Teenage Kicks

The Therapeutic Properties of Monty Python.

2009-07-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

Let's start out with some personal information/woes here: I haven't necessarily been what one would call 'Happy & Content' all week. I'm stressed out about moving in about a month (to Vancouver I go) and all that moving entails, as I just moved 6 months ago. I hate my job and of course in order to move I need a lot of extra hours, which indicates I'll be working at that shite petrol station a lot more. It's still a whole month and a half until my boyfriend and his band are back from his tour, and I'm missing him so much it hurts like hell and piss. In fact, I feel I am going insane.

I will stop whining like the silly teenage girl that I am and get to what I am trying to say. I woke up in a particular bad mood this morning, as I realized it was the last time I'll be able to sleep properly for 2 days (I work at 6:30AM). So, my friend (see here: http://toscanacockney.blogspot.com/) sent me a link to a video of the 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' scene from Monty Python & The Life Of Brian.

I forgot how easy it was for this little ditty to lift the spirits, and put together with the stupidity of religion, it's just downright brilliant. I realized that all Monty Python skits were like this: they seem to lift the spirit and bring a measure of peace of mind. Maybe I've been reading too deeply into this, as I have been drinking excessive Rock Creek Dry Cider for the past hour. But anyway, it is clear that there are psychiatric benefits of this 1960's comedy troupe.

Thoughts On The Reunion of Blur (and other things...)

2009-07-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Since I mentioned 'Britpop' in my blog description, I've decided I may as well start out with such.

Let's begin with my history with the, er, 'genre'. I stumbled into the world of Britpop a few years ago, at age 15. I was getting heavily into British punk-rock then, and I was looking around the public library when I found a CD copy Oasis's Definitely Maybe. I remembered reading an article about Oasis that their frontman Liam Gallagher sang like Johnny Rotten, so I brought the album home. I quickly fell in love with the music and never returned it to the library.
Shortly after that I became what is known as a 'Punk Elitist Snob' and didn't touch the album for ages. Might I note that I never liked Blur at this point in my life. I only knew Blur from their North American one-hit-wonder 'Song 2' aka the 'Woo-Hoo' song, so obviously my feelings towards them weren't exactly genial.

Later on, come about age 17, my music taste began widening again, thanks to the Clash and the internets. I started listening to Oasis again and buying a couple of their other albums, like (What's The Story) Morning Glory?.
One day I heard a song called 'Parklife' while working in the school cafeteria. I thought it was one of the most amazing things ever, wonderfully English, and I had to find out who it was by. To my shock, horror, and disbelief, it was Blur. Not only that, Phil Daniels, who played 'Jimmy' in my all-time favorite film Quadrophenia, sang the verses. Suddenly I became enamored with my former hatred known as Blur, and I quickly fell madly in love with Damon Albarn. Blur's music had a society-questioning sneer plus an incredible catchiness that reminded me of the music that has dominated my youth. I decided I could roll with this Britpop thing.

(The coolest, sexiest men of the '90's, yes? Agreed? Good.)
l-r: Damon Albarn, Alex James, Graham Coxon, and Dave Rowntree

Well, in case you didn't already know this, Blur broke up in 2000. They decided to reunite in 2009, just shortly after I REALLY got into them, much to my excitement. Now, as you've already probably guessed, I wasn't a Blur fan in the '90's. I was about 6 or 7 at the height of their career and far too busy debating with friends about who was better: The Spice Girls or The Backstreet Boys. So, it's not like the reunion of Blur is a nostalgia trip for me at all. Lets see if I can explain this better...

My music taste for years has been like this: All the bands I loved have broken up long before I was born, and a lot of the members now deceased. To fall in love with a group only to have them reunite right after the love happens is very exciting for me. I mean, these days Britpop is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine, as everyone around me hates it and I can't talk about it with anyone, so the Blur reunion is almost like it came into existance especially for me... I'm really bad at explaining things, as you can see. Hehe.

Blur, unfortunately, are sticking to the UK for now, avoiding the Americas. Understandable, since perhaps playing 'Song 2' over and over again while touring all over this oversized continent might be hard on the sanity of the group. So the only way I can enjoy this reunion is through YouTube and various news articles. Ah well. It's good enough for me. I can only hope they decide to stay together after the summer.

(A slightly fatter, slightly older Blur performing at the UK's Glastonbury festival last Sunday)

An Introduction Of Sorts...

2009-07-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

(That is the Clash, by the way.)

I am currently trying to figure this blog thing out...I guess I may as well introduce myself to begin with.

I am Suzanne Hampton. I'm currently 19 and I live in Western Canada (BC for those geographically impaired)
My interests are based on music, which is my life; gigs; trying to read things; going on walks around urban areas; cheese; my lovely (rockstar) boyfriend; cute furry small animals; attempting to play guitar; and other things I'm sure.
I'm not what most people think I am, for sure. I have a hard time describing who I am so I'm not gonna bother with all that...figure it out yourself.

I'm starting this blog as a way of self amusement. My life is far from exciting, you see. I don't work enough and I get bored very easily. Maybe if I ramble on about shit in here life will become more entertaining? Probably not. But I'm doing this anyway. I will WIN the Interwebs!