This is my last post from scenic Great Barrier Island, at least for the foreseeable future.
I suppose this means I should say something profound, but honestly, I’m at a loss for words this week. But perhaps I can say this.
On the eve of our departures, there is increased drinking at people’s houses, and with it comes increased dancing, which I have participated in. But as you might expect when you get – well, more than three people in the room, anyway – what music is played to dance to is a heated point of debate. The other night I ran the music for a while, which was supplanted by the guy who wanted to play his favorite Cure songs that nobody else knew, which in turn was superseded by the guy who put on “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. This immediately filled the dance floor, at which I point I ceded any hope of controlling the party music. Water seeks its own level, et cetera.
But later in the evening, an ally of mine in the quest for good music* took back over, and so we had a bit of Pixies, New Order, Clash, and other stuff that I can’t remember because I was really drunk but stuff I knew how to dance to. At some point, the iPod was passed to me, and I decided it was a really good time to hear the Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen In Love?”
I got 45 seconds in, and someone else took over the iPod to cut my song short in favor of the Pussycat Dolls.
That was my cue to leave. (Which, being 3 AM and having to go to work the next morning, wasn’t a completely bad idea anyway.)
Next week, I’ll have my return party in Auckland. Hopefully, music I like will be played more frequently there.
I’m still hanging on your asterisk.
Trying to start a dance band over here but not getting very far with musician interest. Most are revolted by the idea but I don’t know what they are picturing when they hear “dance band” because I’ve intentionally left that vague. I guess I want long songs with solid beats and lots of weird noises. I guess a need a non-vague idea. Maybe I just need to go to a dance party. Been wanting to hit the Funky Buddha.
“water finds its own level”. i’m writing that one down on my phrases-to-say-to-seem-more-clever-than-you-are list.
i love ‘have you ever fallen in love’ but i’m finding it hard to dance to. maybe ’cause its playin’ in my head so the beat isn’t steady.
i love to dance too but yeah, cool folks are revolted easily. too bad because disco bands like the gossip and dancerific.
killian, three jolly little dwarves just wafted across my itunes. did you post this song?
Kilian,
I would totally rock the dance band with you. Have you seen Pong from Austin? It’s all three members of Ed Hall plus one from Pocket FishRmen. They are one of the best bands in Austin and every one of their shows is a dance party extravaganza. Sonja , Olive, and I just saw them this past weekend and Olive was completely in another world. She was right up front with earmuffs on and their disco lightshow blew her mind. She couldn’t take her eyes off their drummer.
Pong
Stuff I’d dance to is not necessarily stuff others dance to. For instance:
Fugazi (Full Disclosure), Echoboy, Guided By Voices (Motor Away), John Spencer Blues Explosion (Rocketship), Pulp, Queens of the Stone Age, Beastie Boys, Neutral Milk Hotel, Minutemen (Corona), Putsch 79, David Garza… ok, those last two I think most people dance to. And yeah, dancing to the pixies, new order and the clash is really fun too. Of course all lounge is really lovely, especially brazilian lounge, or, that’s what I call it. Would love to dance to hip hop but I’m not so good at it. Once was in the hood in Dallas and these ladies were trying to teach me how to do it but they just laughed at me.
kilian, go to that club and get inspired for a non-vague idea. I think you doing a dance band would be great.
I posted 3 Jolly Dwarves during March Madness: Hibernian Wednesdays.
Love Pong, definitely an inspiration. I hope to see little Olive dance soon.
Ramona – your dance mix is eclectic but I’d dance with ya. The funky buddha it is.
Doug – you got my dancin’ feet itching.
The asterisk was a line about defining good music as music I liked that didn’t survive the copy/paste into Blogger for some reason. Not really that important.
ms. rosa – I think there’s an Illusion of Safety album named that that I stole it from.
Kilian – if we’re in the same town ever again in life I’ll play drums in your dance band.
(by which I mean “water finds its own level” is what I stole.)
goodbye to all that