Let's All Remain Audioslaves

Wednesday night, I had the amazing privilege of seeing Metallica for the first time.  For about 14 years, I have been listening to Metallica (and after seeing them live, I see what a small droplet of time that is in their metal legacy).  It was a truly epic experience.  I was embarrassed when they came onstage, I found myself squealing like a a young girl seeing Hannah Montana in concert.

Thursday morning, I woke up tired, black eyeliner still stuck to my eyelashes, and “Master of Puppets” stuck in my head.  I rolled over and my boyfriend said “Chris Cornell died.” I was shocked but somewhat un-phased.  I feel like most news I am not too shaken by these days.  Crazy guy drives car into numerous pedestrians in Times Square . . . .can I get that with soy milk?

I immediately googled "Chris Cornell" and it was true, he had indeed died.  Cause of death: unknown.

The first thing that came to mind was “Part of Me,”  one of Cornell’s solo project singles featuring Timbaland (yup, Timbaland).  I still love that song and enjoy listening to it, but always find myself also asking “What the Hell is going on here?”  But no matter.

The second thing I thought of was Audioslave.  In 2002, Chris Cornell and Audioslave released their first self-titled album.  And I was OBSESSED!  I remember hearing “Cochise” one morning and it was like the rock gods had opened up the skies and released a rain shower of musical sound.  This album was everything.   I have many songs/albums/artists that I tend to listen to in the summer—I think a lot of us do if we really think about it.  This album is one of those summer albums.  “Like a Stone” has been and will always be one of my go-to summer tracks.  The freedom and longing in the song matches a drive by the beach or lazy summer morning like no other.

I must be honest here, I never listened to Soundgarden.  In the early 90s, I was still pretty young and had not reached my rock phase yet.  I still find myself just discovering grunge in bits and pieces over 20 years later.  Even so, I am actually very sad to hear of Cornell’s passing.  His music was a soundtrack to a time in my life that was very free, spirited, and hopeful.  His voice takes me back to summers during college.  Even now, there is a listless calm that I feel when I listen to his voice.  And to know that he is gone and I won't have a chance to see him live or hear new music from his is very sad.  Cornell is one of those original voices that you just cant replicate and we wont have anything like it again.
 
As I said, I feel like a an awful fraud writing this and not having listened to much Soundgarden.  So while I am owning that, I have to say that I will always have a special place in my rock heart for Chris Cornell.

And when you wanted me
I came to you
And when you wanted someone else
I withdrew
And when you asked for a light
I set myself on fire
And if I go far away I know
You'll find another slave

Cause now I'm free from what you want
Now I'm free from what you need
Now I'm free from what you are

And when you wanted blood
I cut my veins
And when you wanted love
I bled myself again
Now that I've had my fill of you
I'll give you up forever
And here I go far away
I know you'll find another slave

Cause now I'm free from what you want
Now I'm free from what you need
Now I'm free from what you are

Then a vision came to me
When you came along
I gave you everything
But then you wanted more

~ "What You Are" Audioslave (written by Chris Cornell)

I'm Back

I can't tell you how many drafts I have started and stopped since taking a short break from this blog.  So many saved and unsaved random documents out in the virtual universe.  So I have made a commitment that whatever I write at this point is what I am going to post.  Here it is:

The first thing that comes to mind is that I will be seeing Metallica in concert for the first time, two weeks from today.  The second thing that comes to mind is that I have been listening to almost exclusively hip hop and rap for the last month or so (since last writing my blog post about Marilyn Manson NOT releasing his album).  

Perhaps it is just despite him that I made this current change.  I have had it with goth and metal gods toying with me on social media and I finally said "FUCK IT" and moved on . . . only temporarily of course.

Less than a week after this disappointment, Kendrick Lamar released "Humble," the second single released before his big album, DAMN.  So, I started listening to that.  This is following a recent Hip Hop Yoga class featuring Kendrick so I pretty much just added "Humble" into my daily mix of:

"Man of the Year" ScHoolboy Q
"untitled 07 I Levitate" Kendrick Lamar
"Trap Trap Trap" Rick Ross
"digging for windows" Zack De La Rocha

Kendrick's album came out the day after my birthday (accident? I don't think so), so when I woke up to use the bathroom at 2:00 AM, I took the opportunity to pre-download the album so it was all ready for listening in the morning.  

The album is pretty amazing so there hasn't really been room for anything else.  "DNA." is without a doubt, the best song on the album.  I always like the heavier, more aggressive rap so this song just satisfies every musical need I could want.

Other good tracks (that I listen to in-between "DNA.") are "ELEMENT." and "LOVE."
I was stocked to head back to Hip Hop Yoga as they hosted a class in honor of the release of  DAMN. but I got a cold that same day and had to miss out.

My weekly suggested tracks on Spotify were evolving with my listening choices and they started to feature much less rock and almost exclusively hip hop and rap.  One song caught my ear and I was shocked to see it was Desiigner!  You know, the Panda guy?  The Future sound-a-like?

"Timmy Turner" is such a darker, melancholy side to rap.  It is so unique, I just can't get enough.  In fact, today a car drove by that was blasting the song and in response, I screamed and ran to the open window of my office (I am on the 6th floor) and enjoyed the track from a distance before the car drove to the next block.  In the process, I also confused many of my coworkers.

With my openness to all things hip hop, I decided to integrate some female artists into my repertoire.  Nicki Minaj's "No Frauds" did the trick.  Going back a bit with "Truffle Butter" and happily having Lil' Wayne on both of these songs lightens the mood a little after my insistent listening to "Timmy Turner."

That all being said, just because I was not writing, does NOT mean i was not listening.  And yes, I still follow Marilyn Manson's every move and see his, now weekly, Instagram posts that are now just more aggravating and upsetting than anything else.  AND, not only am I seeing Metallica in two weeks, I am seeing Kendrick Lamar in July.

Rather than fight this change in preference of music, I am enjoying it as one of many musical phases I enjoy going through.  And is it so horrible to be a hoe and turn up before 10 AM on a Saturday, listening to Migos?  No.  No it's not.

Stay humble.