Vaughn R. Demont's Blog, page 22
February 4, 2011
From Twitter 02-04-2011
00:37:32: Note to self: Adding a multivitamin does not make a bowl of popcorn a "sensible dinner".
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February 3, 2011
From Twitter 02-03-2011
11:33:09: Apparently, with each successive book I write, the chapters will get longer. #lightningrod
12:24:33: I "Meh" Nickelback. http://j.mp/e86Saw
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I "Meh" Nickelback.
At some point I became an adult while listening to music. I couldn't really tell you when it happened, but I know it was after that sullen period in high school where I was wearing a lot of black and listening to mix tapes that primarily comprised of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and whatever radio-friendly metal happened to be out there. I'll just underline it, I wasn't cool. I had no idea what indie music was, and the closest I had to "out there" music was Oasis bootlegs and imported Norwegian death metal that I taped off a guy even geekier than I was.
I've been told my love of Oasis is one of the reasons I can tolerate Nickelback, "because I've been wading in shitty music so long I've gone nose-deaf". I also picked up flak for liking The Offspring, Green Day, and having no real interest in Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, and all the other indie bands du jour after hearing their "big songs" and just shrugging. I guess I just don't get it, but I really don't care.
But think about it, can you name any rock band that is more demonized by the music press and sound-snob collective than Nickelback? I know snobs who have accosted Canadians requesting, nay, demanding their country issue a formal apology for Nickelback.
When I go driving, it's often in a borrowed car that has XM radio. I'll switch it over to Octane and listen to collected hard rock from the last 15 years and generally not deal with road rage. When Nickelback comes on, I do not, in fact, suffer a severe psychotic break from the sheer audio-based trauma I've been subjected to and subsequently attempt to drive with my ass and cause a 30-car pileup. I would not, however, put this past a music snob, given their reactions to the DJ announcing that "Rockstar" will be coming up next. I, on the other hand, wonder what album it's off and hope they play Cage The Elephant's "Back Against The Wall" next because I can't really swing buying the mp3 yet. (Yes, I'm that poor, my discretionary budget is nigh non-existent. Besides, I like at least three of their songs which is the threshold for buying the whole album for me.)
While going to Goddard, my mp3 player was less an eclectic mix and more schizophrenic, though I was going through yet another Nine Inch Nails phase. It turned out a couple other Goddardites were into NIN as well, and, relieved there was a band I finally talk about coherently, I started talking about my favorite halos, particularly my fun little theory that The Fragile worked as a narrative. They looked at me like I'd admitted to clubbing baby seals and pissing all over a freshly harvested bushel of organic kale. "You listen to his older stuff? His stuff isn't any good until Ghosts."
Ghosts is mostly 3 hours of instrumentals. I picked it up, and I couldn't even write to it. But I'll take The Slip over Ghosts. Sorry, Trent.
But back to my original point.
I don't think I can ever understand the concept of "good" when it comes to the subjective. Hell, I've read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and I get the whole argument about "what is quality?", but unlike the protagonist, I'm not about to let that question drive me into shock therapy. I know what I like, I know what I think is good, I know people like other things, and might not like what I like. I might not like what they like either. Y'know what? That's kind of the way society works, so I'm cool with it.
I guess this is why I have no delusions of writing the Great American Novel; I have no interest in it. I'm not interested in changing the world with my stories, I'm not out to be, as Shelley put it, one of the "unacknowledged legislators", I just want to write what I care about in the genres I love. And if I end up being considered the "Nickelback" of Urban Fantasy, well, I'll deal. After all, they've got how many albums out? :)
I've been told my love of Oasis is one of the reasons I can tolerate Nickelback, "because I've been wading in shitty music so long I've gone nose-deaf". I also picked up flak for liking The Offspring, Green Day, and having no real interest in Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, and all the other indie bands du jour after hearing their "big songs" and just shrugging. I guess I just don't get it, but I really don't care.
But think about it, can you name any rock band that is more demonized by the music press and sound-snob collective than Nickelback? I know snobs who have accosted Canadians requesting, nay, demanding their country issue a formal apology for Nickelback.
When I go driving, it's often in a borrowed car that has XM radio. I'll switch it over to Octane and listen to collected hard rock from the last 15 years and generally not deal with road rage. When Nickelback comes on, I do not, in fact, suffer a severe psychotic break from the sheer audio-based trauma I've been subjected to and subsequently attempt to drive with my ass and cause a 30-car pileup. I would not, however, put this past a music snob, given their reactions to the DJ announcing that "Rockstar" will be coming up next. I, on the other hand, wonder what album it's off and hope they play Cage The Elephant's "Back Against The Wall" next because I can't really swing buying the mp3 yet. (Yes, I'm that poor, my discretionary budget is nigh non-existent. Besides, I like at least three of their songs which is the threshold for buying the whole album for me.)
While going to Goddard, my mp3 player was less an eclectic mix and more schizophrenic, though I was going through yet another Nine Inch Nails phase. It turned out a couple other Goddardites were into NIN as well, and, relieved there was a band I finally talk about coherently, I started talking about my favorite halos, particularly my fun little theory that The Fragile worked as a narrative. They looked at me like I'd admitted to clubbing baby seals and pissing all over a freshly harvested bushel of organic kale. "You listen to his older stuff? His stuff isn't any good until Ghosts."
Ghosts is mostly 3 hours of instrumentals. I picked it up, and I couldn't even write to it. But I'll take The Slip over Ghosts. Sorry, Trent.
But back to my original point.
I don't think I can ever understand the concept of "good" when it comes to the subjective. Hell, I've read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and I get the whole argument about "what is quality?", but unlike the protagonist, I'm not about to let that question drive me into shock therapy. I know what I like, I know what I think is good, I know people like other things, and might not like what I like. I might not like what they like either. Y'know what? That's kind of the way society works, so I'm cool with it.
I guess this is why I have no delusions of writing the Great American Novel; I have no interest in it. I'm not interested in changing the world with my stories, I'm not out to be, as Shelley put it, one of the "unacknowledged legislators", I just want to write what I care about in the genres I love. And if I end up being considered the "Nickelback" of Urban Fantasy, well, I'll deal. After all, they've got how many albums out? :)
February 2, 2011
From Twitter 02-02-2011
11:59:52: So, to provide a bit of comic relief to the end of an intense scene, one of my fave characters will be a closet fan of Styx. #lightningrod
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February 1, 2011
From Twitter 02-01-2011
00:38:11: 4th date will be a Zucker Bros. marathon, starting with Airplane! and probably culminating with The Naked Gun.
20:15:08: The contract for CC has merchandising rights. Now I have the image of a Spencer plushie stuck in my head. And it's adorable. #coyotescreed
21:35:12: From Twitter 01-31-2011 RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED
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January 31, 2011
From Twitter 01-31-2011
13:40:54: Finished my taxes. :) What little I'm getting back is going into the car fund.
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January 30, 2011
January 29, 2011
From Twitter 01-29-2011
13:57:31: Good article. If only sanity was en vogue. Johann Hari: Why is it wrong to protect gay children? - The Independent http://ind.pn/gLhnya
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January 28, 2011
From Twitter 01-28-2011
11:45:22: Is it sad that the story I'm most proud of was inspired by Cake's cover of "I Will Survive"?
13:19:18: I have an official author page on Amazon! I'm somebody now! :) http://t.co/jOrKwcb via @amazon
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January 27, 2011
From Twitter 01-27-2011
15:19:05: I was going to write a lame and depressing tweet, but luckily my cat jumped on my desk and tried to attack my mouse cursor. All is now well.
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