13 posts tagged “music”
Back in 2002 (or so) I was in a band for about 5 minutes. One day during a practice, while the other members were on a smoke break, I began to feel oogy. I had just enough time to yell, "I feel weird" or "I don't feel good" or something like that and then I sat on the floor. When I woke up I had a glass of water in one hand and a slice of white bread in the other.
I had lost consciousness for a minute or so.
"I understand the water, but would someone tell me why I am holding a slice of bread?"
"Bread is comforting." was the response.
Over the next few months I passed out a few more times. I also had trouble breathing. It felt like I couldn't get air, like my lungs were made of Swiss cheese. I was very tired and my thoughts were muddy. Most of the time it happened when I was doing something creative. I went to the doctor, who gave me anti-anxiety pills, but I was still symptomatic. That doctor finally sent me to a neurocardiologist. This guy not only figured out why I was passing out, but he pretty much smashed a diagnosis I had been struggling with since my teens - epilepsy. I had been treated for an unexplainable seizure disorder from the 7th grade until I was about 28. I took a lot of the wrong meds during that time, when all I needed was a little blood pressure maintenance.
The neurocardiologist pretty much told me what I was doing just about each time I had had a seizure in my youth. "You were raising your arms."
Yes, most of my seizures happened after raising both my arms. I remember having one after hanging a poster in my dorm room, another while curling the hair on the top of my head for a Halloween costume party and another while standing on a ladder and cleaning a shelf above my head. For this last incident I would like to give a shout out to Dr. Dave Guerra of University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He told me to go get a ladder and clean the shelves. I told him because I was epileptic I didn't climb ladders, he got mad and bellowed and made me climb the ladder anyway. Wouldn't you know it! I fell face first from that ladder. I dislocated my jaw - an injury that no one seemed to notice and I have trouble with TMJ to this day because of it. My parents probably could have assisted me in suing the University, but they didn't look in to it. My parents could have also been a little more diligent in trying to figure out why I couldn't move my jaw for the week I was recuperating - but that didn't cross their minds either.
Anyway, after the neurocardiologist gave me the diagnosis of neurocardiogenic syncope he prescribed me a pill called Topril XL. He also told me to eat more salt. Drink more water. Lay off the caffeine. AND AVOID SITUATIONS THAT MIGHT CAUSE OVER STIMULATION!
You mean like creative situations? You mean like playing music, writing a sketch, painting a picture or going to a gallery???
Isn't that a hell of a note?
A few posts ago I mentioned Artists in our Midst and feeling like I was having a heart attack. It seems that the stimulation and aggravation of preparing for this event has weighed heavy on neuro and cardio and I am back at square one with my syncope. It started about 2 months ago - dizzy spells, anxiety, cat like responses to loud noises. Speaking of loud noises, the people upstairs putting in the bamboo flooring at a rate of 5 planks a day didn't help.
Then came the heart palpitations and rolls, Swiss cheese lungs, headaches and all around oogy-ness.
I was in London Drugs yesterday when the feeling hit me - I AM GOING TO FAINT! Luckily, I didn't, but the feeling was strong enough for me to take my ass to the doctor today and get back on my blood pressure meds. Now that I am back in the swing of creating, the last thing I want to worry about is passing out and impaling myself on a paint brush.
Do you tend to like music in particular genres, or are your tastes all over the place? What are your most and least favorite musical genres?
I like what I like. I hate Jazz. Well, not all Jazz...just the stuff that sounds like everyone is playing a different song and one guy in the mix is making it up as he goes. It's hard enough to recognize negative space with my eyes.
Audio: Share what you're listening to right now.
I can't get most of the songs on this album out of my head. Again, I say, Rod Stewart!!! Shame on you!
Audio: What song do you listen to when you are sad?
Submitted by Nat.
Because SIXBUCKSAMONKEY mentioned the Kinks and the song Better Things - I decided to also add this song, because it is a great song when you are feeling yuck and need a pep talk.
My version is by Fountains of Wayne. Love those covers!
Ever since I saw that Murphy/Chappelle skit about shooting hoops with Prince, I was curious: "Just how good of a basketball player could tiny little Prince be?"
The guy can play every instrument known to man.
He can jump around.
Anyway, it would be something I would like to see.
The other day I was sitting at my computer, just within ear shot of the TV when I heard something about "Prince shooting hoops with children" somewhere.
YAY! Finally I will get to see this guy in action. And wow, he is really coming out of himself to be seen on TV playing basketball with children! I even told the husband about it later.
Today, I googled "basketball, prince, children"
Sonofabitch if the Prince who was shooting hoops with the kids wasn't PRINCE, musical genius and fashionista, but the freakin' Prince of England!
Have you ever met any celebrities? Any interesting stories?
Submitted by Tasha.
I met Bill Clinton twice. The first time was at a summer camp for outcasts and nerds called: Arkansas Governor's School for the Talented and Gifted. I was there for drama, but secretly wanted to be there for art.
The second time was in college at Arkansas College at Batesville (now called Lyons College). I was in the chapel, painting. The art rooms were upstairs. I was by a window and I happened to look out and see all these men in suits. As they get closer I notice one of them was Bill Clinton. I leaned out the window and yelled, "Hey! Bill CLINTON! What are you doin' down there!"
He looked up and laughed, "Hey! Girl hangin' out a window! What are you doin' up there?"
Then there was the time I was in L.A. hanging with a friend. She was working at a bar called Zatar's so I went down and had drinks and watched people as she poured the drinks. The place was crazy crowded. I was trying to get closer to the bar when I body slammed this tiny guy and nearly knocked him out of his shoes. The guy apologized, as did I, and he went on his way. When I got to the bar I laughed to my friend and said, "See that guy who thinks he is Axle Rose over there? I nearly knocked him over trying to get to the bar."
"Uhhh, Mona, that IS Axle Rose."
On that same trip I was introduced to a fellow who said he was Iggy Pop's son. He was about 6ft tall, so he didn't have his father's size as an indicator, but his facial features were similar. So we were talking about god knows (probably Iggy) what when he looked at me and said, "My dad is Iggy Pop, you should buy me a drink!" I said to him, "Are you kidding? If your dad is Iggy Pop YOU should buy me a drink!"
Then there was the time I really pissed off the lead dude in Fugazi...but we won't talk about that.
Since I moved to Vancouver I have all sorts of celebrity sightings, but I don't bother them.
My earlier posting about David Bowie was just a sliver of my obsession for the man.
I once was a make up artist for a local David Bowie impersonator, a woman who did such a fine job that she was chosen to be on "Puttin' on the Hits." Something happened and she never made it to the show. I stopped hanging out with her as this was happening because she was getting too creepy for my own good.
I also made up my old boyfriend, Shaun, one year as Screaming Lord Byron (the character in the Blue Jean video) for a Halloween costume party. He looked fab and, if memory serves, he won the contest.
I found this pretender a few years ago:
http://www.davidbowietribute.com/
Now that is some gooood pretending!
Audio: Show us cover art or share a track from the first band or solo artist you flipped for.
Submitted by Red Pen.
1973 - I was dorking around JC Penney at the newish McCain Mall in North Little Rock. Back then Penneys had a record section. While my mother was taking back something she had bought the week before (something she did on a regular basis) I was checking out the latest albums. Mind you, I never bought an album, I just liked looking at the cover art.
So, I round the corner and BAM! As a display, someone had set up about 10 of the same albums, one after the the other along the whole row. I picked up the album carefully and stared at the cover. What a beautiful creature. I remember turning it over and over and just incredulously gawking. What could be inside this wonderous packaging??? Then my mother interupted me and we left.
Several years later I am listening to the radio in my room. A song came on I had never heard before or heard anything like before and I was mesmerized. The song was Fame.
I didn't connect my JC Penney's moment until some time later when I went looking for Young Americans. Talk about shocked and amazed. There, just behind Young Americans was Aladdin Sane! My beautiful mysterious creature of long ago...well 2 or 3 years ago anyway.
Young Americans was the first album I ever bought for me. I played it on a record player, the kind that was a box with a turntable and a form fitting dust lid. I got the album at K-Mart. The one that used to be where the Altell Arena in North Little Rock is now...That K-Mart also had a diner in it and they had a really good sub sandwich, but I digress.
I was in the 7th or 8th grade at the time and I was carrying around a copy of CREEM. I was leaving class and my english teacher saw the cover and remarked, "hmmm, David Bowie, you know he's a little funny." Then she gave the hand gesture that meant THAT kind of funny. In my innocence I replied, "nuh-ah, he's got a wife." She laughed and said, "Oh, that doesn't mean ANNNYTHING!" These days when I think of that moment I have to laugh. Ms. Kittrell with her short bobbed and finger waved hair do, trouser pants and sensible shoes. She looked like she could have fit right in at a Gertrude Stein salon. One of those gals you would see lounging next to another gal wearing a fedora and smoking a cigar.
David Bowie didn't get a whole lot of radio air time in Arkansas until after Fame came out and even then he wasn't very popular. I couldn't find anyone in my school who was into him so I became friends with a girl who was just as into Elton John as I was David Bowie. We still keep in touch after all these years.
What is the greatest compliment you've received?
Submitted by Maraschino.
There was a band, a long time ago, that used to dedicate the Lloyd Cole song "Perfect Skin" to me when they covered it.
Ok, the AARP didn't really take my baby away. I was thinking of a Ramone's song...
I saw something on the TV last night that made me slap my forehead then drag my hand all the way down my face until it reached my chin, smooshing my nose flat in the process. Just like on cartoons...
The AARP has used the Buzzcock's Everybody's Happy Nowadays in a commercial. A commercial for senior citizens.
I've heard them used in other commercials for cars and such. I have mixed emotions. The Buzzcocks are one of my favorite bands from the 80's, from my youth. The guys deserve a buck or two, but what's next? Orgasm Addict for Viagra?
