Wherever I May Roam...As long as I get to plan the trip

My brother thinks I'm bossy. We have this conversation occasionally and it's usually because I have been the decisive member of our family. It could be about planning my mom's birthday, driving cross country, or going through the basement and getting rid of all the crap that lives there. My brother, if questioned extensively, would probably be able to point to multiple times in our lives where I have bossed him into doing something. Usually, the end result is very positive. My bossiness is a positive trait (at least that's how I see it) and it moves us along and means that we are, as a family, more decisive. I do not believe we should "ban bossy" as some people would like us to do. I love being bossy. Banning the word bossy isn't going to solve the issue of female empowerment. I think it will have the opposite effect. I feel the same way about bossy that I do about slang terms for female anatomy that are used as slurs; if you don't take ownership of the word it allows someone else to do it for you. Own bossy, don't ban it.

I digress. Several years ago I decided to try Netflix. This was back when you could only do the DVD option and no one binge watched television. I believe we had more patience back then (in 2004). My first Netflix delivery was the documentary Some Kind of Monster. If you've never heard of this documentary, it's follows the heavy metal band Metallica and their experience going through therapy as a band, recording their album (the terrible St. Anger), and replacing bassist Jason Newsted. Newsted left the band (for lots of reasons) and as a result, Metallica's management team hires a life coach-y guy to works with the band through their issues so they can deliver the new album. My description is not doing the film justice; you really just have to watch it. You don't even have to be a Metallica fan or a heavy metal fan to enjoy the film. Would it help you if I told you that Dave Mustaine (he was kicked out of the band in the 80s and went on to start Megadeth) almost cries during his confrontation scene with Lars Ulrich? Watch it just for that. My brother and I convinced that there is "lost" footage of Dave crying but since the damage to his psyche has been complete, the filmmakers opted to keep it out of the finished film. Weak.



Anyway, Metallica is one of my brother's favorite bands (he also enjoys Megadeth) so when I finished watching the film I immediately sent him a text that he had to watch it and that I would bring the Netflix DVD to him. I wouldn't say I was being bossy just incredibly enthusiastic about something that I thought my brother would enjoy. My brother might say otherwise. He watched it, agreed that it would have been better if Dave Mustaine had actually cried, and went on with his life. We occasionally talk about the film at odd times and went to see Metallica live during the Death Magnetic tour in 2008 (one of my top five concerts). I genuinely like Metallica. I own several of their albums and the concert was amazing. Lars Ulrich is a phenomenal drummer (and incredibly narcissistic) and James Hetfield is terrifyingly awesome. Kirk Hammett, the guitarist, is a saint (dude puts up with a lot of BS from the others) and the bassist selected during the film, Robert Trujillo, fits in the lineup nicely. I feel sort of bad for Trujillo. Dude probably just wanted to play bass in a heavy metal band (and play he does) but he also inherited a band that is sort of broken (at least at the time) and run somewhat like a corporation. There's even a part in the film where the rest of the band discusses their original bassist, Cliff Burton. You get the sense that no one will ever replace Burton. That's a hard role to be in.

Last week I detailed our adventures on Record Store Day 2014. We could have spent our day in Baltimore waiting in a crowd at The Sound Garden for Robert Trujillo but we did not. My brother admitted that he didn't want to deal with a crowd for the a guy who wasn't part of the original lineup (poor Robert Trujillo). Had it been any other member of the band, he would have done. I did not boss him into going and we had a nice day visiting a few stores and eating tater tots. I did, however, re-watch Some Kind of Monster. And here is the grand realization that I had: I am Lars Ulrich and my brother is Kirk Hammett. Metallica is often described as a band that's existence is fueled by the constant power struggle between Lars and James and that other members, including Kirk, are often left powerless and voiceless in the band. This is probably one of the reasons that Jason Newsted left. In my re-watching of the documentary, I remembered my initial reaction to Kirk's role in the band - poor Kirk. There's even a scene where the band is discussing guitar solos and the guys stop short of calling them unnecessary. Seriously Metallica?

I had actually come to the realization that my brother is the Kirk Hammett of our family earlier in the day when we were discussing the documentary with my friend Anita. She has not seen it nor is she into Metallica so the whole band history was bit foreign to her. As we described the events of the film and the band, she agreed with my comparison. Anita has known my brother forever so she wasn't just following my weirdo theory. Scott, my brother, is fairly unassuming, responsible, likes loud guitar music, keeps to himself, and is pretty quiet. Kirk Hammett is fairly unassuming (for being a member of Metallica), responsible (at least he seems like he is), likes loud guitar music, keeps to himself, and is pretty quiet. Lars, on the other hand, is pretty loud, sort of a jerk, and 100% bossy. Now, I don't think I'm nearly a narcissist like Lars or as much of a jerk (and PS: Lars is my favorite member of Metallica) as he is but when it comes to bossiness and saying things that sound complimentary but maybe aren't, Lars and I are the same person. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist like Lars. I would have probably made Dave Mustaine cry too. 

What's important to keep in mind is that you can't have Metallica without both Kirk and Lars just as you can't have my family without Scott and I. I mean, you could but it wouldn't be our family just like Metallica would never be the same if any of the original lineup left. You need bossy and you need quiet sensibility. That's what keeps the world going round.

Take Back Bossy
Band image
Kirk Hammett

Spring has sprung

Two things really mark the start of spring for me: there is an exponential increase in the possibility that my car and low-flying birds will collide and bird death will occur AND Record Store Day arrives. I have yet to experience any car-bird collisions as of today. Spring is still very young.

Happy Record Store Day 2014! I hope that everyone got out and supported their local record store even if it wasn't participating in the official day. You support music, your local economy, and get to enjoy a beautiful spring day. That's three wins for RSD. This is my fifth RSD (and it's the seventh RSD ever). I didn't start going to RSD because of the special releases (although I have picked up a few over the years) or the in store events. Both of those aspects of the day are awesome and I think they bring people to the event that might not other wise participate. I started going because I like to be around people who like music as much as I do. With the exception of one incident two years ago, I have never once felt judged by a fellow browser or record store clerk. Not every record store clerk is a jerk like Barry in High Fidelity:

Anyway, it's nice to see other people talking about music and shopping for music. These are people who respect liner notes and album art and collecting things. They understand that record stores special and safe. It's a way to feel connected in an otherwise disconnected universe (as I discussed last year). RSD is sort of like a con; people with a shared interest assemble in the same location to enjoy that shared interest free of the judgement of others. At RSD, I don't have to defend my choice to purchase albums and CDs. Yes, there are a lot of hipsters out there who act like they discovered vinyl and cassette tapes but I choose to ignore them and go about my business. And that business is looking for items to fill the gaps in my collection.

There were two options for the day: enjoy the records stores of Northern VA or head to Baltimore to stalk a member of Metallica. We opted to stay in the Commonwealth. Our adventures took us to the suburbs to two stores, Record & Tape Exchange and CD Cellar (Falls Church location). The day ended with tots and beer at Spacebar. This year, my brother, Scott, and my friend, Anita joined me in RSD-ing. It was a much more laid back RSD this year and I liked it a lot. While I didn't buy any vinyl today (I almost went back to get the Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin but I refrained), I did add some CDs to the collection (a little Nick Cave, some Replacements, and some things I didn't even really know I needed but I did). Scott even found something - an Iron Maiden CD that included a listing of all of the equipment the band used on while on their epic 1984-85 tour and a daily schedule. None of us have ever seen liner notes like that before.

I think what I enjoyed today that I missed last year was people watching. Neither store was particularly crowded by the time we got there. Most of the diehards were there when the stores opened so we could browse without having to elbow anyone and I never felt rushed to get out of the store. That's probably why I ended up with a DVD of Pump Up the Volume at CD Cellar. While neither store was crowded there were enough people around to make it interesting. My favorite interaction of the day was between a dad (in his late 40s) and his teenage son (about 16 or 17). They were standing next to me (I was browsing soundtracks, they were in the W-X-Y-Z section of the rock section).

Here is the exchange:

Dad: Do you really want this?
Son: I really want it.
Dad: If I buy this for you, you have to fishing.
Son: (Silence)
Dad: Is that a deal?
Son: (Pause. Sigh.) It's a deal.

I smiled after overhearing this conversation. After the son made the deal, the dad added a copy of The Who's Tommy to their pile (I couldn't see what album was tied to the fishing trip) but I hope it was as good as Tommy. There were a lot of parents out with their kids; I think this is a good thing. Get your kids into buying vinyl and used CDs. It's a good hobby to share with your them. If I have children, I hope (no, I pray) they will have good taste in music. Scratch that - I hope they will come out of the womb knowing all of the lyrics to my top five songs. 

Another successful Record Store Day. I ended my day by reorganizing my CD collection and watching the documentary Some Kind of Monster. Not too shabby.

Coming Soon to the Island: Neek Confessional and I will participate in a conversation about dating and provide some updates to horrible advice columns from the past and I will re-purpose my post about Metallica since it's not all RSD related and my brother will enjoy it. It's possible that I compare the two of us to members of the band.

Lazy Movie Weekend: PoP! Goes My Heart

If anyone is looking for something to get me for my birthday this year, I will take a live performance of this song at my office; my birthday is on a Wednesday this year so it needs a little something. I'll completely understand if Hugh Grant is not available but I'm sure a reasonable substitute can be found. June 11 will be here sooner than you think.

The mid-2000s produced a significant amount of underrated films. 2007 was the year of Hot Fuzz, Grindhouse, Waittress, The Nanny Diaries, The Jane Austen Book Club, and The Darjeeling Limited. It was also the year of Juno, Dreamgirls, and No Country for Old Men so I guess it makes sense that a little film like Music and Lyrics would get lost in the shuffle. The film was released in the same month as the Nicholas Cage epic, Ghost Rider. People had more important things to watch I guess.

It's such a delightful movie. Hugh Grant plays a washed up 80s pop singer from a band call PoP!. He makes a career riding on the wave of 80s nostalgia that made up most of the 2000s by playing at high school reunions, state fairs, and the big show, Knott's Berry Farms amusement park. He can't write lyrics but has to write a song for pop princess Cora Corman (think Britney, Christina, and Shakira rolled into one person) called "A Way Back Into Love". Enter Drew Barrymore as the flighty plant waterer/surprise lyricist. Hilarity ensues, feelings are hurt, and love conquers all. And some houseplants may or may not be killed in the process.

PoP! is what every boy band aspired to be in the 1980s - floppy hair (but not Flock of Seagulls hair), a cool wardrobe, and they have an incredibly catchy hit song with adoring fans but they can't make the transition to modern musical tastes and trends. Cora Corman is what most pre-teen girls aspire to be - a hot pop star who gets to dance and wear whatever she wants and understands that music is a business. Alex Fletcher, Grant's character, is caught somewhere in the middle of those two worlds. Unlike Sophie, who sort of bumbles her way into becoming a lyricist, Alex gets that pop stars may seem like they care about the soul of a song but really they care about units sold. The music business is cruel.

Nostalgia is a powerful thing and I think that's why I like this movie so much. With the 80s firmly in mind, let's watch Music and Lyrics.

1.  "PoP! Goes My Heart" video for the opening credits. I am not even joking about wanting this performed on my birthday. I may or may not know the choreography.
2. Fun fact: Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore both learned how to sing for this movie.
3. I don't know about you but I would watch a show called "Battle of the 80s Has-Beens". Eighties pop stars boxing? Yes, please.
4. How many Frankie Goes to Hollywood jokes do you think they can pack into this movie? I counted three but I may have missed some.
5. This is my favorite Brad Garrett role of all time. He's just so funny in this movie and it doesn't even seem like he's trying all that hard. I dare say, he steals the movie from Hugh and Drew with his deadpan delivery and mothering. "I can't go" - it's a simple line later in the movie but it makes me laugh so much. 
6. I will argue that plants make women more comfortable. I am a plant killer so frankly, plants make me anxious.
7. Pro & con lists - yes please!
8. "Yeah, it's nice to see a young woman exploring religion." Alex after witnessing the filming of Cora's "Buddha's Delight" video.
9. Yes, that is Mr. Schuester from Glee. 
10. "It's destiny...or not." Cora is so wise.
11. Sophie figures out better lyrics than the grumpy, misogynistic lyricist hired to help. When Alex asks her to write with him her response is "I just can't she says mysteriously." While I appreciate Sophie's artsy flightiness, it also becomes tired as the movie progresses. 
12. Kristen Johnston as Sophie's sister Rhonda - actually Kristen and Brad are in a tie for stealing the movie. She's so funny and it makes me miss "3rd Rock from the Sun". I would watch an entire movie about Rhonda and her weight loss empire. "If I get fat there goes my fiscal year."
13. The reunion! If anyone could guarantee that my next high school reunion would be like this except with a 1997 appropriate musical act, I would go. Every time I watch this scene and Rhonda pushes to the front I say to myself, "She doesn't even go here." (Name that movie.)
14. Another winning Brad Garrett scene - he does the dance moves off stage, he promotes Knott's Berry Farm, he makes a dad joke. Perfection.
15. "Love Autopsy" should totally be a song.
16. Fun fact: As a child, Hugh Grant took piano lessons from Andrew Lloyd Weber's mother.
17. Sophie: A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex. Alex: I so get that. Sophie: But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magical.
18. The Sally Michaels book conundrum: the entire scene where Alex and Sophie discuss literature versus popular music is pretty great. I agree with Alex that pop songs make people feel better than most works of literature BUT he's missing the power of stories and characters that can also transport you to out of your normal life. Also, the whole "I'm Sally Michaels" thing is not my favorite plot device but I get it and I guess it works.
19. Aasif Mandvi! He's the tone deaf doorman. Seems legit.
20. I love Sophie's face when she realizes she has to sing on the demo of the song. The version she and Alex sing is very sweet.
21. The dinner scene: there is no way that Gloria and Sophie are the same size. Also, why would Gloria want to wear the clothes Sophie has been wearing for two days? Ewww. Question: do we think Gloria gets her dress back?
22. I love Sophie's speech to Sloan Cates (what a terribly pretentious name); we all have speeches like that in our minds. And Alex is absolutely correct that Sloan is a jerk (I would call him something worse despite being a lady). Of course, the reality of the situation is that Sophie will never be able to say what she needs to say. Instead it will be the awkward wonder of "I had a pen" and Alex getting into fisticuffs with Sloan.
23. "Don't hurt his hair!" Brad Garrett for the win (during the fight scene).
    
24. I like that Alex describes Sophie as unusual (and it's positive) and that the compliment gives us our second best bit of dialogue: Sophie: That's wonderfully sensitive especially from a man who wears such tight pants. Alex: It forces all the blood to my heart.
25. Rhonda perfectly sums up how you know you're in love, "I don't know. I think it's when they something extraordinary."
26. Cora's version of "A Way Back Into Love" is best described by Sophie: "You didn't actually like that orgasm set to the "Gandhi" soundtrack?"
27. Of course this leads to the big "breakup" that isn't really a breakup but still happens. Alex has a very valid point about Sophie holding the song hostage and giving up - it's definitely her thing. However, she does come through with the perfect last verse for the song.
28. The Cora concert - I don't know what to say or think about her costumes and the entire event. I can tell you that it was not filmed in Madison Square Gardens (it's actually Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum).
29. Yes, I too thought that Alex was being an awful jerk when the song was attributed just to him. But then he goes and does something extraordinary. 
30. Stick around and watch the "PoP! Goes My Heart" video a la Pop Up Video. There are some pretty funny pop facts especially the one about the former lead singer of PoP! having to have hip surgery after doing the band's dance moves.

So there you have it - a little bit of 1987 and 2007 all in one movie. I think Hugh Grant is at his best when he's a little narcissistic and a little washed-up; Alex Fletcher fits that description perfectly. Treat yourself to something fun this weekend (or week if you need a little pick me up) and watch this little gem.

Fun facts
Music and Lyrics poster
Alex and Cora
Sophie and Alex