Tony

"I never wanted to sing. I just wanted to play rhythm guitar - hide in the back and just play." -Kurt Cobain

       When I decided I was going to play guitar I refused to accept the fact that I had to LEARN first. My parents told me they had found me a guitar teacher and I was unbelievably mad. I didn't need a guitar teacher, playing wasn't even that hard... or so I thought.
       I tried proving to my parents that I could play but after multiple failed attempts, I accepted the teacher. He started coming over every Tuesday.
       He wasn't like every other guitar teacher though. He didn't start off with music theory or teaching me the difference between F major, F minor or F sharp. He asked me what my favorite bands were and started teaching me songs that I loved. 
       For the first few months, everything was great. Tony, my guitar teacher, had already taught me several songs and most of the chords. After the first five or sixth months, he started making me sing. I hated it, I hated it so much. I began to dread Tuesdays because I knew I'd be forced to sing. I complained about it to him every week. It was the most treacherous thing he could make me do. I didn't care about breathing with my diaphragm and not letting the notes come from the back of my throat. 
       I didn't care one bit. I didn't NEED voice lessons because I never sung for people, only myself in the comfort of my own shower. I would tell him every week, "I'm paying you to teach me how to play guitar, not sing." He kept insisting no matter what, even after all of the tears and arguments.
       It's been almost three years now, and my passion for guitar has reached new extremes. I've picked up on singing as well and I finally feel comfortable enough to sing for people that I know, and I love it. Tony may be a pain in the ass, but he fought for me. He knew that I had potential and he refused to let it slip and all I can do is thank him for it. 
       
       The quote by Kurt Cobain explains the situation I was in. I didn't want to sing, it was the last thing I wanted to do. All I longed for was a good guitar teacher, who got me to play like Slash in two months but of course, it didn't happen. I'm still learning new techniques on guitar, and now my vocals as well. 

Arctic Monkeys

"You had us all, standing on our heads, doing our best tricks." -Alex Turner

       Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band formed in the early 2000's in a suburb of Sheffield. The band consists of Alex turner (lead vocals, lead/rhythm guitar), Jamie Cook (rhythm/lead guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar), and Matt Helders (drums).
       The band has released five studio albums: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006), Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009), Suck It And See (2011) and AM (2013), as well as one live album at the Apollo (2008).
       They are definitely my favourite band at the moment. My older brother introduced me to them about four years ago and ever since then, I've clicked to them. Their altered setups and varied choice of guitars and drum petals give them an original, solid, indie rock sound. They have heavy lyrics and accented vocals making their songs ever more appealing.
       If you ask me what my favourite song by them is then I probably wont give you a direct answer. There is not ONE song of theirs that I don't like. I can say that my favourite albums are Favourite Worst Nightmare which consists of "505", "Old Yellow Bricks" and I also like Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not which includes "Mardy Bum", "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "Riot Van."

       I picked todays quote because when I went to their concert in January, that's exactly what I was doing. I was dancing like a maniac and screaming like a psychopath. I'm pretty sure the people next to me wanted to punch me. Seeing my favourite band in concert was unbelievable and life changing, I promise I'm not exaggerating. I was one of the most surreal nights of my life.

U2

"Rock stars are good at making noise." - Bono

       This week I figured I'd talk about one of my all-time favorite bands instead of my personal connection to music.

       U2 are an Irish rock band who were formed in the late 1970's. The group consist of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar and keyboard), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen (drums).
       Throughout the years, U2 has maintained a sound built on melodic instrumentals, highlighted by varied guitar licks and Bono's edgy vocals. Their lyrics are full of spiritual imagery and they focus on personal and social concerns. 
       U2 have managed to uphold their success throughout the past three decades and have been spread throughout the music industry. They don't follow the lines of a 'typical rock band". They add their own artistic flavor and combine it with an original sound and honest lyrics. 
       They released their first album Boy in 1980 which was then followed by 16 other hit albums. My personal favorite is The Joshua Tree which was released in 1987. It consists  of the songs "With or Without You", "Where The Streets Have No Name", and "Running To Stand Still".
       Their latest song "Ordinary Love" is part of the Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom soundtrack which came out in November of 2013. It starts off with a moody keyboard but picks up and builds to an upbeat rock as Bono sings.

       U2 will always be one of my favorite bands. My favorite song by them "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of" which is on All That You Can Leave Behind and "With or Without You" which, like I mentioned before, is on The Joshua Tree.

       My parents have actually always been big fans of U2. They saw them plenty of times and sadly, never took me with them. I've been listening to them ever since I can remember. My mom would pick my brother and I up from school back when I lived in Denver and we'd play their songs over and over until we memorized every lyric. I remember sitting by the our fire place before heading up for bed and listening to our (now ancient) portable CD player with really poor quality head phones. They will forever hold a place in my heart, Itunes, Spotify, and whatever technological device is popular at the moment.

Concerts

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." - Plato

       Concerts. The ideal place for people to let loose and forget about all things possible.

       Everyone in one venue sharing a common interest. All is silent except for the muffled one-on-one conversations. Complete strangers are introduced to one another and new friendships arise. 

       A wave of screams surfs the air once the main lights dwindle down and blinding lights illuminate the stage. The moment the band walks on stage the roaring screams become louder and louder. Insanity kicks in once a chord is played and that's where it all begins. 

       Sweaty bodies swaying, heads bobbing and hearts pumping in unison as the speakers give their say. The words of each song send chills down one's spine as they reminisce on their relation to the lyrics. 

       The cells of each individuals brain vibrate to the beat of the drums as the guitar licks echo throughout the night.  

       No one is neglected, all are collectively sharing the same experience. 

       Just when everyone thought the concert hit it's peak, the most famous song begins to play. Hands are thrown in the air and everyone's feet are lifted off of the floor. Vocals are being strained and minds are in convulsion as pure joy floods the room. 

       You decide to take a small glimpse of the people behind you and you see the crowd jumping simultaneously. A rush of excitement sparks through your body, allowing you to let loose and enjoy the time being.

       Time flies and before people know it, the night is over. The band gives their thanks and plays the last song. The slow, melodic tempo calms the audience. Lighters and flashlights ablaze the venue and screams no longer fill the air. The leader singer stops singing but the crowd sings in harmony. 

       I went to a Vampire Weekend concert on May 1st and there was a point where Ezra (the lead singer) pointed the microphone to the crowd and we all sang, "We know the fire awaits unbelievers all of the sinners the same. Girl you and I will die unbelievers bound to the tracks of the train." 

       At that time, all of my senses where corrupted by my hype and happiness but at that exact moment, I felt like I fit in. All of the people around me were enjoying the same thing that I was. We came together on this one night to share our love and exchange our happiness.