Friday, May 09, 2008

Quirks

I’ve been tagged for the Six Quirks about me meme by Lisa over at Eudaemonia. I’ve given away quite a few of my weirdities before, including my lack of a sense of smell, but let’s see if I can find a few more to post.

First the Rules:
Link the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules in your blog.
Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

So here are mine, all related to music.

1. There are literally some songs that I dislike so much that I can’t stand listening to them and will instantly punch the button on the radio to change to anything else, including a commercial or white noise. These include “Rock the Casbah,” “Take a Walk on the Wild Side,” and anything by the Police or Sting.

2. Lana teases me a lot for liking “one” song by Michael Jackson, and that song is “Dirty Diana.” I’m sorry, but it rocks. And I’m going to go listen to it now.

3. Most of the time I actually pay no attention to lyrics in music. Lyrics can ruin a song for me but can never save a song that doesn’t have good music. For example, I like the music to “Tube Steak Boogie” by Z. Z. Top but won’t listen to it because the lyrics irritate me so much. I’m the same way with “The Boys are Back in Town.” There is no song that I’ll listen to just for the lyrics. But there are some good tunes that actually seem to be enhanced by good lyrics, such as “Ava Adore” by the Smashing Pumpkins.

4. Related to number 3 above, I buy a fair amount of music by bands that don’t sing in English. These included Warlock and Loudness in the old days, and Rammstein today. I especially like the lyrics better when they’re in German. German is the right language for heavy metal.

5. The right music will literally cause horripilation across my scalp and down my neck. The first song to ever do this to me was “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and The Shondells, when I was about 13. One that still does is “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zepplin. “Simple Man” and “Saturday Night Special” by Lynyrd Skynyrd also do it.

6. Black Sabbath is the father/founder band of heavy metal because they were the first band to be all metal all the time. There is no arguing this point, and the original Sabbath lineup is still the greatest rock band of all time.

7. Bonus: The song that best combines incredible music and incredible lyrics is “Bullet the Blue Sky” by U2. The lyrics make up the best poem in rock music. (However, I sure do like the Sepultura version.)

I’m breaking the rules by not tagging anyone.

35 comments:

the walking man said...

relating to #3 Charles, I would bet that if it were played on the Radio, "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield would get you switching the channels fast. This was the music that was used for the original 'The Exorcist' movie.

Personally I like both discs 1 & 2, but they can get a little lacking in the Mambo department.

peace

mark

laughingwolf said...

can't argue with any, but then, i'm mostly a blues/jazz fan

Greg said...

"German is the right language for heavy metal."

I don't think a truer statement has ever been made!

J. L. Krueger said...

The "music" that sets my teeth on edge, and I use that term loosely, is just about any "Gangsta" or "Hip Hop" noise. Of course my youngest thinks it's great stuff.

Back "in the day" disco did that to me too. I used to walk right out of bars that played disco. Finding good Rock Bars back in the mid to late 70's took a little research.

writtenwyrdd said...

'horripilation' I love that term!

Having no sense of smell must make eating rather boring, Charles. And I adore Sting and can't stand listening to rock in German. But I know what you mean about some music driving one buggers. Usually it's when I am either stressed out or really tired, but if I'm at that place where it's going to bug me, it's like being scraped with jagged chunks of glass all over to listen to whatever sound is bugging me.

Weird things about me aren't that intersting or weird.

Travis Cody said...

I never thought about it much before, but I must agree that German is the right language for metal.

I can still remember the first time I ever heard Iron Man...it was late one night, I was 12, I was in my top bunk wearing my funky radio headphones, that first chord exploded in my ears, I was mesmerized.

laughingwolf said...

ok, gonna give'r a go... :O lol

Miladysa said...

Locking me in a room and playing music I hate would be pure torture for me. Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson would probably send me over the edge...

I saw Thin Lizzy live in 1975 - they were absolutely brilliant and not a person at the concert failed to play an air guitar for at least half of the set. lol

Great list Charles :-D

Monique said...

Charles. as you are a faithful listener of Middle Ditch I am very sad to announce that Paul Hart who plays Alan the publican has died today Saturday May 10.

Barrie said...

I'm with you on #3. Which is kind of weird considering we're writers, doncha think?

Travis Erwin said...

I'm more of a lyric guy myself and I'm with you on Sting but gotta say Bono irritates me as well.

Anonymous said...

I concur with #6 but I have to say I prefer the Dio fronted Black Sabbath my own damn self.

Charles Gramlich said...

Mark, when I was in college there was a guy who roomed down the hall in the dorm and listened to Tubulur Bells over and over and over. He was quite a bit creepy.

Laughingwolf, blues I like. Jazz not so much.
I'm a "rhythm" baby.

Greg, even umlauts in the names are cool. lol.

J. L. Krueger, you and I may be brothers separated at birth. I'm the same way about Hip hop and disco. My son was into hip hop for a while but finally has seen the light and now listens to metal.

Writtenwyrd, I suppose I can forgive your fascination with Sting. I don't understand it but I forgive it. And yes, when I'm tired or stressed I react more negatively to "bad" music. As for my sense of taste, it is probably more limited than the average. I can taste many things but certain foods are like eating cardboard to me me.

Travis, yes, Iron man was a revelation. Light shown down from the heavens

Miladysa, I actually like Thin lizzy a fair amount, just not the lyrics to that song. Everytime I hear it I wish they'd change the damn lyrics so I could enjoy it. Dirty Diana is really the only actual rock song MIchael Jackson ever did.

Moniuqe, I'm very sorry. I knew only his voice but he seemed like a fellow with a good sense of life and humor. I hope his family is doing ok.

Barrie, I'm glad you said that. I always thought that was weird myself. I think, though, that for me it's because I'm always living in my head and not really paying that much attention to what goes on around me. Still, you'd think we'd like words. but maybe this is also why "bad" lyrics really bother me.

Travis Erwin, "Bullet the Blue Sky" is the only song since U2's first album that they've done worth listening to. I actually feel the same way about Bono as you do, but that song just works for me.

Wil, Dio's got a helluva voice but I prefer his self named effort. "Rainbow in the Dark" is just an amazing song to me. I've got about half his albums I guess, but I didn't think that period of Black Sabbath was as fertile as earlier.

Mary Witzl said...

I think Rammstein are a great band. Their music is fabulous and I absolutely agree with you about heavy metal in German -- it just works so well. And I'm no fan of the Police OR Sting, but I love 'Walk on the Wild Side.'

No sense of smell? REALLY? I wish I could give you a little of mine; I have a little too much of one.

Randy Johnson said...

I think I was born a metalhead. At fifty-eight, it's still my favorite form of music. Blues "ain't" bad though. As for disco, I have to agree with Bob Seger, who said in Old Time Rock and Roll, "In ten minutes. I'll be late for the door."

Heff said...

#6 - 100% Dude. I personally prefer Ozzy in Sabbath.

Charles Gramlich said...

Mary, I think that "wild side" song is one that folks love or hate. I'm afraid I'm on the hate side. I've never had a sense of smell so I don't know what I'm missing.

Randy Johnson, I agree on the Bob Seger song. That's just the way I feel about that disco crap too. Segar had some great rock stuff, "Come to Papa" is a particularly great tune. And "they got the fire down below."

Heff, agreed. his voice was so right for things like "snowblind" or "War Pigs," or "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath."

Carolyn Crane said...

Hey! I totally agree on the lyrics thing. Knowing the lyrics can really suck. Also, Rock the Casbah definitely sucks, and you are a hero for not tagging anybody.

X. Dell said...

interesting taste in music you have there.

As a musician, I've often wondered if people hear words (or other extramusical signifiers) more than music. My studies into this indicates that this is almost always the case among non-musicians. So, either you're a musician, or you're a rare bird.

Charles Gramlich said...

Carolyn Jean, thanks for dropping by. Right on about "rock the casbah."

X-Dell, I'm definitely not a musician but lyrics just so seldom do anything for me, or even enter my consciousness. I've always been this way so maybe I'm a rare bird, a long-haired fat bellied geekbird.

ivan said...

Metallica will drive me up the wall.

Anything by Metallica.

One more listen to that untalented, callow "Eee-Yup" phrasing will send me to Nickelback, where again I'd wish I had my nickel back.

Get back to sanity listening to Train.

Who told Metallica they had talent?

Marja said...

Hi visit here for the first time.
I don't know many of your songs but stairway to eaven is one of my favourites i also went to a concert of Michael Jackson when I was young and although he is weird he is defenitely a good artist.

the walking man said...

In the navy, we one time were shore based while the ship underwent repair...a guy in our pod was particular enamored of Pink Floyd in that way. He wasn't creepy but I think from his choice in music you can tell what he spent most of his time doing eh?

Peace

mark

Michelle's Spell said...

Hey Charles,

Besides the Lou Reed thing (anything by Lou is god-like, although I admit that Walk on the Wild Side isn't my absolute favorite -- that would be Heroin or Venus In Furs), I agree with you! Cool quirks!

Charles Gramlich said...

Ivan, Metallica peaked with their self titled album upon which were such gems as Leper Messiah. They really wimped out after the "Justice for All" album and I'm not a big fan of theirs these days.

Marja, thanks for commenting and visiting. "Stairway to Heaven" has to be really my favorite song of all time.

Michelle, Heroin is a great song. A friend of mine recorded it for me years ago and I played that tape until it wore out.

Erik Donald France said...

Very funny -- right on about German metal, Black Sabbath ;->

"War Pigs" is one of the coolest songs ever.

Charles Gramlich said...

Erik, yeah, "Generals gathered in their masses! Just like witches at black masses."

SzélsőFa said...

Wow Charles, I totally agree with you on #1 and 7.

Mary Witzl said...

I meant to write that I agree with you about Stairway to Heaven (neck to neck for me with Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit) and Michael Jackson. Even with all the nonsense about Michael Jackson choosing to look so awful (when he used to be so cute!), every time I hear a song of his I am reminded of how enormously talented he is.

Cath said...

Charles you simply have to be a rule breaker if you are into metal. It's just par for the course.

I totally agree about German being the right language for heavy metal. Talking of German bands - do you remember Kraftwerk? They were great too.

But you don't like Sting? And Michael Jackson Dirty Diana?

Lets just leave that one and agree that Sabbath rocks. Forever.

AvDB said...

I'm gonna have to be disappointed by your hating all things by Sting. I can understand your loathing of his solo career, but The Police? Really? I think Synchronicity II is brilliant. "The secretaries pout and preen like cheap tarts in a red light street, and all he ever thinks to do is watch." It's the perfect picture of a middle-aged, middle-class office worker trapped in a world of his own creation, walking around with only the barest inkling of just how trapped he is.

Charles Gramlich said...

Szelsofa, yes, that U2 song is awesome.

Mary Witzl, White rabbit is a wonderful song too. I only lament that it's too short. And it is one that has great lyrics to boot.

Crazycath, I do remember Kraftwerk although I wasn't into their music that much. I know Sting inspires a lot of folks, and I'm sure he's a nice enough guy. I just can't handle his music.

Avery, you have to remember my anti-lyric approach to music. As for the Police, there is something about their music, particularly the opening parts of it, that is literally like nails on a chalkboard to me. That means I can never get to their lyrics, although I have listened all the way through to "Roxanne" and I don't think the lyrics there are any great shakes either. However, I'm sure they're perfectly nice fellows.

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

I dig that you like U2 as they are one of my all time favorites. But you don't like the Police? Aw, man. I love them!

Steve Malley said...

In the tradition of "I'll never be your pizza burnin'" and "Excuse me, while I kiss this guy", I prefer to make up my own lyrics.

Now if you'll excuse me, I was listening to Andean flute music covers of Falco's greatest hits...

Rachel V. Olivier said...

I also love that term: horripilation. I am going to remember that one.