how I got on with my costume:

-Andy

 

Summer 2009 vs Bonus High Fives

Just a little video I threw together to document this summer…

Also here’s a video of me and my good friend Andrew cycling over Scotland!

more about "20,000 Lines Left To Go on Vimeo", posted with vodpod

The Science of Selling Yourself Short

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, somehow answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. You can’t use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It’s a lot harder than you think!

Pick Your Artist:

Less Than Jake

Are you a male or female:

Happyman

Describe yourself:

Negative Sides of Optimistic Eyes

How do you feel:

The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out

Describe where you currently live:

St. James Hotel

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

Gainsville Rock City

Your favorite form of transportation:

Sugar in Your Gastank

Your best friend is:

Portrait of a Cigarette Smoker at 19

You and your best friends are:

Never Going Back to New Jersey

What’s the weather like:

Freeze Frame

Favorite time of day:

Last Hour of the Last Day of Work

If your life was a tv show, what would it be called:

Antidote For The Underdog

What is life to you:

My Very Own Flag

Your last relationship:

Let Her Go

Your fear:

Losing Streak

What is the best advice you have to give:

Don’t Fall Asleep On The Subway

Thought for the Day:

Sobriety is a Serious Business and Business isn’t So Good

How I would like to die:

Goodbye in Gasoline

My soul’s present condition:

Malt Liquor Tastes Better When You’ve Got Problems

My motto:

PS Shock The World

The faults you can bear:

Golden Age Of My Negative Ways

How would you describe your love life:

Bigger Picture

What are you going to post this as :

The Science of Selling Yourself Short

I want to see the Specials!

Soul Meets Body.

I’ve been thinking about how I myself, as a person, has changed, I used to care about what people would say about me. But now I’ve come to realize people can say the worst things about you, really dire stuff, try and peer deep into your soul and take everything and make it the opposite and then maintain that as the truth.

But they can’t effect your ability to:
Earn
To love
To be loved
To have a good fucking day

Everyday we wake up to this world, we open it up and take in all this information relevant to us, everyone can get fucking lost in it. Following our little mouse trails.

I’ve spoke to countless people about things that other have said about me, that have upset me, and the same response I get is not “aw that’s shame” they’re like, “so?” Maybe I need to think that I’ve already won, after everything that’s happened to me, with the help from others, I’m still standing here with a cheeky smile on my face.

You hit that point where you’re fed up with all the bullshit and you’re like
I’d rather be getting stoned
Playing football
Dancing at the martell
Playing halo 3
Taking the dog for a walk
Have a cup of tea with big Linda!

I get it.

I know some people don’t like me, but so much of your life passes by when you try to sort these ties, now I’m like ‘delete’

Why bother? Life’s too fucking short :)

You wouldn’t let someone into your house who continually shat on your floor, eventually you get to the stage where you GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, that’s the place where I’ve gotten to, people are going to make their own assumptions of me, bad assumptions, all I can do is know who I am and know what my motivations are.

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun,
Crying like a fire in the sun.
Look out the saints are comin’ through
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue.

New Set Your Goals record!





Your unique, just like everyone else.

go to work. send your kids to school. follow fashion. act normal. walk on the pavement. watch TV. save for your old age. Obey the law. Repeat after me: I am free.

This speaks so much to me, I myself have goals but I feel like I am trapped in this life where I am unable to figure out how to get myself out of this “rat race”.

go to work = make others money

send your kids to school = wonder if they will ever learn

follow fashion = only on TV & magazines

act normal = pretend to act normal

walk on the pavements = cant afford a car

watch T.V. = local channels only

save for your old age = don’t eat

obey the law = be a part of this puppet show

I think most of the time, we’re too afraid of making decisions because
we don’t know if the decision we made is the optimal one. Everybody
wants to be ‘free’, but what exactly does being ‘free’ encompass? Do we
trade career security for freedom? Do we get fabulous oral sex if we
have freedom?

Who knows, but the closet I’ve ever felt to ‘freedom’ is when I cycled over Scotland. There were no TV telling you what was going to kill you next, no magazine telling you how much you should weigh or look like, but instead a big wide open road, constantly  changing and moving.

I’m starting to get pissed off with everything, I feel restless, I think I need to get away again for a while… see corners of Scotland I’ve not seen yet!

Gonna buy me some rings
And a gun that sings
A flute that toots
And a bee that stings
A sky that cries
And a bird that flies
A fish that walks
And a dog that talks!