I am using this title for a moment, although it is not mine. Many of you might find this visit a tad unusual. But hang on for a sec, because I have escaped from the studio just to see you!
The "painting door" is right. I am here only to Gush. I have fallen in love. But, before I jump into that, let me explain… I am a music person. The feelings I used to get in the car as a kid, when I heard a song I loved, would send my belly into a fit of butterflies, passions, love, and dreams. Oh, my music loves are all over the place, from bizarre to dorky, and back around again… When I was a teenager, my ears were infused with Depeche Mode, New Order, The Smiths, The Cure and just too many to list. I lived with my headphones on… Dreaming and painting, even back then…
(Depeche Mode, Picture from www.101klub.hu/images/dm01.jpg)
I was coherent enough to experience 80’s music, oh was that a fun time. Hair scrunchies, 4 pairs of socks at a time, Cyndi Lauper.. Oh yes, good times…. Cruisin’ in my white rabbit convertible as a teenager for hours and hours, music blaring…
(Album cover photo)
In 1992, my heart was won over by, Tori Amos. I think it is because I am a piano player as well. I was a late bloomer to Kate Bush, but loved her all the same. And, when Bjork came out, in about 1993, I was smitten.
(Bjork, Album, Homogenic, 1997, from www.recordresearch.com/…/images/Bjork.jpg)
But, I am also a lover of music from the 20’s to the 60’s, to the 90’s, and even before that. I love classical music, and harps… I will have loves forever, from Django Reinhardt, to Edith Piaf. From Stevie Nicks to David Bowie. Music is my life line. It helps me create, it is a crucial part of me…
(Picture from -Django Reinhardt in the middle- Google Images, Encyclopedia,http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=3726&rendTypeId=4)
However, the bond to Tori Amos was huge for me. It lasted and lasted and lasted.. She has changed, she has gone from just unreal to wonderful to being a mom and an adult. I will always love her.
With that said, the news is, it has been a really really long time since I felt that spark in my belly. Since I was won over wholeheartedly by a voice and a person…
Lilies & Ether and I have gushed together about this. Like teenage girls. Who am I speaking of? I am speaking of Bat for lashes. I have fallen head over heels for Natasha Khan. From her haunting voice to her head-dresses… I am in love.
You must check it out… Bat for lashes is wonderful!! You can visit the Bat for lashes MySpace Page, or look at this, I brought her & the other lovelies, right to you…
I think this video below is perfection. It makes me laugh… Love the little Halloween people with the balloons! This tune is only one of many wonderful ones. I love this beat…
I know, some of you will think I have lost my marbles… I have not. I have many many sides to my personality… But please, tell me, what happened when you dated a guy with Beatles hair?? Or when you couldn’t get enough of Pink Floyd, or when, well spit it out, tell me, what were you listening to when you felt the belly spark??? What makes you tick? Or jump out of your seat? What makes you sing as loud as you can in the car alone??? I want to know… "Ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low…." Yep, I knew it…. That makes me sing too.
In other news, I was checking things in Etsy, and decided to shop a bit. I was happliy surprised! Guess who I found with a NEW little shop full of originals???? Lisa Congdon! So, if you were itching for an original and never ever could manage to be fast enough to snatch one up on her website, well, you better get over there now!! I already snatched up some lovely cards!!! I really love National… Of course, I love them all.. But, that one is speaking to me in the late hours…
I am back to the studio.. Adios, for now…
Can you do this??? Okay, you can….
But I bet you won’t slap that hand on a white wall in your house??
Okay, okay, I ‘m leaving…
Oh Vanessa, the magic of music! My absolute all-time favourite is Joanna Newsom because her music and lyrics set the belly sparks off without fail every time and have me singing at the top of my best squeaky voice!
Yay! Awesome videos! Your taste in music is excellent! I’d have to say that my top favorite though besides Tori is Rasputina. Ever heard them? If not check them out. Sooooo goood.
we have such similar music taste…I swear I could not have gotten though high school if it were not for The Smiths, Joy Division, XTC, Depeche Mode…
and Tori, dear sweet Tory…I honestly can;t hear the song Winter without crying.
xoxoxoo
I just love visiting you. Because of this post I have just spent a very enjoyable hour youtube-ing favorite songs.
thank you
Ooh, thanks for the great music tips. As for the hand bit, yes I can do that – see more proof we’re twins. You’re right, I won’t do it on a white wall – but if I had a studio all to myself, I would. xoxoxo
I love that video….when all the masked riders swoosh out from behind her….magic! 🙂
I am driven by music….I don’t think I could paint, draw, dream, LIVE without it! I loved Tori Amos when I was about 14, and Bjork, and I was a serious ( I mean really serious) r.e.m and b-52’s fan from the ages of 13-15…..I even went on a mini-pilgrimage to Athens! HA! : )
Now I adore classical, romantic, Early music, oh….I feel so inept at trying to describe all the music that fuels my dreams…..impossible! Have you heard Beach House!? Grizzly Bear!? or Mum!? You might like them,too!! : )
Lovely Posting, miss Vanessa! 🙂
Music! Who can resist it? There have been so many artists who have prompted a belly spark for me. It would be impossible to list them all, but a few over the years have been: The Replacements, Big Country, Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab For Cutie, Duran Duran, Peter Gabriel… the list goes on and on. There’s nothing quite as exciting as discovering new, passion inspiring music, is there?
I also love Bjork…after all I come from Bjorkland…Iceland.
I wonder who was Natasha’s inspiration 🙂
As for my musical thrills I love everything from Bach to Bluegrass
No, I cannot do that…but I have a son that can. Does that count?
I just love Tori Amos too. I saw her play at the Albert Hall in London a few years ago and she was absolutely amazing.
Oh, my goodness…THANK YOU for the Bats For lashes tip…i am swooning in love. It’s perfection!!! Scrambling around right now trying to get hold of the disc!!! 🙂
It seems we have pretty much identical musical tastes! I love when others are connected to the same sounds that have carried me through my life…i have a “soundtrack” of songs that have most touched me over the years and they are all by the bands you’ve mentioned. That belly-spark is the best feeling in the world.
If I’m somewhere with bad music, especially work, I can’t get anything done. If I can’t ignore it and it’s bad, you should have just let me stay home.
oh noooo, i can’t do the vulcan hand thing, my pinkie is very stubborn and refuses to join my ring finger 😛 oh well, i have other talents…..
what puts a fire in my belly re: music?
don’t get me started, i’m a big fan of 80’s music myself, The Smiths, The Clash, Depeche Mode, Human League to name a few, oh and David Bowie of course!!! did’nt i tell you i am going to see The Police in November for my birthday!! Steve got tickets, woohoooooo!! i can’t wait to see Sting and Andy and Stewart, who i can a major crush on back in the day! I really love my music too, and can’t fathom a world without it!
Bats for Lashes! I am screaming! It is so groovy cool! Reminds me of when I used to/STILL do LOVE Concrete Blonde!
Music is life. For my whole family. My Papa was a drummer. In the 60″s he was in his early 60’s, but still played, everything from big band to Ironbutterfly. My Mom Sister and I can play just about anything we pick up, and have alway sang. If there is a time when things have not felt right, I find it is because there has been a lack of music in my life. I still listen to Depech Mode, and the cure and The Smiths, and My all time favorite is Erasure! Love them. I am listing to Neko Case, Feist, Amy Winehouse, just to name a few of the latest ones. I don’t limit my self. I listen to everything. Classical, Big Band, Folk, Country, Rock, Pop, Rock and everything else! I love it all! (you asked.LOL)
Admittedly never heard of them until now….but I really like what I heard. I see a new CD in my future. My musical tastes run a long and winding road of diversity…who wants to be stuck in one genre, right? I often work in my studio to Edith Piaf but another day it could be classical and yet another who knows. It’s all about mood for me. The person whose music hooked me YEARS ago was Joni Mitchell. There were bands and other music of course, but even now when I listen to all her early music I feel that same draw as the first time.
and YES I would put my painted hand on the wall, funny too, it would not surprise my husband. Hmmm, wonder why? wink wink!
XOXO
Love and great music,
Lisa
i love the music too! gotta have it while i’m working. my faves while working are first, my very favorite, lenny kravitz, then prince, aerosmith and pussycat dolls! hey, you paint like i do…paint all over my hands! (i don’t have ANY white walls left in my house, though!)
I have the turquoise hand as well – it has traveled around the house and there is one – hamsa style up high on the mirror – now Missy – do you know Yann Tierson’s (Amelie soundtrack) music – that’s what I need over here on Be Dream Play – one of these days… it rained – just for you – and its ok if its about you – that’s why we’re here…
mmmmmmmmwaw!
xox – eb.
back soon!
Just an FYI…Natasha Khan AND Bjork are both featured in the current issue of BUST magazine…www.bust.com.
Happy Monday!
Curses! Not alone has somebody else just recommended Joanna Newsom to you but her name is also Sarah! Well, perhaps in addition to the fabulous Joanna, might I suggest CocoRosie and (although you certainly already know them) The Cranes?
Although I used to be a most dedicated goth with an impressive wardrobe of pvc, corsets and boots as well as my own nightclub (the only one in the country for quite some time, no less!), my taste is so much more varied now. I tend to prefer classical lately, but my husband’s tastes have broadened my own lately – Final Fantasy for instance (brilliant).
Your music tastes make me love you even more! I came across Bat for Lashes a couple of months ago when BoingBoing posted the video for What’s a Girl to do. Pure love! I also paint to music- some faves: Camera Obscura, Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, Joanna Newsome, Fiona Apple, The Shout out Louds, Blonde Redhead, Dandy Warhols, Tool, Spoon, Delgados, Erin McKeown, Jolie Holland,… OMG I am such a junkie. Are there support groups for this?…
Testing
I loved that second video and I don’t know if it’s just me but it also reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Donnie Darko with the bike riding at night, the car accident, it being Halloween, and of course the human in the dark bunny mask. Very cool.
We are so constant with our shared love of music, and even most of the same bands to boot! Thanks for sharing this “new” music as well!!
I just picked up DM’s greatest from 83-86 or something like that. Crank it in the car. I love them. We must be close in age! Everything you speak of rings a bell here, in fact Vanessa, you may have joined me in the kitchen cooking supper the other night, when I was singing Cornflake Girl at the top of my lungs like 50 times. Finally my (whatever he is) says, “Would you stop!”
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Do you like New Order too?
I just found my Cult autographs, from waiting in the rain in March of 86 in Downtown Toronto to meet the band.
Yikes!!!!
xoxoxo
Blue
ok…three dog night…celebrate, celebrate, dance to the muuuusic….anything by the eagles…and a whiter shade of pale (my very favoritest song ever)….reagge…beach music…and whatever my daughter sings…and you know i would slap the walls with delight…blessings, rebecca
Your painting door is too much fun, as is having your hands covered in paint and playing with hand paintings. I love 80s music, Bjork and The Smiths!!
80s music rocked! I still listen to those oldies on Live 365.
You Ms. Fanciful,
Know one of the important secrets to life.
MUSIC has the power to transform a person.
It is one of the keys that opens the door to Heaven on earth, especially while making ones own music! Do you play the Mandolin?
Love your post!!! It brought back great memeories of Me and My best friend in High school. I laughed out loud when I read about hair scrunchies and four pairs of socks……Good Times.
Kimberlee
I love visiting your blog . I can not live without music.
As in pictorial art I love all kind of music as long as it is made with art love.
I like cindy lauper , The Cure ( I was young when I went to their concert) , I love Django Reinhardt , Louis Amstrong , Nina Simone . I love opera and Classical music as well .
Your post reminds me when I was in high school …so great
Mélanie xxx
Hey babe- loved your comment- HA! I am a Beatles girl through and through but I have a spot for all the 80’s (Bow Wow Wow type stuff). Let me know how my project is coming- you know…the one wilth ALL the color???? (no hurry- JK)
Donna O.
I felt that way about Dave Matthews and Sting, Phil Collins, Tom Jones, Michael Buble, David Gray, Nick Drake, The first time I ever heard Alanis, Tori, Sarah M, Michele Branch, Peter Gabriel. Music touches your soul, like art.
(I just asked my husband if I could paint mushrooms on our wall- he said absolutely NOT!!!! what a square!)
Music makes the world go round… and THAT must be why using music in your art pieces just works so well! Veryyyy cool!
p.s. Cyndi Lauper is still my hero – the kids and I jam to her on Dance Dance Revolution. LOL LOL LOL!
It’s never so much a person that sparks passion for me but the merge of music with perfect lyrics, some songs make me cry, channel old memories, laugh, whatever it may be I am a lover of music as well. I am also a lover of your page…so awesome!
Considering that I, too, was addicted to most of the bands that you loved in your youth, I better go check our your recommendation soon.
i couldn’t wait to stop by for a visit and oh my how glad i am i did!!!! i am excited about natasha khan.i loved the two vidoes, especially the second one. and thank you for sharing your musical history—it took me back to my own past. i still heart depeche mode!
this morning i rocked to kings of leon on the treadmill and tonight i painted to brandi carlile.
xoxo,
Thanks for all the pink lovin’ on my blog! Pepto and kitty paws indeed! 🙂
She reminds me a lot of Lorena McKennitt.
I am in awe of Bats for Lashes…. never heard of them before reading this post, but I certainly hope I hear more! That video is amazing.
What makes me tick? Easy. The Smashing Pumpkins. I saw them live for the first time over the weekend, and love them more now than ever (if its possible). Billy Corgan is my hero.
thankyou for bat for lashes! i love her. in case you don’t know him – listen to antony and the johnsons – the most haunting voice and piercing lyrics.
Wow, thanks for sharing! I will definitely be looking into Bat for Lashes now – Loved the first live clip – what a great outfit! Lately I’ve been loving Jose Gonzalez and a heap of folky Australian outfits that you wouldn’t have heard of. My find of the last 5 years is Devendra Banhart – I LOVE his music, and I do adore Joanna Newsom although I have to be very much in the mood.
It is music from the 60’s and 70’s that has stuck with me most of my life though – Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkle and Joni Mitchell being three favs. And since highschool I have dug Pearl Jam – I’ve stuck with them through every album and even saw them in Holland recently! I guess they were the voice of my generation for me (others were into Nirvana or Radiohead).
Oh, I just love visiting you, you make me thing about things I don’t think about often enough. Hooray for music, and what is it about those who sing with some king of an accent that just makes them sound more etherial and lovely?! Love that studio door and hand, would love to do that!
I had to wait to comment until my “favorite musician” replaced my speakers. He borrowed them to do some recording. You made me do some thinking about music. Do you ever go to someones house and they have no books, music or art and you just can’t relate to them? I think the music we like is echoing are souls….yikes!!
I got to meet Tori Amos through my job a few years ago. I photographed her up close, too. I am not that familiar with her music, but I knew she was BIG.
Oh dearest vanessa How I have missed you and your wonderful blog!!! Oh my goodness we have exactly the same musical taste – the cure, the smiths etc etc – especially kate bush, but this new discovery bats for lashes – I am in love already – on my priority list of purchases for sure. Do you remember All about Eve?? One of my favourite bands from teenage years too and her voice is quite similar I think- haunting.
I hope you are well my dear – i have loved catching up on all you tales and stories and your new and latest work is just incredible!!! xxx
I must ditto you on many choices! …and guess what ? I have been composing a blog post on a particular sharede fave singer,hows that for a coinky-dink?
I love Kate Bush as well and for the same reason almost I adore Allison Kraus almost everything she does is music that, as a recent blogger put it, is the soundtrack to my life. I love music from the 40’s.. all the Big Band stuff and Dean Martin.. swoon. I saw Depeche Mode in concert in concert in Park City.. they were awsome, but they were loud (I’ve always been 80 years old at heart) I also loved Tears for Fears or the Tearful Fearfuls as my dad called them. I love classical music as well and had the most amazing experience listening to the Shostakovich symphony #10 at Abravanel Hall one evening. The whole thing was so dark musically describing the life of an artist living under Stalin.. and then Stalin dies and the light bursts forth in the music and I tell you there was not a dry eye. It was so beautiful it was hard to breathe.
I have never heard of Bat for Lashes. I really liked it. I was right in line with all of your other favs. Depeche Mode, Tori Amos. Thanks for the introduction of a cool group.
Those guys on the bikes were … funky.
I still don’t know what I think about this guy, but my friend was talking about this named Vitas. This is sorta a funky, vampy performance. Interesting. Here is a performance of his: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO_VXHxsRw
wow, bat for lashes was great, thanks !!!! Must share two of my own faves with you, especially as you are a Tori fan too!!! Check out Aussie Kate Miller Heidke and Australian band George ( lead singer Katie Noonan has the most wonderful voice)! Here’s some links to find them … http://www.katemillerheidke.com and http://www.george.net.au
wow, bat for lashes was great, thanks !!!! Must share two of my own faves with you, especially as you are a Tori fan too!!! Check out Aussie Kate Miller Heidke and Australian band George ( lead singer Katie Noonan has the most wonderful voice)! Here’s some links to find them … http://www.katemillerheidke.com and http://www.george.net.au
wow, bat for lashes was great, thanks !!!! Must share two of my own faves with you, especially as you are a Tori fan too!!! Check out Aussie Kate Miller Heidke and Australian band George ( lead singer Katie Noonan has the most wonderful voice)! Here’s some links to find them … http://www.katemillerheidke.com and http://www.george.net.au
wow, bat for lashes was great, thanks !!!! Must share two of my own faves with you, especially as you are a Tori fan too!!! Check out Aussie Kate Miller Heidke and Australian band George ( lead singer Katie Noonan has the most wonderful voice)! Here’s some links to find them … http://www.katemillerheidke.com and http://www.george.net.au