Javi

Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire

Ahh..I just attended my first concert on October 7th. fun. at the Grand Opera House in Macon, GA. I live in North Carolina - me and five friends drove six hours that afternoon to see an eight-song set. And it was totally worth it. They put on a really fantastic show; Nate Ruess really gets into it. Plus, half of those eight songs were new, so it was pretty exciting. Of course, I'd heard them all on video sites, but still. I might see The Airborne Toxic Event on November 23rd at the Fillmore Charlotte. My girlfriend's parents were actually debating letting her go with me. I would love to see them - they supposedly put on a great live show, and All I Ever Wanted is the only live album I can honestly say would make the top of a "favourite albums of all time" list. So I'd imagine they're pretty amazing live.

Indie! 'Course, I have 14,860 songs, so not all of it's indie..but for the most part, indie's my favourite to listen to. Just cos it feels like it has more substance, I guess. Some of my favourite artists are Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Bright Eyes, fun., I Am Kloot, Modest Mouse, Neutral Milk Hotel, Okkervil River, Say Hi, Spoon, Steel Train, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Antlers, The Format, The Hold Steady, the Mountain Goats, The National, The Unicorns, and The Veils. Though there are a lot of really fantastic bands that I simply can't list..

I write songs, which I assume most of you count as a form of literature. I've always been kinda conflicted on how people should interpret writing and what emphasis should be placed on the author's true meaning. There are a lot of people who say, "I don't want my audience to know what I really meant by such-and-such", but when you're actually introducing the piece to an audience and they interpret it differently than you intended, you desperately want to correct them. I have that problem, anyway. I think it really depends on the piece, though. If it's something very specific and you're emphasizing one specific meaning and that's what you want to get across, then the author's opinion should matter. If you're writing and you want your audience to be able to relate, though, you should let them interpret it in the way that they wish. Consciously or not, they're probably going to interpret it in a way that relates most closely to them. However much you like the true meaning, your audience will probably like it more when it feels personal to them. For example - there's a song called "All I Ever Wanted" by The Airborne Toxic Event. I adore the lyrics; the song gives me chills and conjures up some beautiful imagery. However, I recently read the short story it was based on ("The Hitchhiking Game" by Milan Kundera), and it nearly ruined the song for me. The real meaning was something completely different than the personal meaning I put behind it, and it alienated me from the lyrics. Of course, I'm speaking solely with poems and lyrics in mind, but I think this applies to short stories and novels, too. Like I said - it really just depends on your piece and what you, as the author, want your audience to get out of it. If you're a good enough author, though, your message should shine through without any additional prompting.

I Will Grab You by the Ears by the Mountain Goats.

Banging Camp by The Hold Steady.

First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes.

Tall Saint by The National.

So I'm one of those obnoxious indie people..but Coldplay's still one of my favourite bands. xP I've been waiting for a leak for months (I swear, I plan to buy it - but I really wanna hear it ). Wait..it releases in Japan tomorrow? I swear it was the 19th..pfft..ohwell. xD

Lately (I've Been on My Back) by BOAT.

Black Eye by Steel Train.

Them That Do Nothing - Field Music.

Nah..my interest in Lego and Bionicle dwindled awhile ago. I guess I just use BZP still cos..I like it. xD And I still read the Bionicle serials when they come out..