26/10/2003
Holy crap. What is my life compared to this
guy's (read October 17)? A quick look at my own blog and all I
come up with is, "I'm listening to (insert artist name here)
blah blah blah," or, "I just bought (insert album name here)."
Soon enough it'll be, "My job sucks blah blah blah." When
will I get to write things like, "Woo haa! I got laid
today!" Wait ... did I just say that? Yes I did. Am I gonna go
back and delete that part of my post? Nope. Look, I don't mean to
make it sound like all I wanna do is have sex, but ... well, a little
now and then doesn't hurt.
OKAY, HANG ON NOW ...
I take it back, back, back. Put it this way, I'm just plain jealous
that's all. I've been single for ages and I haven't been attracted
to anyone in a long, long time. There have been close encounters,
yes, but my definition of 'close' is probably what others would deem
as 'light years'. There is someone ... but she's just, there.
Like, high up there. Way, way high.
When I was back in KL earlier this year, I was at a friend's place
for Chinese New Year. We were having some food and bubbly when I proposed
a toast for the year ahead. Considering that both of us were painfully
single, we made a resolution to get a girlfriend by next Chinese New
Year (as we always do). Last month, he finally got together with the
girl that he'd been pining for for years. I'm happy for him, yes,
but I can't help thinking to myself, geez, if there's a time and place
for him to say, "In your face sucka!", that was surely it.
And I'm running out of time.
So anyway, umm, I've been listening to Kristin Hersh's
Hips & Makers ...
23/10/2003
After hearing 'Speed Trials' on the Domino compilation that I mentioned
a couple of days back, I decided to dig up my Elliot Smith
albums and listened to them again. Elliott Smith is able to create
this imaginary space with his music, which he then invites you to
share with him. It's like he's telling us, here's what I have to say.
Stay and listen if you have the time, it might just be worth your
while. Very quiet, very intimate; beautiful music to say the least.
Sadly, Elliott is no longer with us. He was found dead on Tuesday,
October 21 in his apartment from an apparent suicide. I don't know
what else to say really, other than that he'll be sorely missed. Regardless,
he'll always be with us within the space of his music.
I haven't had any good music in a while and neither have I been keeping
up with new releases the way I used to. It's pointless anyway; the
release dates are irrelevant and the stores in KL would never have
them. I used to read all these magazines and websites, noted the recommended
albums and made a 'Berwick Street shopping list'. Nowadays it's become
more of a 'download list'. Doesn't help that I keep missing out on
good gigs in KL which are few and far between.
In other music news, Radiohead is apparently down
with Madlib. Thom Yorke et al is commisioning a remix
from the Beat Conductor for 'Sit Down Stand Up'. Now, what the heck
is that gonna sound like? I can't wait to hear. Read more about it
here.
I've been listening to the new Domino Records 10th anniversary compilation.
Yes, I downloaded it. Sue me. Look, if I could find it in the stores
here I'd gladly get two copies of it. It's meant to be a low-priced
CD anyway - £5 or something. It's a great compilation; lots
of good stuff from Sebadoh, Elliott Smith,
Pavement, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy,
Pram etc. No Future Pilot AKA though.
Weren't they on Domino? Will keep me company for a while until my
CDs arrive from Djangos.
Speaking of arrivals, my boxes turned up almost two weeks ago, the
day before I started my job actually. I didn't have time to unpack
except on weekends, so I really only cleared everything up last week.
It's great though, having all my CDs in one place once again. Bought
two kick-ass racks from Ikea too which are about 80% full now. Considering
that I'm back in KL, I don't expect to fill the remaining 20% anytime
soon. I'm gonna go frame my Futura, KAWS
and Banksy posters later today as well. Busy busy.
Weekends are precious, dig?
I thought I'd share this with you, it's a Spin interview
with Triumph The Insult Comic Dog. If you watch Conan
O'Brien you'd know who he is. Basically he's a foul-mouthed,
rubber dog puppet who humps like there's no tomorrow and poops all
over the place. Here's a couple of excerpts:
Do you have any formal musical training?
I guess you could say I come from a musical family. My father, a rottweiler,
sang in Yiddish theatre, and my mother, an Afghan, looks like Celine
Dion. My sister isn't musical but she smells like Christina Aguilera.
As we've learned from 50 Cent, an artist often becomes successful
once he's taken a bullet. How many times have you been shot?
50 Cent is a punk! I've been shot three times: twice for rabies and
once for gonorrhoea.
Will you be touring to support your children?
I'll be touring to support my children. Seriously, I have 287 adorable
illegits.
Do you have a preshow backstage ritual?
We great performers all have the same backstage ritual. We think about
John Tesh – and thank God we're not him. Also, I have two poodles
pee on my face. It grounds me.
Have you made any progress in your diplomatic efforts to resolve
the Eminem-Moby feud? Do you suspect that the rivalry was entirely
made up and that Em and Moby are secretly holding hands somewhere
right now?
Of course! Everyone knows music is fixed. You really think Justin
Timberlake is a singer? Right. And I poop Godiva chocolates.
Hee hee ... wait ...
(Goes to answer door ... yes, I'm really doing it)
Guess what? My CDs are here from Djangos! Lemme see, Matmos,
Pretty Girls Make Graves, Decemberists,
Dosh, DM & Jemini ... umm, hang
on ... where's Broken Social Scene?! AARRGHH!!! Bloody
hell, and they've already billed me for 6 CDs. Man, this is the second
time Djangos has screwed my order up. Well, at least 5 out of 6 CDs
arrived this time, unlike the last time when I didn't get any of the
CDs at all. Darn, gotta send them an e-mail quick ...
10/10/2003
Yo, yo, yo. I be working my azz off like a mofo', nah mean? Fo' shizzle
mah nizzle, dis job at the PC Mizzle is makin' me all dizzle.
Alright, so I haven't quite lost my mind like that yet, but life as
a writer for an IT publication is certainly hectic. I do lots of travelling,
covering press events, running from one microprocessor launch to another
mobile phone service inauguration to the next PDA preview party. I
have to go round giving people my editor's name card with my own details
scrawled on the top left corner so that everyone can see that I'm
a newbie on the scene. "Hi, I'm Benny from PC Magazine Malaysia. Yes
I'm here alone today. Yes I am. Oh, just a week." I have to fight
through the hordes of other press photographers to snap pics of CEOs
and regional product managers holding up gadgets that they probably
have no idea of operating. "One picture over here please! Thank you!"
And when you leave an event without having the lunch provided you
have to politely apologise to the PR people and explain to them that
you've got to rush back to the office for more work when all you really
wanna do is avoid the soggy weener rolls and micro-mayonnaise sandwiches.
When I'm back at the office I write articles on wireless hotspots
and advertorials for handheld pocket PCs. I make several calls a day
to PR agencies representing technology firms to request for information
on products and pictures to go with them which they promise to provide
as soon as possible cos they understand that we're rushing for our
publishing deadline. The next day I make several other calls to PR
agencies representing technology firms to request for information
on products and pictures to go with them which they promise to provide
as soon as possible cos they understand that we're rushing for our
publishing deadline. The day after that, I make several more calls
to PR agencies representing technology firms to request for information
on products and pictures to go with them which they promise to provide
as soon as possible cos they understand that we're rushing for our
publishing deadline.
The first few days felt weird and tiring cos it's been ages since
I had a routine in life. I felt that my days were so short; when I
get home there's only a couple of hours left before I go to sleep.
And when I wake up the next day I'll be leaving for work an hour later.
There's absolutely no time to watch Dexter on Cartoon Network!
AARRGHH!!!
Well okay, it's been a week now and I can see myself gradually settling
into this new phase of life. I suppose the travelling does beat a
9 to 5 desk job. And I do get to mess around with a lot of gadgets,
although there's a bit of PC hardware tinkering that I'm not a big
fan of. I'm not saying that I hate or like the job. It's just a matter
of getting used to it. I suppose.
