Sunday Boredom

After waking up from a fun night with friends, I spent my Sunday lounging around and being utterly useless. I spent some of my day trying to track down a amp for my sound system only to realize the kick ass amp and speakers I got on craigslist are too modern for a record player. After reading ont he web, today I need to go to Radio shack and purchase a pre-amp. Essentially a record player gives off a low level signal not significant enough for my amp to pick it up unless the amp is cranked up to the max. Even then its very very low. Digital signals (CD, TV, Digital TV) produce a high level signal. A preamp work allows low signal to get jacked up at a level the new age amp can register.....essentially I have to go to radio shack and drop 20 bucks to get my badass sound system operational.....then phase 2 will involved getting my record collection sent to cali.

Another thing I found online and enjoy was a documentary about the pixies called "loudQUIETloud." It follows the pixies in their 2004 reunion tour. This band and their sound has been highly influential in my life. I got into them mid-college and never really put them down. The "Doolittle" album was the album to first hook me and progressively the noisier "Surfer Rosa" then the their First EP "Come on Pilgrim." The albums after Doolittle are enjoyable but lack the sonic ferociousness and guitar hooks that make their first 3 releases so perfect. The lyrical content Black Francis conveys are written in a vague fury of sex, violence, love, Catholic guilt, mythology and longing. The lack of specifics while being so catchy leave you guessing what in gods name hes referring to.

I always find myself listening to these albums because I still have 2 or 3 songs stuck in my head. Once these songs die in my head, the others come to mind. Ive listening to this band for a long time and I never get tired of it. Its just timeless.

After Doolittle the band really got tired of one another with tension rising between the bassist Kim Deal and lead singer Black Francis/ Frank Black the band called it quits in 1994. It wasn't until 2004 that they got together and decided to tour again. Things werent really resolved between Deal and Black but they all wanted to tour again and that this point they can be adults . A big reason to tour was for financial reasons. While the band was originally active, they didn't not make much money. After 10 years and everyone realizing the extreme impact this band made on alternative rock, the bands reunion tour sold out in every show they performed.


While watching the documentary it was interesting to see how each member interacts. I think in general no one really thinks about how band member interact to make such music. Im of the mind that there needs to be a level of communication for progress to be made (even just a little it). What was eerie was how quiet and passive aggressive each member was. If something bothered them, they jsut brushed it off and moved on. I can see how tensions can rise for a band like this.

This documentary was well done. It did not overly dip into their history as a band but really jsut followed the band for the reunion picking up the drama of that tour. I enjoyed it but then again I have a mild gay crush for this band.

Sons of Beaches

Woke up early yesterday morning to catch a ride to Manhattan beach for a beach workout. Now that Ive learned the lay of the land, riding around the city has been alot of fun. At times I mentally keep refering to one of my favorite Owen songs music video.



I got a ride with my teammate Will and a few other people. The ride was fun and the air had not yet gotten hot to induce swamp ass. Manhattan beach as described by wikipedia "The city is a very upscale beach town within commuting distance of Los Angeles, making it one of the most expensive coastal towns in which to live in America, according to the most recent Fortune Magazine rankings. The town regularly smashes Los Angeles County real estate sales records, with the median price of a single family dwelling with an ocean view approaching 2.1 million dollars."

For workout the Trojan swim club did a different workout than the actual college team. We had the bright idea of swimming from pier to pier...little did we know that when it was all over we swam 1.8 miles....with current and tide added. Id say we swam little over 2 miles. After a 2 mile walk back, the team went to the kettle for breakfast which is a Trojan tradition to eat at after beach workout. Food was great and Since Im still new it was fun to just get to know people.



After workout we drove back into the city. The last few days two forest fires broke out along Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley. One started by a drivers lit cigarette other by arson. California is a very smog trapping state so with all these fires has made for a very hazy landscape. While driving into the city, these were some photos my camera caught.



Heres a better photo I didnt take


The rest of the day was spent napping and putting together my sound system. The turntable I bought is really nice but the cheap amp I bought was not working..Ill just troll craigslist I suppose. After that I had dinner with the landlords and went over to the swim house for a few beers and slip-n-slide.



One thing I really love about the street I live on are the food stands that drive by everyday. Fruit, Vegetables and Ice cream carts drive by playing a wide variety of music from happy birthday to Mexican hat dance music....Some even just yell what there selling "Tiiimmmmm-alll-eeeeeeeees" (that SOB always wakes me up during my naps like clockwork). The other day for 12 bucks I purchased 3 mangos, 6 peaches, 2 pounds of grapes, pineapple and a Coke (in the glass bottle). On a limited budget, I could live off fruit easily.

Music and shows

The other night I borrowed a teammates car and caught Deerhunter play at the Performing arts center in eagle rock. The concert was in support of the bicycle and film fest. I got free pink handle grips for my bike. I love Deerhunter. There a mix of rock and shoegaze (heavy layers of distortion) and the member of the band are just really great people. Ive seen them twice before and after each show they are more than happy to chat with you and shoot the shit. Just a great all around band.

The show was organized and set up by Keith Morris which is the original singer of Black flag. I introduced myself but he wasnt overly friendly. Kind of a downer. Im a huge fan of his works with that band and the circle jerks....hes 5o something, Hope I dont grumpy and short with people when i get old.




I also stole a huge poster thats in support of Fuck Yeah Fest on September 5th. A huge list of awesome bands play at a public park all day for 20 bucks, Very stoked, bought two tickets and need someone to be my partner in crime. This concert will rule...This concert is also organized by the lovely keith morris and this video is him talking about it a bit at Amobea

Strangelights- Deerhunter check it out..there lovely...also recommend songs cryptograms and twlight at carbon lake

Purpose

Im starting this blog because Im living a life different from my peers and Im just wacked out in the head enough to keep it interesting.

In short. I moved away from the Northern Virginia to swim in Southern California at the Trojan swim. For the next 3 years I will be committed to training for my lofty goal of trying to make the Olympic team. This blog will cover the ramblings of my routine along with the silly things I deem important.