St. Patrick's Day, or there's more to Ireland than Green Beer and Leprechauns.

Growing up, my best friend's birthday was on March 17th. This meant little to me until I hit high school and realized that there was the coinciding day of St. Patrick where everyone in the world seemed to get shitfaced. Frankly, he thought it was great cause there'd be no way he'd be singled out for drinking in the middle of the week. As I got older though, I realized how utterly stupid it is for a nation's most important day (in Ireland it's a National Holiday and actually means more than green beer, shamrock shakes and puking on a leprechaun) to be an excuse for everyone to get fucked up. If anything, I take St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to play the Dropkick Murphys and the Pogues really loud. Sure they may sound great drunk, but that doesn't mean I get in touch with my inner Irishman today. I could if I wanted, as I my grandmother's grandmother was Irish (which would make me 6.25% Irish, assuming she was full blooded Irish and not just Irish-American) but that's another point. I see people from almost every walk of life and group getting in on the shenanigans, but if you asked them who St. Patrick was and what he did they'd probably say something stupid like "he invented Green Beer". It seems to be the only time it happens, as I don't see people going apeshit and having haggis and getting drunk on St. Andrew's Day for being Scottish (though I could do that as I'm about 50% Scotish) and I've not yet been invited to a Jamaican Independence Day party for Jamaican Patties and a fat blunt, nor do most people I know have 4th of July parties (in this country at least). So it begs the question: Why do so many people want to identify with the Irish on their national day? Instead of being a celebration of Ireland and the Irish culture, it seems to be making a mockery of the Irish and everyone gets to act out whatever stereotypical caricature they think the Irish are. Green and Beer and Shamrocks and talking about Leprechauns and Lucky Charms.
Here's an idea, if you're so gung ho on the Irish culture (which I doubt the majority of revelers are) then how about trying to actually LEARN about it, or go meet some actual Irish people and ask what it means to them. God forbid you might actually learn something about another culture instead of just reinforcing negative stereotypes and belittling a culture.

An Modh Foshuiteach Láith

Wedding Music

So, I'm getting married in July, and I think like some little girls, I've been dreaming about it since I was young. However, mine have been different dreams: getting to pick the music I wanted to hear.
I can remember hearing songs and thinking "That would be great for dancing at a wedding". Well now the time is upon me, and joy of joys, Becky left me in charge of the music for the reception...(by in charge I mean she still gets a requisite number of songs she wants included, even if I roll my eyes at them and wait for the taste police to come take me away).

Nearly every wedding I've been to (since I left Queen's that is) has been DJ'd, and in nearly every one of those cases, the bride and groom have been less than impressed with "The Funky Chicken", "Macarena", "YMCA", "Who Let the Dogs Out?", The Black Eyed Peas, Celine Dion, and Eurodance Shit no one outside of the DJ has ever heard or will ever want to again. My best friend Bryan and his wife actually compiled their own CDs of their faves, and just played those for their reception, and I recall it ended up working out quite well. Since then I've been sure that's what I wanted to do, and so we shall. Apparently the idea hadn't appealed to too many of the couples now enjoying wedded bliss, as those I mention the idea to all reply "Oh that's a good idea, I wish we'd done that instead of had that DJ who only played what he liked".

I think of this as the making of a great compilation tape, but on a much bigger scale. It's not for just one person, it's for a bunch, from all kinds of age ranges and tastes. So in that regard, a bigger challenge, but also so much more satisfaction if I can pull it off. I'm looking forward to it, and I want to be able to mix the traditional with the modern in order to keep the people enjoying it, but not skew to one or the other so much to turn of the old folks or anyone younger than me. I'm also amazed how many "suggested wedding songs" have horrible lyrical content about heartbreak, cheating, death, loneliness, and other super happy vibes. I can't recall all the music at all the wedding's I've been to, but I usually remember the First Dance, and assorted other highlights.

I'm enjoying the project, and realizing again, just how much I love music, and getting people to enjoy and hear things they either hadn't heard or hadn't heard in a long time. I obviously want it to reflect what I love in music, and that I think I have at least a modicum of taste, but I don't want people turned off by having to listen to my iPod for 4 hours. I'd also welcome any suggestions that people either think should be included, or should never ever be included.

Until then, I've got 4 months to perfect this massive marital mixtape...So long as it doesn't resemble a Grade 7 dance, and people are smiling like below, then I'll consider it a success.

Alice In Chains - Man In The Box

It's sad enough to see another member of Alice in Chains overdose, so I'd rather remember them the way I first knew them, as an 11 year old kid who was just starting to get into the music of my generation...

Layne Staley 1967-2002
Mike Starr 1967-2011

What your Favourite Alt-Rock Band says about you

I just had to post this link to Jackson's hilarious entry on what your favourite Alternative Rock (what a term) band says about you.