Archive for the music Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck

Posted in film, music with tags , on May 14, 2015 by shewalkssoftly

Bleach, on cassette tape, was the first album I ever spent my own money on as a kid. Nevermind was my first CD. Nirvana was a tremendous part of my young life, and I still love them.

Although countless Nirvana documentaries and articles have poured out over the past two decades, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck is not to be missed.

HBO-poster

Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorised portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen expertly blends Cobain’s personal archive of art, music, never seen before movies, animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest friends. Wildly creative and highly acclaimed, follow Kurt from his earliest years in this visceral and detailed cinematic insight of an artist at odds with his surroundings. Plus, in an exclusive interview for cinema audiences, Brett Morgen discusses his unprecedented, intimate access to Cobain’s family and past.

This film is raw, emotionally evocative, and masterfully put together; perhaps the truest window into an enigmatic, tragic artist ever made.

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Cobain is a fascinating character; so sensitive to the suffering, corruption and malice of the world that he could not bear to stay here. Internally, he lived in the shadows most of us hide from and deny. It’s shocking to look back at his photos and videos…to see the cries of pain in his eyes.

wpid-kcoba031222r5041

Did you see this movie? What did you think?

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck

Advertisement

Leave a comment »

Time Lapse Red Sunset

Posted in music, nature, video with tags , , on April 16, 2015 by shewalkssoftly

I’ve always wanted to explore the possibility of living in the Bay area, and seeing this sunset…which aesthetically falls somewhere between the background of a motivational poster and a supernatural thriller where the sky rains blood…certainly sweetened the deal. Throw in a little ethereal Brian Eno, and you’ve got a great soundtrack, too.

2 Comments »

Geeks in Love

Posted in geek, humor, music, valentine's day with tags , , , on February 12, 2015 by shewalkssoftly

We’re closing in on the day of the year that Hallmark has determined we should love each other. There are lots of standard hearts and flowers circulating the Interwebs right now, but here’s a tune for those of us whose tastes are a little…off center. This one is for my fellow geeks!  Celebrate your geek love.

Lyrics:
Nobody’s cool as we, nor quite as esoterically far out.
We’re so far out it’s creepy!
I don’t think they’ll ever get the groovy standards that we set for love,
but they’re not smart like we be.

They have no roses.
Subconsciously they envy us a lot.
They look down their noses and see a couple of dorks with more love than they have got!

When they see us holding hands, they wish that they were geeks in love.
And when they hear our favorite bands, they wish that they were geeks in love.
We rattle off our in-jokes while they wish that they were geeks in love.
And while we make each other smile, they wish that they were geeks in…

La la la,
la la la,
la-lubbidy da-diddy love.
La la la,
la la la,
ka-boominy whoah-nelly love.
La la la,
la la la,
ga-shibbidy-waffles-and-love.
La la la,
la la la, la love.

As far as I can tell, while other lovers go through hell,
we’ll know we’re too cool for damnation.
We may not be cutting edge, but we won’t take the mainstream pledge,
for we don’t need your admiration!

They may not show it, it doesn’t fit their made-up little roles.
They don’t even know it, but jealousy abounds within their souls.

When they see us on the street, they wish that they were geeks in love.
And when they hear us trick-or-treat, they wish that they were geeks in love.
As we lock arms and skip away, they wish that they were geeks in love.
And you can almost hear them say they wish that they were geeks in…

La la la,
la la la,
la-lubbidy-do-diddy-love.
La la la,
la la la,
fa-doobidy-ding-dong-love.
La la la,
la la la,
za-muppety-puppety-love.
La la la,
la la la,
sha-peppity-bismol-love.
La la la,
la la la,
a-bubbly-lava-lamp-love.
La la la,
la la la,
ma-spockity-nimoy-love.
La la la,
la la la,
da-ponkity-ponkity-love.
La la la,
la la la,
geekity-geekity-geeks in love.

Geeks in loooove.

Leave a comment »

Story from North America

Posted in animation, humor, music with tags , , on February 2, 2015 by shewalkssoftly

I woke to this video in my gmail this morning. Brilliance. It’s got a kid with three front teeth, a giant spider, and a bearded patriarch in an unflattering undergarment whose nose (and at times, nipples) move independently of his body. Despite that description, it’s not as NSFW as it sounds. I think.

I now must resist the temptation to counter all “What if” arguments with “What if the world was made of pudding?”

Thanks, Casey!

Leave a comment »

Halloween Countdown: The Creepshow- Sleep Tight

Posted in halloween, macabre, music with tags , , on October 14, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

I was going to make a pre-Halloween mix of murderous songs to post, but I’m not sure I’ll get to it. So here is a wonderful “rockabilly doo wop” ballad, by a gal who met an untimely end at the hand of her ex lover…and haunts him as her body lies hidden under his floorboards.

5 Comments »

Doctor Who Theme Song On Cello (Only)

Posted in music, sci-fi, TV, video with tags , , , on September 6, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

Whovians, this cello version of the Doctor Who theme song is gorgeous (maybe I’m just a sucker for anything redone using the cello).

Anyone watching the new season? What do you think of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor? I must admit, I completely stopped watching the show during the “Amy Pond” era because for some reason I found her intolerable, to the point that I couldn’t even give Matt Smith a fair shot in his role. I still miss the days of David Tennant and Billie Piper. But I’m getting back into it now.

Source

3 Comments »

Sir Mix A Lot Performs “Baby Got Back” With the Seattle Symphony

Posted in humor, music, video with tags , , on June 30, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

Okay, this is not typical SWS fare, but I feel everyone should be able to enjoy this little orchestral hip hop celebration. I’m this song stirs a bit of nostalgia in my fellow children of the 80’s and 90’s. The “backup dancers” from the audience seem to be having the time of their lives!

3 Comments »

Salut Salon “Wettstreit Zu Viert”

Posted in music, video with tags , on May 12, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

This video has been making the rounds online lately, with good reason.

I cannot even fathom the meticulous, pervasive talent it takes to make some of these things happen. How these girls stay oriented to execute a flawless musical performance is beyond me. Watch:

4 Comments »

Madison Chase Music

Posted in music, music video with tags , on March 24, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

I often get emails from artists and businesses (who clearly haven’t read the blog) asking for promotion. But recently I was surprised by a heartfelt personal note from a lovely young woman, sharing her music with me.

I confess, I thought “Oh no…this girl is such a sweetheart…what am I going to say if the music is terrible?”

But guess what? Madison Chase belongs on SWS (and in anyone’s collection of dark cabaret for that matter)! If I were to have an automatic piece of music playing when my blog page opens, this would be quite appropriate:

Her songs are a soundtrack for eying shelves of broken dolls in a forgotten antique store, or for the greatest tea party…in hell. These are the lullabies discarded toys sweetly sing to each other through cracked lips.

Well, that’s my version. But here’s the official word:

Madison Chase is a North Carolina based musician. Her genre has been referred to as Creepy Pop, Circus Pop, and Chamber Pop and draws influence from classical, pop, industrial and jazz. Madison plays a variety of instruments and began studying piano at the age of six, and by twelve she had moved her focus to cello.

When you listen, take note of the fact that most of these songs came out when Madison was only *14*. I only wish I had been this cool at 14. I was still (begrudgingly) wearing clothes my mom picked out, trying to convince my friends to see horror movies, and staying up late to watch 120 Minutes and Headbangers Ball on MTV (they still played music back then. Yes, I’m that old).

Go check out the rest of her music HERE.

9 Comments »

Thrice Sliced and Still Kickin’

Posted in announcement, humor, music with tags , , on March 4, 2014 by shewalkssoftly

One year ago, I was pretty certain my health couldn’t get worse. I was bed bound, unable to communicate via speech or typing, barely able to eat and unable to perform the simplest of tasks due to pain. That had to be the low point, right?

tumblr_mpk0oprJ3A1rzcy0to1_500

Well, on March 4th I woke up with stomach cramps. By the evening I was doubled over, choking back screams in the ER, until my CT scan revealed an intestinal perforation, requiring open surgery. They tried to delicately explain that the operation I was about to have is one of the worst procedures out there to recover from (even for someone without a CNS disorder that amplifies pain 100 fold). When they went in, they discovered such massive infection that I was mere hours away from going septic and losing my life. It still gets me misty eyed thinking of my father…and my dearest loved ones…getting that news.

denisdubois1

I’ll skip details of the grueling recovery, because the point of this post is gratitude!

I didn’t die.

Nor did I die when they had to go in and do another emergency open surgery for scar tissue obstruction months later! Sheesh.

Nope, didn’t die then either.

After the second operation (which was actually my third major abdominal procedure), when I was painstakingly starting to get up and take my first few steps, I enlisted the help of my best friend and together we made a mini mix of inspiring 80’s “training montage” songs. A few selections:

So when I got up, I’d put my phone in my IV pole tray and have these songs playing as I ventured out into hospital hallways.

…a little much needed comic relief for everyone! It made the pain a tad more bearable to see the laughs, smiles and thumbs up from the staff and fellow patients as I slowly went by.

The past year has been the most astoundingly challenging, and most profoundly revelatory of my life. While pain still prohibits me from joining the land of the living quite yet, in many ways I am starting to heal from an “incurable” illness against all odds. You better believe I will continue that process until I am fully functional. Every little thing feels like a miracle despite the intense pain remaining. Eating, breathing, READING…you name it!

Some of you have been with this blog for the whole trajectory thus far, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Here’s hoping that one year from now I will still be sharing arts and oddities, with the newfound freedom of one who has regained life and limbs! I must believe that each and every day, my strange miracle of recovery takes hold a little more.

12 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »