dreams and kmfdm
Jan. 13th, 2005 06:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rusty_haloI've had incredibly vivid dreams lately.
Last night was a nightmare that Iraq was bombing the U.S. I'd moved to Brooklyn with a group of indistinct family/friends, because Manhattan was too dangerous. We had these ultra-exclusive theater tickets to all these Broadway shows, with special perks like meet-and-greets with the stars, and we really wanted to attend. But we decided not to go because it was too dangerous; Manhattan was being bombed.
Then Brooklyn started getting bombed; we went on our balcony and watched the bombs fall, closer and closer. The sense was of utter helpless dread. We were attacked, and I was separated from my friends/family and captured, and taken off into these scary enemy villages.
And it got creepier.... I was with a group of other American women, and this creepy guy was taking us to his hovel or whatever. We were tied up, and I was so terrified; like my life was over. But then he gave me over to this other woman who was supposed to pretty me up; I think she ran a brothel. So I delayed and delayed about getting dressed and such, and managed to sneak onto LJ (for some reason there was a computer in th e room) and post about where I was and what was happening. The lady was really nice, even though she wasn't going to help me escape. I kept telling her that I had to go home, and asking her things like "But what is going to happen to my cats?"
(I think this dream was inspired by watching some of the music videos on the KMFDM WWIII DVD right before bed.)
And a different dream, perhaps related: I was in Seattle, trying desperately to find this club that I'd read about in historical sources about the grunge music scene. I was looking and looking, and going in circles--people kept giving me directions, but it was never where they'd said. Finally someone (maybe my dad) took me to it; I hadn't recognized it because it had no sign, and it was completely gentrified and boring, like an upscale restaurant instead of a music club. Very upsetting.
(I think this dream was inspired partly by the "KMFDM goes whale watching" section of the KMFDM WWIII DVD which I watched right before bed; it did have a lot of arial shots of Seattle.)
Several nights before, I had a dream that I was walking past the Continental (this dive bar/club on 3td & St. Marks where I used to end up all the time) and my timing was perfect because they'd JUST put on sale these special exclusive tickets for only 25 people to see Pearl Jam perform. So I hopped in line and actually got a ticket. After waiting and waiting, though, I realized that the show wasn't for days; this was the advance line for insane fans who wait for days ahead of time. I wasn't sure how many days it would be until the show, and I had to work the next day, so I got a refund for my ticket. Then I talked to some of the other fans (who were like nice middle aged women, similar to some you see at Buffy cons) who said the concert was the next day, and plenty of them had work the next day too, but not to worry because other people would hold the spots in line for us. So I went to try to buy my ticket back; I wasn't sure if I could.
Then for some reason they took us inside the venue, where we saw Aerosmith performing KMFDM songs. It was very disturbing. (I hate Aerosmith). I'd guess this was because I did have KMFDM playing in the background as I slept. I watched this, then went looking for the ticket people so I could buy back my Pearl Jam ticket, but I was starting to panic because I couldn't find anyone.
(Maybe this stemmed out of thoughts of Buffy conventions and ticket issues, plus a disagreement with my friend Mike over whether KMFDM should retire because it's inherently embarrassing that they're in their 40s and still playing industrial rock. [Of course my opinion is that if they're still making good music, they damn well better not quit!])
Anyway, so there we have dreams.
I watched the KMFDM WWIII DVD over the past couple of nights. It's good, although I'm not too sure about the sound quality because my roommate was asleep and I had to watch it on very low volume. But the live footage is nice; a bit bootleg-ish, but still very cool to see.
The interviews with the band were the best part. I love hearing Sascha talk; he's so intelligent, articulate, stands up for his convictions, and yet is thoughtful, nice, and down-to-earth. One thing I notice is that regardless of how an interviewer frames the question, he won't temper his answers; if he thinks their premise is bullshit he will say it. Yet he's very nice the whole time, and never comes across as ego-centric at all. It's neat.
There's also a cool part where Sascha interviews Raymond (my favorite member, even though he seems really fucked up in this video), and Raymond talks about the differences between the two of them, musically and lyrically. He's smart and articulate and has a high vocabulary, yay! (I think a high vocabulary is one of the sexist things in a person, but anyway.) Raymond said that while Sascha (lyrically) likes to point his finger directly at something that he believes is politically wrong--these people are starving, this is killing people, this is unethical--he (Raymond) prefers to personify and embody the character of what he believes is wrong or finds horrifying. (That's not a direct quote, obviously, and Raymond used bigger words.)
I find that really interesting, and accurate, and it's so neat to get insight into how your favorite artists see themselves. I wonder WHY their styles differ so, and why, while I respect Sascha, it's Raymond's lyrics for which I get that excited squee! of "OMG this is great art!" Maybe because they are more subtle, or because there are more layers, or that you can read more varying interpretations into them, or because it's more of a performance... I don't know.
Anyway, that was neat. And the video also has an incredibly cool segment, "Whale watching with KMFDM," which is exactly that. KMFDM goes whale watching. It's very funny; Raymond is constantly mugging for the camera.
And there's some really cool in-the-studio stuff, where you can see them rehearsing and recording songs and parts of songs. I love being able to hear them sing the vocals without the music behind them; you get such insight into the process.
[/goofy fangirl moments]
Last night was a nightmare that Iraq was bombing the U.S. I'd moved to Brooklyn with a group of indistinct family/friends, because Manhattan was too dangerous. We had these ultra-exclusive theater tickets to all these Broadway shows, with special perks like meet-and-greets with the stars, and we really wanted to attend. But we decided not to go because it was too dangerous; Manhattan was being bombed.
Then Brooklyn started getting bombed; we went on our balcony and watched the bombs fall, closer and closer. The sense was of utter helpless dread. We were attacked, and I was separated from my friends/family and captured, and taken off into these scary enemy villages.
And it got creepier.... I was with a group of other American women, and this creepy guy was taking us to his hovel or whatever. We were tied up, and I was so terrified; like my life was over. But then he gave me over to this other woman who was supposed to pretty me up; I think she ran a brothel. So I delayed and delayed about getting dressed and such, and managed to sneak onto LJ (for some reason there was a computer in th e room) and post about where I was and what was happening. The lady was really nice, even though she wasn't going to help me escape. I kept telling her that I had to go home, and asking her things like "But what is going to happen to my cats?"
(I think this dream was inspired by watching some of the music videos on the KMFDM WWIII DVD right before bed.)
And a different dream, perhaps related: I was in Seattle, trying desperately to find this club that I'd read about in historical sources about the grunge music scene. I was looking and looking, and going in circles--people kept giving me directions, but it was never where they'd said. Finally someone (maybe my dad) took me to it; I hadn't recognized it because it had no sign, and it was completely gentrified and boring, like an upscale restaurant instead of a music club. Very upsetting.
(I think this dream was inspired partly by the "KMFDM goes whale watching" section of the KMFDM WWIII DVD which I watched right before bed; it did have a lot of arial shots of Seattle.)
Several nights before, I had a dream that I was walking past the Continental (this dive bar/club on 3td & St. Marks where I used to end up all the time) and my timing was perfect because they'd JUST put on sale these special exclusive tickets for only 25 people to see Pearl Jam perform. So I hopped in line and actually got a ticket. After waiting and waiting, though, I realized that the show wasn't for days; this was the advance line for insane fans who wait for days ahead of time. I wasn't sure how many days it would be until the show, and I had to work the next day, so I got a refund for my ticket. Then I talked to some of the other fans (who were like nice middle aged women, similar to some you see at Buffy cons) who said the concert was the next day, and plenty of them had work the next day too, but not to worry because other people would hold the spots in line for us. So I went to try to buy my ticket back; I wasn't sure if I could.
Then for some reason they took us inside the venue, where we saw Aerosmith performing KMFDM songs. It was very disturbing. (I hate Aerosmith). I'd guess this was because I did have KMFDM playing in the background as I slept. I watched this, then went looking for the ticket people so I could buy back my Pearl Jam ticket, but I was starting to panic because I couldn't find anyone.
(Maybe this stemmed out of thoughts of Buffy conventions and ticket issues, plus a disagreement with my friend Mike over whether KMFDM should retire because it's inherently embarrassing that they're in their 40s and still playing industrial rock. [Of course my opinion is that if they're still making good music, they damn well better not quit!])
Anyway, so there we have dreams.
I watched the KMFDM WWIII DVD over the past couple of nights. It's good, although I'm not too sure about the sound quality because my roommate was asleep and I had to watch it on very low volume. But the live footage is nice; a bit bootleg-ish, but still very cool to see.
The interviews with the band were the best part. I love hearing Sascha talk; he's so intelligent, articulate, stands up for his convictions, and yet is thoughtful, nice, and down-to-earth. One thing I notice is that regardless of how an interviewer frames the question, he won't temper his answers; if he thinks their premise is bullshit he will say it. Yet he's very nice the whole time, and never comes across as ego-centric at all. It's neat.
There's also a cool part where Sascha interviews Raymond (my favorite member, even though he seems really fucked up in this video), and Raymond talks about the differences between the two of them, musically and lyrically. He's smart and articulate and has a high vocabulary, yay! (I think a high vocabulary is one of the sexist things in a person, but anyway.) Raymond said that while Sascha (lyrically) likes to point his finger directly at something that he believes is politically wrong--these people are starving, this is killing people, this is unethical--he (Raymond) prefers to personify and embody the character of what he believes is wrong or finds horrifying. (That's not a direct quote, obviously, and Raymond used bigger words.)
I find that really interesting, and accurate, and it's so neat to get insight into how your favorite artists see themselves. I wonder WHY their styles differ so, and why, while I respect Sascha, it's Raymond's lyrics for which I get that excited squee! of "OMG this is great art!" Maybe because they are more subtle, or because there are more layers, or that you can read more varying interpretations into them, or because it's more of a performance... I don't know.
Anyway, that was neat. And the video also has an incredibly cool segment, "Whale watching with KMFDM," which is exactly that. KMFDM goes whale watching. It's very funny; Raymond is constantly mugging for the camera.
And there's some really cool in-the-studio stuff, where you can see them rehearsing and recording songs and parts of songs. I love being able to hear them sing the vocals without the music behind them; you get such insight into the process.
[/goofy fangirl moments]
