"Cold showers are for psychopaths"

As the imaginary reader can see my blog doesn't look pretty at the moment, which is consequence to me deciding to change the appearance of it and pretty soon after that getting bored doing it, which leads to the fact it looks horrible. I hope the imaginary reader can forgive me.

I haven't been writing anything here or anywhere else for couple of months. After this week I have realised many things, come to understand some things and thought about, well, things. I could say I have seen the light, but probably more accurate expression would be that I have seen the black holes of this life. I've been reading quite a lot, some blogs, some books, some articles, and have come into a conclusion it's all a big scam. Of course I have known this for a long time, but knowing is not the same as realising. It's like being in a huge crowded room and seeing all the people but not really having a conversation with any of them particularly. When you go to a silent corner of the room and stop seeing everyone and instead you really see someone, a person, a human behind all the commotion. Then you can say you are paying attention, realising instead of passively knowing.

However, seeing the life as it is, the personal truth, is worth nothing to any other living soul than you. Sometimes you see a person (you most definately admire already) say something that opens your eyes. It's all lies though, and you're own individual thoughts and ideas do not exist. There's no need to get sad about this though, because we still have thoughts and ideas, we still have values and heroes and ideologies. If it's all based on a lie does it really matter? The counter argument is based on a lie as well.
I can't help it but I am quite extreme supporter of philosophical relativism. But I don't like pre-chewed theories, I got my own teeth for that. I think ideology is a matter of the number of habits and manners you have adopted. Without the daily routines we are anarchists!

Anyway, I don't have anything to say that anyone else but me would be interested in, so let's smoothly change the subject.
The long expected IAMX gig was a week ago, and I got no words to tell how huge it was. Without art there is no soul, and I feel like my soul is doing much better after seeing and feeling what I saw and felt.
I must say I fell in love with Janine Gezang. No kidding!

   

Only thing you can rely on is that you can't rely on anything

I got 2 weeks off from work which is a very needed break indeed. Besides being happily on a winter vacation I am more than happy to announce that I was accepted to the Leeds Metropolitan University to study tourism, hospitality & retailing and event management for the 5 months time in spring 2012. I just got all the motivation that was missing coming back to me. I've always played with the thought of living abroad and now I can actually try for real if it's going to be as good as I've imagined. Is the grass really as green as I've thought it is in England? At the moment, when it's still about 8 months before I leave, I pretty much feel this is the dream coming true and nothing could possibly disappoint me! As I've heard people's experiences and stories about all the things that can go wrong and become an issue I am still not afraid of going. I'm going to take this as a exploration and an adventure. I got certain expectations but hell with them! What happens, happens and I'm aware everything is not going to be going smoothly. But that will just make it all more interesting and exciting :)


When I return to Finland, I expect I can say "Bloody 'ell matey" and sound convincing :D



 

Waiting is the salt of life

Today was supposed to be the day I have been waiting for months. But unfortunately IAMX had to cancel the Nosturi gig due to vicious virus that almost the whole band has caught. Of course me and my friend are terribly disappointed but these things happen and I hope they will be well soon. However, the biggest fear of mine didn't come true, and the gig has been rescheduled :) There will be another 2 and half months of waiting which in the life of a fan is not really that much. After all, the 23rd of March I received the new album Volatile Times and I really think it's amazing. Much more challenging the the previous ones but definately in a good way.
Today, instead of the Nosturi we are probably heading to the relatively new bar Bäkkäri owned by Jussi 69. Since I first heard about it I have wanted to see if its worth all the hype. Tonight there's going to be the official after party of the Ink Fair at Cable Factory, featuring couple of bands, so it should be fun. :)

I love the new album and it was hard to choose a song to recommend to everyone, but this beautiful morning I've been listening most to this one:

Good things must come to an end

I'm a master of missing the goodbye gigs of the bands I really love and have lived with. The Ark is not an exception. The last album was honestly a huge load of crap but The Ark will always be in my heart. It all started at the end of the summer 2002 when I was watching Levyraati on TV, and saw this video of beautiful Swedish freaks singing about how they must have the same rights as every other citizen. The Ark became very popular in Finland too and it all kind of ended when they took part in the Eurovision Song Contest which was kind of a deathblow for the band. From the point of view of a fan they never recovered from the fame and disappointment that followed.
I will always cherish the memories I have and the couple of exceptionally fantastic albums they made though.
I'm also very relieved I didn't get any tickets for the goodbye concert in Tavastia because I am not interested in the dying, weak and over sentimental side of a band I respect for it's vitality, energy and happy foolishness!

RIP The Ark

I will always remember that we can never let the bullies set the rules and fighting love always makes you a loser! <3 

   

Leeds here I come!!!

In a year time, the spring 2012, this should be the environment I will be studying in. Just a moment ago I sent my application for the international exchange programme and Leeds Metropolitan University is my number one choice! (Here's a video and very appropriate song from the official band of Leeds)

I spent almost 3 hours writing a motivation letter, and if they won't give me this chance to go to Leeds, well then I know I have tried my best. I'm not going to accept "no" for an answer though. I am going to Leeds or else I don't think I will have motivation to finish the school at all. This has been a dream for years, and it is now or never. So, keeping fingers crossed here!   

Attitude vs Talent?

It is time for an update. Living in my new lovely studio surrounded by musical instruments, I love it! I got piano and an acoustic guitar which belong to my very good friend with whom I made the deal about this flat <3
Then I also have another acoustic guitar and an electric bass. Those are mine, relics from the sweet teens.
Me and my friend had a band back then, it was called P.N.U.K. although I can't remember where it was abbreviated from. However, it was a punk band and our songs were in Finnish. We had 3/4 members, at least Randy, Jeffie and Nasty. We also had about 3/4 songs.

Now I am in a situation where I could have a band again, althought I really wish I would have learned to play one of the instruments when I had the first band. It's not the most important thing though, knowing how to play, the meaning of being young is to have a band and play anyway! And no it's not 'so eightees' or 'ninetees', it's timesless and universal law. Music is what makes us young! And having your own band makes you immortal!

With my instruments I could have a little tranquil and mellow eltonjohnish band! The question "who has drums?" is still current though. Who's in?

New home!

www.sturejazzbar.fi
(picture taken from the website :))

Gonna go to Babylon and get me some whiskey now!

Regina Spektor - Pavlov's Daughter

Everytime I hear this song, i get chills down my spine. I remain mesmerized for the whole 7.50 minutes, and it takes about 2 minutes to wake up from the trans after the song.
I GUARANTEE if you close your eyes, listen to this song, you'll fall in love with her!! I know it's a lot promised, but why not have go?
I would love to see Regina Spektor live in a dark, smokey little club in New York City, it would be one musical dream to come true for sure. Since her other repertoire is more poppish, and not so smokey-dark, it will probably stay as such. Anyway, that's all I got to say today, ENJOY! 

Do we care? Raise awareness! Demand actions! Stop modern form of slavery!

Inspiration

Take a look at your life, you kneel before your heroes!

Yesterday I received the email I had been waiting for a week. Three IAMX cds waiting for me at the Levykauppa Äx record store! I had been waiting for them to arrive more than the promised 2-5 days, so I had to get them right away! This is my newest obsession, and I am happy to announce that I also got a ticket to the gig taking place at the end of March.

IAMX is not just another electronic rock/pop act, and Chris Corner not just another nancy boy without any substance. His music is sexy, brave and real! As a person who can't listen to just any 'Can't get you out of my head' crap I gotta say the lyrics of Corner are deep and very touching. They are about real life. Also I like a lot about his voice, that reminds me of various artists in different songs, but it's still very unique. He has a brilliant taste! In all possible ways. Also, IAMX is going to be one of the best gigs I've seen! I'm positive about this. It's something you can hear from the music, the moods, the atmosphere and the sound. I can't wait for the Nosturi gig. These things are factors that keep my generation going, we do kneel before our heroes, as long as they deserve it! We are picky, but devoted! We idolize, but for our own individual reasons.

Here is a video of the song President
 

Ink Art #1

Tattoos! I love tattoos! If i was rich (too many of my sentences start like that), I would tattoo my whole body in a very much like Steve Forrest-y style. At the moment I have one that I took in the summer 2010 in Camden Town, London. I had dreamed about the tattoo with the text and the font for about 2 long years, and finally, in a long weekend trip to London, after 2 ciders in the noon time, I did it! 80 pounds, and life long wonderful memories!

Here is a piccie for you:

Hairy arm in the middle of London!

Camden is the place to be! My dream would be to live there one day...

This guy wanted a pound for the photo, even I told him I just got my tattoo taken in the place! He didn't even do any pose! 

Bad quality pics in bad quality blog! :D
I have plans for the future and I will get at least another 2 tattoos in the year 2011. Both will be located on my shoulders. On the left side, where I have the texts as well, will be a butterfly. I have kind of an idea how I want it to be black and white and maybe some gray too, kind of small and definitely not tribal. I want it to look like a butterfly, because it has a lot of meaning behind it. My dad has promised to pay for it, because he has a butterfly on his shoulder as well, and about 10 years ago he offered to pay my tattoo if I get one too. Then it was a safe way to prevent me from taking any tattoo (reverse psychology :D), but now I finally told him I take the offer he had no reason to say no!
The second tattoo I have been planning, is going to be so glam and rock and hot, and hopefully designed by my oldest friend who is a real artist!! Her drawings are amazing! If I get her permission I will show some of them here.  

I guess this means I'm a blogger now...

This is my blog I never thought I would start. I have nothing relevant to say about anything important! My entries will probably be lacking any kind of interesting insight! I might share some pics I think are nice. I'm definitely gonna share my opinions about music and gigs, videos, songs, delicious musicians and anything that comes to my mind.

Let's start this with style. I love this video made by NikaToten 

The song and the line that is the title of my blog are really really really important to me, and I actually have the title tattooed on my arm. Will post a pic later.