It's Always Darkest ...Before it's Pitch Black
That was a pretty unreal month. Right when I thought it couldn't get worse, everything did. Got funny after a while. Things have started evening out a bit; I am in my new apartment, sheets are on the bed, boxes are almost unpacked, walls are painted purple and blue, and after a month of relocation disorientation, I now once again have the Holy Trinity of Telecommunication in place: Television, Internet and Telephone. Somehow muddled through this savage human condition for a month with (gasp) no real online access. After the initial feeling of missing out on something every second, it got pretty good. It's nice to untether from the comfort of steady information sometimes. How soon I forget that anything in excess becomes unhealthy. Escape is overrated. Learned a few things in the silence.
the things you own end up owning you
Was surprised to see some odd online "response" to my breakup with R. That's a pretty strange by-product of the musical company I have been keeping. Found it better not to post anything at all than to post on that topic and make things worse. Have decided not to get too personal with my posts. Don't really care what people say about me, but found it difficult feeling responsible for someone else being brought into discussion because of our relationship. You can't control everything, and to try to control much of anything is a mistake. Control is an illusion.
Relationships are hard. People get together, people break up, and it's always sad. Having it be fodder for online entertainment was weird. I have to take it and move on, because I sure reserve the right to dish it out when I want.
Reading Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor" now. The story of a church-cult raised, suicide hotline worker/housekeeper who hijacks a plane and narrates his bizarre life story into the doomed jet's flight recorder. Needless to say, it rules.
Listening to Fiona Apple's new album "Extraordinary Machine". If you aren't aware of all the drama surrounding it, here's a recap: Fiona tracked it with uber-producer Jon Brion like, a year ago. Sony apparently shelved it saying that there were no marketable singles. Hmm, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, ...FUCKING EVERYWHERE. There have been online petitions, the freefiona site, but still no record. Then it leaked. Have a look, you'll find it. It's really grown on me, no marketable singles and all. My favorite songs are: "Please Please Please", "Extraordinary Machine", "Not About Love", and "Oh Well".
I have the feeling that this record is doing some great work in the fight to let artists have the voice they need to have. A bit of a sacrificial lamb's fight. I am sure it's very painful for her, but I believe that this conflict is a sign of the times. I wish her so much luck with getting the record out the way she sees fit. Also an interesting turn in the story of listeners uniting online and being heard.
The latest news is that she is apparently re-recording the whole thing with Brian Kehew of The Moog Cookbook. On a tangent, Brian is a friend of mine and an uber-talented musician and producer. Last time I spoke with him he had been finishing a decade's work on a book about every single Beatles recording session ever. Excited to see what the two of them come up with, but I really like the album as it is, so we'll see. God knows what the true story is with all the drama, it's easy to see only the clear-cut David and Goliath plot line, and as usual I am sure there are many more layers to it.
"Give us something familiar
Something similar
To what we know already
That will keep us steady
Steady -
Steady going nowhere"
-Fiona Apple - Please Please Please
Comments
Thank god you're back.
Do you have any idea how many thousands of times i came to this site in hopes of new wisdom?
now everything is truly back to normal. Time to hit the community and start in on a month's worth of "Ask Steve". There's plenty waiting for you.
:D
Posted by: Six7Six7 | July 19, 2005 04:18 AM
Welcome back, sweetie. You've been missed.
~Bonita
Posted by: Bonita | July 19, 2005 05:22 AM
Hey Steve, glad to see you feeling better with all the break up stuff...I feel that we end up a lot stronger after heavy stuff like that happens in our lives...at least I do.
Hey, Survivor is my favorite book. That book is a life changing experience really. I love Chuck´s work specially Survivor and Choke. Check out the web site dedicated to him chuckpalahniuknet
Posted by: Jorge | July 19, 2005 06:40 AM
well, mr. Isaacs, everything happens for a reason, and I am sure posting all your experiences is cathartic. Follow your instinct and the songs that you are/will be writing will shine oh so bright.
Create to live!
Posted by: unknown soldier | July 19, 2005 06:48 AM
well, mr. Isaacs, everything happens for a reason, and I am sure posting all your experiences is cathartic. Follow your instinct and the songs that you are/will be writing will shine oh so bright.
Create to live!
Posted by: unknown soldier | July 19, 2005 06:48 AM
So glad things seem to be looking up for you Steve!
Do you have any plans to be in Vegas durings Dave's Rock Star Poker event????
Hang in there Sweetie :D
Posted by: Cori | July 19, 2005 08:45 AM
Still sending it your way...hope you're settling in OK...
reeling from gigging last night...
much love
RP
x
Posted by: RecklessPrincess | July 19, 2005 08:58 AM
Glad to hear you're getting all the necessities back in order. What a pain in the ass that can be sometimes. And keep up the posts, we love having you around.
Posted by: Jonathan Lamas | July 19, 2005 09:15 AM
Glad you're back!
Posted by: Junebug | July 19, 2005 09:23 AM
Steve-No need to explain....just glad your back.
Posted by: Brett | July 19, 2005 09:31 AM
Glad you are back Steve. Best wishes with all the change...
Q
Posted by: qqq | July 19, 2005 10:24 AM
That statue looks a lot like you...
Posted by: Mike | July 19, 2005 12:08 PM
Good point about Fiona too. I wish some other well known bands could all get together and hold a Free Fiona benefit show, how rad would that be? Like one giant vengeful middle finger to major labels all over the country!
Good to hear things are going well. Also, one or two sad saps may have turned your situation into "online entertainment fodder" and made pointlessly cheap shots, but the rest of us saw it purely as someone expressing their feelings of a difficult time. Fuck what anyone else has to say, you got out what you wanted to get out. We've all had that at one point or another. Lol, hell, I had one last week and made the mistake of coming online after seeing my ex and rambling on for a few paragraphs here (yeah, my apologies, it was a bit unnecessary). Shit happens, as they say. :)
Peace!
- Sean
Posted by: Sean | July 19, 2005 02:38 PM
I love the angel pic keep on rockin!
Best, CC
Posted by: CC | July 19, 2005 08:12 PM
Glad to have you back Steve.
Posted by: Aaron | July 19, 2005 08:48 PM
P.S. I like the Elliott Smith quote on the 4th of July entry.
Posted by: Aaron | July 19, 2005 08:52 PM
Hey Steve, I was just wondering how the Mars Volta show was. You never posted a review and I wanted to know if it was as good live as it is on the cd.
Posted by: Eric | July 20, 2005 11:37 AM
I love Fiona Apple's lyrics, gotta look for that leak album! Its great to have you back, and I know what you mean about the no internet thing. You think you can't live without it, but after being away for a couple days, its not so bad. (I must admit though, I'm always ready to get back and check up on all I've missed!)
Can't wait to see ya at the next show!! (which wil be...when exactly??) Keep up the good work!!
Posted by: Abby | July 20, 2005 02:49 PM
Steve, first I want to say thank you for putting in a few extras in your July 4th post, and that's all I have to say about that
oh, and that line about the things you own, there's a guy I used to know that used to quote Fight Club like some people quote Scripture, it's funny how true some of those passages are....it's nice to disconnect for a while, really makes you get inside your own head...
Survivor is an awesome read, are there any Chuck books you HAVEN't read?
love to you and yours
jezzi
Posted by: jezebel | July 20, 2005 08:16 PM
Hey Steve,
Did you know that you can change your PH Balance by drinking a mix of water, apple cider vinegar and honey everyday?? It also helps to blend some (minus the honey) with sandalwood oil (just a couple of drops) and rub that into your scalp. Yep it works.
Sometimes your vocals remind me of Gil Moore the drummer for Triumph. Ok, have a good one.
Posted by: Spanq | July 21, 2005 09:07 AM
I too would've been surprised at all the "responses"-if, that is, it had come from anyone mature. Water off the back man, water off the back. Good to see you post again and hope to hear from you again real soon. Peace!
Posted by: Lyn | July 21, 2005 04:54 PM
Steve- Good morning..... I hope all is well. I just got my ass kicked last night watching Chris Whitley play guitar in SD. You have to get his new cd Soft and Dangerous Shores...it's amazing....I think it's his best work yet... Just have a listen. Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Brett | July 22, 2005 09:33 AM
...please please please
no apologies
at best they buy you time
until your next step out of line
please please please
no more remedies
you got it dude, Fiona's one of my favorites.
Posted by: mortisha8 | July 22, 2005 02:26 PM
Welcome back Steve. Keep hope alive and stay busy. In other words, keep on rockin.
Posted by: Michael Malediction | July 22, 2005 03:32 PM
it's cool that you're talking about Fiona's Extraordinary Machines... i love the title track as well. i'm not sure what's going to become of this album, but i think an even sadder instance of this is what happened with the Dave Matthews Band album produced by steve lillywhite, which also "had no marketable singles" and was RE-produced and re-released and complete shit.
i hope this thing with fiona doesn't end her relationship with jon brion.. i would be forever devastated.
Posted by: friend of Ryan Gray | July 22, 2005 04:32 PM
* hugs *
Posted by: Cookie | July 22, 2005 06:31 PM
Hello Steve... Maybe this fine painting will help to cheer you up. It always works for me... Good luck! :)
Posted by: BG | July 23, 2005 09:30 AM
hi Steve
sorry to hear about your break up
we're still currently without any tv connection so i know the feeling of living under a stone
(i only have net access at work)
i kinda like it now
except for when you arrive at work and find out bombs have been going off
Posted by: richie6fingers | July 24, 2005 03:23 AM