Viva La Resistance Tak Boleh?

"Maintenance" by Force Vomit

Aku bosan dengan mu

Jangan Dekat pada ku

Aku tak mau jadi

Seorang pengemis hati

Jangan Engkau

Dekat padaku

Translated...

"I am bored of you don't come near me

I don't want to be someone who's a beggar of heart

Don't you come near me

Don't you bother Me

Me MeMaintain, Maintain

Carry on Wak, maintain"

Ive seen local bands performed aplenty but Force Vomit must be the only band that packs the most flavourful punch by far. The distinct Mat Rock tunes, catchy lyrics, "weezer-supergrass" inspired endorphine-inducing melodies and lay-back attitude of the whole package would have made Uncle OutdoorTheatre groove and jive(but too bad he wasnt there that fateful night).

I'm talking about Indie-Pendent weekend. 4 nights of performances at Esplanade. Besides Force Vomit, another local fav, Ercus Garage performed too. EG unleashed a line-up of new and old songs. They were good. "Uncle Outdoor Theatre" good. UOT slipped on his dancing shoes and awed the crowd as Ercus Garage delivered their stuff.

This was the third time i saw him trying to rob the performers of the limelight. Once was during Electrico's set (before their debut launch) and another during M'sia's Tempered Metal's set on "Grrrr Power" weekend.

I guess Esplanade should consider putting up an art piece/statue of UOT right beside the outdoor theatre so that the future generations to come can get inspired by UOT's love for life and daring to boogy to music. I cant think of any other occasion when crowds got active at gigs(active here doesnt mean moshing/body surfing). Except say when SKA bands performed and the bevy of sashay wannabes swayed to the jumpy saxs.

I've nothing against remaining transfixed to the position u settled down in the beginning of the gig and imprinting a bum-shaped sweat mark right after leaving. Being pretty much dormant myself, I don't have the right to say anything but i guess we are just too shy to show any of our "bathroom" dance moves. I'm not going to blame the society or come up with some lame excuse to justify my dormant behaviour at gigs. Nonetheless, I'm inspired by UOT. Not to dance but just loving life for its simplicity and neglecting that exasperating mind chatter which challenges u till u fall off the edge of any seemingly "whacko" ideas. Perhaps as we get older, that chatter will fade out and we can really start living life whole-heartedly without any inhibitions or restrictions.

So much for UOT...

Yes, back to the point. Force Vomit. Local rock heros. Their songs are simply too engaging to even hate it. Fusing western rock influences with root influences of old-fashion "Mat Rock", this addictive mix of poison will make you yearn for more. Their light-hearted tunes and simple lyrics reflecting on minor societal/political/relationship/emotional issues, sprinkled with catchy choruses make them such a perfect crowd pleaser. Force Vomit BOLEH!!!

There were just too much temptation over the weekend. Winds were blowing despite a few showers here and there but nonetheless a minimum of 10 knots was present everyday. Good Friday saw a sunny day of consistent winds and choppy waves.

Gigs were happening all over. Indie-pendent weekend, Electrico at Rouge, Hope Jam, Metal fest. It seems like a trend. Whenever exam is round the corner, there will be so much happenings and stuff to catch but when the hols arrive, everything just seemed to mellow out.

I had to launch "Viva la Resistance". Curb your desires and temptation. Tried for a few minutes and im spent. Oh man...Self-control must be the most difficult skill human can master. I really admire girls who give up food for their waistline. Damn! All i need is a little more commitment. But...but....haiz Viva La Resistance Tak Boleh dey!!! Exams?! Boleh Boleh!!!

Have you found your moral escapade?

"In every difficulty, there is opportunity."

There are a few other variations to this quote that has the same meaning. In certain context, it may seem the best motivational line to offer a person in great distress. However, it can be equally detrimental.

Apply it to our present lifetime...and we will see the ills of commercialism rearing its ugly head amongst us. It is disturbing to see influential commercial brands capitalising on crisis. What crisis? No im not against Armstrong but im talking about the tsunami catastrophy.

Ya, there has been a latest craze over wrist bands bearing "watermark" pledges such as "against cancer", "against racism", "unity", and a whole multitude of tear-inducing, heart warming, hollywood drama prop lines.

Whatever it is, as long as its from a reputable sports brand/fashion line, as long as it looks trendy, as long as there is a hell-of-a-lot of shameless marketing, as long as the orchard trendsetters are wearing those rubber bung-like wrist bands, there will be consumers. This is modern propaganda. "Propaganda"...Read it in my sec 1/2 history text when the mugshot of Hitler and his trademark moustache left such a deep impression in my head.

Guess we dont need a political party or a millitant group to spread propaganda. All we need is a cult brand. Example...how many Mac Freaks (domee sorry but i cant stop the temptation) will start a war if Macdonald's were to be banned globally? Macdonald's aggressive marketing and flamboyant "M" signs live among us. From newspaper, to TV ads, to radio ads to bus-stop notices to schools...yesh, the proliferation of Mac outlets is simply astonishing. Whats next on the hunt-list? Perhaps our Mt Everest team can have a McSpicy Double meal after sticking the country flag at the peak? How convenient right? An outlet at the peak...and expedition teams can even advertise for Mac...imagine this tagline "Whats on my mind after reaching the peak?"--admist a backdrop of mountains and clouds. Brrrrrr.....

The tsunami shock was a disaster but in the eyes of some it was an opportunity. A sick chance at rolling in the bucks. I just cant bear to think that someone can actually come out with a "tsunamis band aid" wrist band and sell it blatantly like a fashion statement. Yupz, it is part of the design series launched together with the whole lot of other "anti-this", "support that" wrist bands. How is it that a lame band can actually help the tsunamis victims? How is it then by wearing bands bearing such noble messages actually make this crazy world a better place? All these count for nuts. What makes the difference? Wearing something to show off your "intentions" or "ideals" is equally ineffective as trying to buzz a bug with a swatter.

The spirit of a person cant be shared simply by putting on a yellow colour rubber bung on your wrist. Tsunami victims are still suffering despite putting on a purple/blue band round your arm. Commercialism has warped our lives. Perhaps we dont even need to say hi to our friends in sch in the near future. All we need is to just flash our "Hi" wrist bands to one another. "Hungry" bands for lunch offers. Hmm..."taxi" bands for chiongsters? Ya that will be a big hit im sure...imagine a line of clubbers fighting it out over cabs with their wrist bands... *arghz*... The dynamics of our social lives...took a devastating turn and now we are living our lives flipped upside down.

How comical will it be if Hitler could come back to life and witness for himself how easy propaganda can be exercised. Who cares about the Nazis Arm Band? Now we have the wrist bands! With a wide range of themes, choices, colours and people actually pay to wear them. Hitler will be so happy to launch his Nazis wrist band and perhaps he would be too busy counting the bucks than making any plans for war.

This is crazy. We need moral escapades. Drive away and stay secluded from the crazy society. I have nothing to share but just this venue: Sea. There are no crowds to push and shuffle around. Plenty of space. There are no advertisements no flyers that shoves into your face when you least expect it. No chaotic noises. No cars. No buzz. No showy fashion drama. Just you and a sea of open space.

Whats more, you can do things that are illegal on land!

1. You can snort and fart out at sea without the fear of getting caught!

2. You can sneeze/cough out your juicy mucus openly without getting fined.

3. You can pee in the sea without getting caught.

4. You can scream out vulgarities and not feel guilty since there is no one who can hear you.

5. You can sing out loud and even if your voice sux. It doesnt matter. Nobody can hear you.

Yupz this is the best destination for your moral escapade. Avoid the crowded spaces where propaganda thrives. Live free and unihibited. Please try not to exploit the above mentioned priviledges when you are on an escapade to sea.

Anyway, Mr monsoon delayed his departure and decided to hang around on this sunny island for another week. I wonder if he will extend his stay further...

Ssssh down the chaos

"Hard act to follow" by Grinspoon

You're a hard act to follow
Such a fine lookin' fellow
I hear you're bell's yellow
You're a hard act to swallow
It kind of makes me sick
The way you turn those trickes
Come on and light it up
I want to feel the rush
I'll be shooting for thrills when I walk out that door
You say it's hard to care anymore
Kills, Thrills and Sunday pills
I"m on a mission to kill still cause nothin' thrills
You're hooked on coke and hoochie
I want my milk and cookies
You know you're wife looked pretty
I think you're wife looked pretty
I'll be shootin' for thrills when I walk out that door
You say it's hard to care anymore

A week passed. The final burst of monsoon. A mark of an end to nail shut a season of wipe-outs, spin-outs, unintentional chop-hops, trail-blazing planing sensation. If feelings can be pickled and preserved in a bottle, this bottled product will never have an expiry date for experiences like these are meant to be immortal. I can play the scenes over and over again in my head like a faithful gramophone; soft yet enchanting.

I will miss the adrenaline rush, the intense checks on wind charts, the urgent tinkling of the wind chime, the rolling white caps, the clear blue skies against the backdrop of lazy ships lined along the horizon and of course not forgetting the laborious effort of cycling against the northeast breeze down ECP whilst perfecting the skill of anticipation (requires lots of cognitive analysis to understand how kids, roller-blade noobs and road hoggers think so as to avoid spectacular clashes).

Whats wrong with being contented easily? After all it makes me happy and that matters the most. If life can be lived simple why choose to live it difficult?

"We never change" by Coldplay

[...So I wanna live in a wooden house, I wanna live life, always be true...]

Imagine...a community where children are free to roam and play, neighbours almost like relatives, simple and happy; no war, no riots, no politicking, no segregation--everybody lives as one. Just like our parents' kampung fairytales...Perhaps its an utopian ideology but it was close to perfection back in the 60s lest the racial conflicts.

"The Bends" by Radiohead

[...I wish it was the sixties, I wish we could be happy, I wish, i wish, i wish that something would happen...]

Technology brought us comfort and convenience but crept into our lives eating away the simplicity and brought in a legion of dangerous devices that toys and confuses our minds to engage in silly warfares. It has never been better. It was just a trade-off. A gain for a lost. And now we live in fear and uncertainty as our leaders play their silly mind games. We can choose to be apathetic after all ignorance is bliss but wouldnt that make us pawns in a silly chess set? Are we just an insignificant individual that makes up a unit figure of a shepherded population? Why exercise so much control and lose the essence of freedom that was granted to us when we took our 1st breath?

Why do we need to rob the magic of natural wonders by introducing equations and figures? What comes after deciphering the relationship between natural factors? Tweaking and experimentation? And what comes out of it? Even more complication and more problems. It works exactly the way how exploitation of timber uproots our chances of finding that natural remedy to certain diseases. Till now, the "benefits" of genetic engineering has never convinced me to how cloning can be justified. If anyone has the power to alter anything and everything, what will the world come to? Why cant we all just live simpler?

I just want to live in a wooden house...making more friends would be easier...

Emo Diary Part 'Deux"

"Audrey, Start The Revolution!" by Anberlin

Maybe tonight we'll get back together
sound the alarms and break all the levers
These streets are ours
Our anthem rings
You'd know the truth if these walls could sing
Amateur youth sling down the signs
Gather the masses, friends of mine
I've got your back if you've got my hand
This isn't over it just began
If this isn't love (This isn't love)
this is the closest I've ever been
Do you think we have a chance tonight?
as streetlights sing on Audrey's song [x2]
Remind your parents we're tomorrow
Lead with morals and we'll follow
When they wake up they'll seethat youth fades
and glory days deceive
What are you waiting for?
let's move on thistime is of essence, like your kiss
So say you're in with cards downand guns drawn, this is it
If this isn't love (This isn't love)
this is the closest I've ever been
Do you think we have a chance tonight as streetlights sing on Audrey's song [x2]
And now it all stops at this
We could take it all if only we would risk
You can be what can conceive
Red letters kill your disbelief
We all make mistakes sometimes
We all fail but we stand tonightLook past, learn, and move on
We're all here, you're not the only one
If this isn't love (This isn't love)this is the closest I've ever been
Do you think we have a chance tonight?
as streetlights sing on Audrey's song [x4]

Its been almost a week or two and I'm still slipping in and out of emo limbo. It all started like a trigger. A gunshot chance at luck. To challenge it to be precise since I'm never lucky with females. It felt like a step out of eternity. A standstill shattered and fragments of time free to flow again.

Are we capable of teaching ourselves to convict our attention and energy in pursuing a goal that is frequently given up upon? To convince ourselves to muster all that courage for making a sheer offer that seemed so effortless when written out in script. But it wasnt scripted for those army of words to commit kamikaze right at the frontline. Perhaps it was the enemy of thoughts. But definitely those eyes.

Script goes something like "Hi, Would you like to go out with me (but in actual it was pronouced in stutters like m....mmm....me)?"

That visual artistry embodies the essence of her energy and charisma as the lights dimmed out beneath my closed eyes. If i can only house a work of art in my mental gallery it will be a life size portrait of my punk rock princess in her gothic armour. Freeze that frame in my mind and lace the edges with pink-dyed ice-frosties. I need a strong chiller to contain all that thoughts and emotions she harbours at that moment. All that life force in a split second dissolved into a frame of pristine eternity.

And I've lost all my strength. Convictions turned illusions. Like butterflies, they flutter away into nothingness. And as i pen down these silly thoughts, my fate is sealed and im slumped back to a standstill.

--End of Emo Diaries--

I'm so bored I fabricated a cocktail of "emo diaries" for all you love-suckers out there. This one is from me to you...with my utmost sincerity and gratitude for inspiring me to come up with such a masterpiece.

And now as i cradle my ass in my wooden creaky rocking chair, I hope those publishers will come look for me to print my diaries. Yes....im so looking forward to "International best seller" and "A book worth reading over n over again with lotsa tears n snort" and a billion other spin-off comments of similar if not better reviews.

*ok i shall handcuff myself and dump myself back to the confines of my room.Snug in bed for an eternity to glimpse that imagery of missy mysterious Punk Rock Princess.