HEY EVERYONE! APPARENTLY THE WAY FORWARD IS TO RELOCATE TO TUMBLR.
SO HERE IT GOES.
WWW.LAURENCERENE.TUMBLR.COM
LOVE X
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Saturday, 8 January 2011
An interview with Amy
Hey! I get contacted on facebook quite often and get asked to answer questions. Which when I have time I find a pleasure to do. Often I get asked the same old stuff which is fine and informative. Sometimes though I get the opportunity to express myself a little more than in the standard questions.
Amy gave me plenty to play with. Read the interview here and find a rather nice pic of Amy and a horrid one of my sweaty post show mug below.
Enjoy
x
what career would you want, if music didn't work for you?
I couldn't really imagine not doing this, I think it is what i'm meant to do. I feel relaxed in this role and it inspires me by doing it. But I do have lots of other interests When I was a kid I wanted to be a Zoo Keeper but as I've grown up things in Fashion and Theatre fascinate me, so maybe a fashion label or fashion photography or even in design. I love writing so maybe journalism of some sort. I'm into healthy living and feeling good so maybe something to do with personal training and finally I love film and theatre so maybe something related to acting. There is so much to do in the world maybe I will achieve some of these things in my life as well as the music.
Whats the best thing about being in your band?
Being able to do what you love, to be inspiring to other people and to be able to dream up nonsense in my head and then go out and make it a reality. The best thing about My Passion is we can do what the hell we want and we can surprise people, we don't really have any restrictions set on us which is very liberating.
If you could support absolutely any artist, who would it be?
For me it would be Muse not just because they play stadiums around the world and have one of the best live shows I have ever seen, but also because I have a huge respect for the music they write and thought behind it. Muse are just Muse and nothing is half hearted it is how I would like My Passion to work. To be My Passion and nobody else.
who in the band writes your lyrics, and what inspires them?
Songs are written by Me,Jonathan and my father Ken who is a poet from the past and the future. Sometimes me and Jon say something in a certain way and Ken has a completely different take on it and throws it on it's head. It's amazing having a father so involved in what I do and so connected. The inspiration is life as with any songs. Life's full of surprises, emotions, experiences, things that make you angry and things that bring you joy we try to capture all of these and tell them in our our own way. My Passion is often an escape for us and for people that listen from the shit of this world, it's an alternative, it's a place where you can have an imagination you can have dreams and you can fulfil them.
What is your favourite venue to play at and why?
I don't think I could choose one single venue because venues are often just empty spaces it's more about the passionate excitable people that fill them for me. I do love a good theatre though, something decadent like Koko's in London I hope to play there one day.
Do you have any pre show rituals?
I kinda get a little anxious before playing. It's not nerves, more the waiting to get out there and perform. So I like my space to clear my head and relax as much as possible. One of our main rituals will obviously be getting ready for the show that's like painting on our personas and getting in the right mind set to entertain people. More and more recently we have been experimenting with crazy outfits, paint and props to give people something exciting and fresh to match up to the music each tour or show. This is something we're going to take even further in 2011, we want people to be thinking, what the hell will they do next. It's quite exciting.
Why did you choose to have a new band member join Last year?
We never intended on just being 4 forever. Jonathan is a very talented musician and we didn't want to have all the synths coming from an unseen magical box at the back of the stage. It's so much more effective seeing someone physically playing those synth lines and it also sounds far superior with live synths and tracks. Now Jonathan isn't stuck behind the drums he's up the front with me singing and playing and he is far happier for it. Jonathan's also a brilliant guitarist so he adds that when need to fatten out riffs or on solo parts so the sound of My Passion as a whole has come a long way since the summer and that's the same visually as well. Jamie coming in on drums and being free to focus on them has meant that they have been given a new life as well, his energy and enthusiasm has given us a new lease of life again. With the new album on the way and the development of the sound it was crucial that we could recreate that life and this is what we had to do and the band is so much better for it.
How did you come about calling your band 'My Passion'?
That one's plain and simple. We can be a pretentious bunch of arty idiots but when it came to the name we wanted to say exactly what this is to us and what it could be to the people that fell in love with My Passion as well. It's a two way thing which is really important for us.
As a band what do you set to have accomplished within the next 5 years?
I want to see the world. I want to continue making music that I love and to continue inspiring people to go out and do what they love. I want to prove to people that you don't always have to play safe in this world, you can do what you want to do whatever that may be if you have the desire to see it through. You don't always have to take what you are given, what you are fed, there are choices and sometimes the riskier ones bring more joy. We don't want to play safe we want to open our minds and imaginations to come up with exciting new ideas for both ourselves and for the people that come to see the band. Of course this is easier with a bigger budget so I would love for the band to be playing huge shows in 5 years time. But I would never want that growth to be at the expense of our happiness. To become safe and simple just to achieve that is not something that interests me. I want to grow this following and to be known by those as a band that pushes the boundaries of everything we do.
Whats your opinion/take on this wave of people illegally downloading music?
Stop crying about it and open your minds. If people really support a band I think they will invest in that band whether it is through merchandise, music, live performance or whatever you can offer. I'd want someone to buy our music if they are able to of course but at the same time I wouldn't want someone not listening to it. These days in the music business you need to be a bit of an entrepreneur, you have to think of other avenues, get creative and give people something that they want to invest their time, money and love into. You can't sit still, you can't keep offering out the same shit and think people will buy into you. That's why for me having an ever evolving sound and liveshow that keeps people on their toes and keeps surprising fans, is so important. Many bands become complacent just like many record companies have, and in the long run it will be the death of them. I think we are at a changing point, I think it's a point where there is so much negativity in politics, the world, tragedy, disaster, doom, gloom that people need something more to be apart of,so I feel responsible for offering an escape for others and my own sanity whether they are music buying people of not.
your style is very unique, have you always dressed this way, or would you say it is more a part of your bands image?
We develop the look along with the music, it just makes it stronger for me. We have always been inspired by characters and musicians that think about the whole concept of what they do. I don't want to do anything half hearted, I want to sound the best we possibly can and to look and feel as good as I can. It's more of my whole belief in life rather than just a thing related to the band. It helps that i'm really into fashion, anti fashion whatever it may be so it's a thing i'm naturally passionate about. I like to think of the band from every angle, if you are in the public eye I think it is more important than ever ( with the internet, music videos etc) to look good and also feel good within yourself, it makes you more confident and happier from within. If you aren't happy with yourself and what you do then you aren't going to do a very good job of selling what you do to your fans. The interest in all this definitely came from an upbringing of weirdos like david bowie, robert smith from the cure, marilyn manson, rammstein.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self words of advice what would you tell yourself?
I'm not one to really have any regrets as such. Obviously each person makes mistakes but it's part of discovering life and who you are. I'm quite enjoying growing up and discovering what the world has to offer me.
and finally, Tea or Coffee?
Both of them in large,large amounts please.
Laurence René
My Passion Vocalist, Dreamer & collector of the unique & strange
Online Blog: http://www.laurencerene.blogspot.com/
Website : www.mypassion.co.uk
My Passion Fashion : www.mypassionfashion.co.uk
Twitter : www.twitter.com/laurencerene
Facebook : www.facebook.com/laurence.rene.x
Amy gave me plenty to play with. Read the interview here and find a rather nice pic of Amy and a horrid one of my sweaty post show mug below.
Enjoy
x
what career would you want, if music didn't work for you?
I couldn't really imagine not doing this, I think it is what i'm meant to do. I feel relaxed in this role and it inspires me by doing it. But I do have lots of other interests When I was a kid I wanted to be a Zoo Keeper but as I've grown up things in Fashion and Theatre fascinate me, so maybe a fashion label or fashion photography or even in design. I love writing so maybe journalism of some sort. I'm into healthy living and feeling good so maybe something to do with personal training and finally I love film and theatre so maybe something related to acting. There is so much to do in the world maybe I will achieve some of these things in my life as well as the music.
Whats the best thing about being in your band?
Being able to do what you love, to be inspiring to other people and to be able to dream up nonsense in my head and then go out and make it a reality. The best thing about My Passion is we can do what the hell we want and we can surprise people, we don't really have any restrictions set on us which is very liberating.
If you could support absolutely any artist, who would it be?
For me it would be Muse not just because they play stadiums around the world and have one of the best live shows I have ever seen, but also because I have a huge respect for the music they write and thought behind it. Muse are just Muse and nothing is half hearted it is how I would like My Passion to work. To be My Passion and nobody else.
who in the band writes your lyrics, and what inspires them?
Songs are written by Me,Jonathan and my father Ken who is a poet from the past and the future. Sometimes me and Jon say something in a certain way and Ken has a completely different take on it and throws it on it's head. It's amazing having a father so involved in what I do and so connected. The inspiration is life as with any songs. Life's full of surprises, emotions, experiences, things that make you angry and things that bring you joy we try to capture all of these and tell them in our our own way. My Passion is often an escape for us and for people that listen from the shit of this world, it's an alternative, it's a place where you can have an imagination you can have dreams and you can fulfil them.
What is your favourite venue to play at and why?
I don't think I could choose one single venue because venues are often just empty spaces it's more about the passionate excitable people that fill them for me. I do love a good theatre though, something decadent like Koko's in London I hope to play there one day.
Do you have any pre show rituals?
I kinda get a little anxious before playing. It's not nerves, more the waiting to get out there and perform. So I like my space to clear my head and relax as much as possible. One of our main rituals will obviously be getting ready for the show that's like painting on our personas and getting in the right mind set to entertain people. More and more recently we have been experimenting with crazy outfits, paint and props to give people something exciting and fresh to match up to the music each tour or show. This is something we're going to take even further in 2011, we want people to be thinking, what the hell will they do next. It's quite exciting.
Why did you choose to have a new band member join Last year?
We never intended on just being 4 forever. Jonathan is a very talented musician and we didn't want to have all the synths coming from an unseen magical box at the back of the stage. It's so much more effective seeing someone physically playing those synth lines and it also sounds far superior with live synths and tracks. Now Jonathan isn't stuck behind the drums he's up the front with me singing and playing and he is far happier for it. Jonathan's also a brilliant guitarist so he adds that when need to fatten out riffs or on solo parts so the sound of My Passion as a whole has come a long way since the summer and that's the same visually as well. Jamie coming in on drums and being free to focus on them has meant that they have been given a new life as well, his energy and enthusiasm has given us a new lease of life again. With the new album on the way and the development of the sound it was crucial that we could recreate that life and this is what we had to do and the band is so much better for it.
How did you come about calling your band 'My Passion'?
That one's plain and simple. We can be a pretentious bunch of arty idiots but when it came to the name we wanted to say exactly what this is to us and what it could be to the people that fell in love with My Passion as well. It's a two way thing which is really important for us.
As a band what do you set to have accomplished within the next 5 years?
I want to see the world. I want to continue making music that I love and to continue inspiring people to go out and do what they love. I want to prove to people that you don't always have to play safe in this world, you can do what you want to do whatever that may be if you have the desire to see it through. You don't always have to take what you are given, what you are fed, there are choices and sometimes the riskier ones bring more joy. We don't want to play safe we want to open our minds and imaginations to come up with exciting new ideas for both ourselves and for the people that come to see the band. Of course this is easier with a bigger budget so I would love for the band to be playing huge shows in 5 years time. But I would never want that growth to be at the expense of our happiness. To become safe and simple just to achieve that is not something that interests me. I want to grow this following and to be known by those as a band that pushes the boundaries of everything we do.
Whats your opinion/take on this wave of people illegally downloading music?
Stop crying about it and open your minds. If people really support a band I think they will invest in that band whether it is through merchandise, music, live performance or whatever you can offer. I'd want someone to buy our music if they are able to of course but at the same time I wouldn't want someone not listening to it. These days in the music business you need to be a bit of an entrepreneur, you have to think of other avenues, get creative and give people something that they want to invest their time, money and love into. You can't sit still, you can't keep offering out the same shit and think people will buy into you. That's why for me having an ever evolving sound and liveshow that keeps people on their toes and keeps surprising fans, is so important. Many bands become complacent just like many record companies have, and in the long run it will be the death of them. I think we are at a changing point, I think it's a point where there is so much negativity in politics, the world, tragedy, disaster, doom, gloom that people need something more to be apart of,so I feel responsible for offering an escape for others and my own sanity whether they are music buying people of not.
your style is very unique, have you always dressed this way, or would you say it is more a part of your bands image?
We develop the look along with the music, it just makes it stronger for me. We have always been inspired by characters and musicians that think about the whole concept of what they do. I don't want to do anything half hearted, I want to sound the best we possibly can and to look and feel as good as I can. It's more of my whole belief in life rather than just a thing related to the band. It helps that i'm really into fashion, anti fashion whatever it may be so it's a thing i'm naturally passionate about. I like to think of the band from every angle, if you are in the public eye I think it is more important than ever ( with the internet, music videos etc) to look good and also feel good within yourself, it makes you more confident and happier from within. If you aren't happy with yourself and what you do then you aren't going to do a very good job of selling what you do to your fans. The interest in all this definitely came from an upbringing of weirdos like david bowie, robert smith from the cure, marilyn manson, rammstein.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self words of advice what would you tell yourself?
I'm not one to really have any regrets as such. Obviously each person makes mistakes but it's part of discovering life and who you are. I'm quite enjoying growing up and discovering what the world has to offer me.
and finally, Tea or Coffee?
Both of them in large,large amounts please.
Laurence René
My Passion Vocalist, Dreamer & collector of the unique & strange
Online Blog: http://www.laurencerene.blogspot.com/
Website : www.mypassion.co.uk
My Passion Fashion : www.mypassionfashion.co.uk
Twitter : www.twitter.com/laurencerene
Facebook : www.facebook.com/laurence.rene.x
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Christmas Message
Howdy!
It's all over now, this festive season of goodwill and homeliness I mean. I did a Christmas message and here it is for those that missed it.
"Happy Christmas you beautiful creatures! it is a pleasure having you all in our world and to be such a part of yours. It inspires me and the guys to have met and connected with a massive diverse mix of people over these years and I hope we can see many more together in the future.
I want to thank all your sweet hearts and your open minds for being a part of my passion, you're all brave, strong characters to indulge in us. we love being the alternative to everything else, the escape from reality and the anti fashion. I promise you that we'll keep surprising, entertaining and exploring the weird and wonderful world with you in 2011! Love Laurence"
Having just completed a fantastic Christmas in the Crypt concert and now entering into one of the most exciting years of my life so far I've realised just what this time has really meant for me. It isn't about the huge corporations hijacking christmas into a retail bonanza (although the shopping and gift giving is liberating), it isn't the christian roots hijacking a pagan festival, movement of the earth and the sun and all things magical (although the songs, archetecture, and traditions are glorious), it is for me a time where I get to see people I don't often see but who have a huge place in my heart. It is an excuse to escape the outside world and breathe a little, collect my thoughts and become motivated once again. It's also a time where I can choose who means a lot a to me and choose to spend some time celebrating our days with them and all that we are experiencing in life. It's a holiday that pretty much refuels me ready for the next epic episode of life and looking into this big universe and the year ahead one that makes me tingle with excitement.
Being in the band and having people who believe in you really does make everyday a bit like christmas. not one day is special, everyday is, as much as the last as long as we make each one count. This is what I plan to do and I have no need for resolutions, come join me.
It's all over now, this festive season of goodwill and homeliness I mean. I did a Christmas message and here it is for those that missed it.
"Happy Christmas you beautiful creatures! it is a pleasure having you all in our world and to be such a part of yours. It inspires me and the guys to have met and connected with a massive diverse mix of people over these years and I hope we can see many more together in the future.
I want to thank all your sweet hearts and your open minds for being a part of my passion, you're all brave, strong characters to indulge in us. we love being the alternative to everything else, the escape from reality and the anti fashion. I promise you that we'll keep surprising, entertaining and exploring the weird and wonderful world with you in 2011! Love Laurence"
Having just completed a fantastic Christmas in the Crypt concert and now entering into one of the most exciting years of my life so far I've realised just what this time has really meant for me. It isn't about the huge corporations hijacking christmas into a retail bonanza (although the shopping and gift giving is liberating), it isn't the christian roots hijacking a pagan festival, movement of the earth and the sun and all things magical (although the songs, archetecture, and traditions are glorious), it is for me a time where I get to see people I don't often see but who have a huge place in my heart. It is an excuse to escape the outside world and breathe a little, collect my thoughts and become motivated once again. It's also a time where I can choose who means a lot a to me and choose to spend some time celebrating our days with them and all that we are experiencing in life. It's a holiday that pretty much refuels me ready for the next epic episode of life and looking into this big universe and the year ahead one that makes me tingle with excitement.
Being in the band and having people who believe in you really does make everyday a bit like christmas. not one day is special, everyday is, as much as the last as long as we make each one count. This is what I plan to do and I have no need for resolutions, come join me.
Christmas Wish for Rocksound
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Post Apocalyptic Decadence
Well i've returned to this blog... Twitter steals me from this place too often with inconsequential chit chatter.
I have actually begun writing a few entries but ended up shelving them. I'm not sure whether that was because they were not full finished thoughts or because I was just writing to stabalise myself. Sometimes just the act of writing words down is enough to salvage ones self those words need never venture outside of here, but then again maybe they will when the time seems right... Or when it won't end in me being sent to an early demise as fresh meat in a prison cell and ripe for the taking. *quivers*
You now have no idea what I am waffling on about of course (no change there) But this post is far more aesthethic and surface based than a deep message or the trauma of the real world (possibly). I wanted to share some of my inspirations, interests and fascinations.
More and more I've become quite fascinated by A style I like to call post Apocalyptic Decadence. Yeah it's made up such a thing doesn't exist. We haven't reached it yet. It may be a slight contridiction or unthinkable that the end of civilisation as we know it and our sometimes beautiful world can mix with the lavish and luxurious. I think it's a brilliant clash. I think a lot of us as people would still think about what we looked like even if we were on the brink of survival and the world was crumbling around us. Haha we are terrible creatures.
Being one of these creatures I have a terrible fascination with end of the world stuff. I watch the discovery channel and i'm told on all the earth, space and future documentaries that we're gonna all gonna go the same way as the dinosaurs very soon. But we needn't worry about it because we may well destroy ourselves before then.
I like to imagine what we'd be like if we did live through a world ending disaster. There are countless films and yes I love nearly all of them, minus a lot of the Hollywood mature chedder cheese and glossy wrappings.
You must watch the animated film called nine.. It is a magical thing about machines ruling the world but the different componants of humanity fighting back at it. Hope that didn't ruin it..
waterworld not quite the same place as the one on holiday in spain...
mad max
mutant chronicles great concept poorly executed.
Not only is the setting and the idea of man outliving its predescessors just marvelling but its the outfits and idea of what we would look like in the future and after we'd faced stuff devastation that is really something to look at. Brands like All Saints and Unconditional have roughed up styles that fit this sort of idea really well but not taken it too far. Lots of my favourite designers have also hit on an apocolyptic theme but without quite enough decadence for me. I shall share some here.
tiljana pavlov 2010
Gareth pugh
futurism
Galiano
Versace mens
I guess like music, both fashion and film are for those creators a way of expressing how and what they feel at a specific time. I think of it simply as our reaction to world around us. And if you think of everyone you know we all react in different ways. It also to some of the more crazy minded individuals, gets mixed up somewhere along the way amoungst our dreams, ideals and for me my fascination with fiction... It's hard to know what is real here anyway isn't it? we only know what we are told or have experienced the rest of it we make up, i'm pretty sure that's what the greater minds do for us anyway.
When it comes to style i've always beeen really into the idea of the present and future mixed up with times of old. Like a modern take on Edwardian clothing and style that we in my passion have often dressed as or the 50's rockabilly brought into the 21st century. It goes the same for music with myself as well.. I cannot for the life of me began to understand musicians that wish to just create what their favourite band in the 60's did. Lets use the same wires and the same techniques and play that sound just 50 years later...
We're just combinations and collaberations of everything and anyone we've ever known, seen or those things we have heard. Yeah we selectively choose which will be more dominant in its influence for some reason but everything we've ever known has originated from someone before us its just us building on top of that and that is what the future is I suppose. It's a little bit of you and me with a little bit of someone else and how we piece ourselves together that makes us different, how simple it makes the world seem.
All this chatter leads on to fit in quite well with my vision of the next album inside this machine... Not as regards the end of the world but more the collective creation of a place far from the gloom of reality. But this is all for another day.
Nice to pop by again. Leave me some comments and share the link friends.
Lx
When we do all eventually sink, implode, explode, get eaten, zapped or whatever we're in for when this world ends, I hope we will be the ones with the big smiles on our faces :)
I have actually begun writing a few entries but ended up shelving them. I'm not sure whether that was because they were not full finished thoughts or because I was just writing to stabalise myself. Sometimes just the act of writing words down is enough to salvage ones self those words need never venture outside of here, but then again maybe they will when the time seems right... Or when it won't end in me being sent to an early demise as fresh meat in a prison cell and ripe for the taking. *quivers*
You now have no idea what I am waffling on about of course (no change there) But this post is far more aesthethic and surface based than a deep message or the trauma of the real world (possibly). I wanted to share some of my inspirations, interests and fascinations.
More and more I've become quite fascinated by A style I like to call post Apocalyptic Decadence. Yeah it's made up such a thing doesn't exist. We haven't reached it yet. It may be a slight contridiction or unthinkable that the end of civilisation as we know it and our sometimes beautiful world can mix with the lavish and luxurious. I think it's a brilliant clash. I think a lot of us as people would still think about what we looked like even if we were on the brink of survival and the world was crumbling around us. Haha we are terrible creatures.
Being one of these creatures I have a terrible fascination with end of the world stuff. I watch the discovery channel and i'm told on all the earth, space and future documentaries that we're gonna all gonna go the same way as the dinosaurs very soon. But we needn't worry about it because we may well destroy ourselves before then.
I like to imagine what we'd be like if we did live through a world ending disaster. There are countless films and yes I love nearly all of them, minus a lot of the Hollywood mature chedder cheese and glossy wrappings.
You must watch the animated film called nine.. It is a magical thing about machines ruling the world but the different componants of humanity fighting back at it. Hope that didn't ruin it..
waterworld not quite the same place as the one on holiday in spain...
mad max
mutant chronicles great concept poorly executed.
Not only is the setting and the idea of man outliving its predescessors just marvelling but its the outfits and idea of what we would look like in the future and after we'd faced stuff devastation that is really something to look at. Brands like All Saints and Unconditional have roughed up styles that fit this sort of idea really well but not taken it too far. Lots of my favourite designers have also hit on an apocolyptic theme but without quite enough decadence for me. I shall share some here.
tiljana pavlov 2010
Gareth pugh
futurism
Galiano
Versace mens
I guess like music, both fashion and film are for those creators a way of expressing how and what they feel at a specific time. I think of it simply as our reaction to world around us. And if you think of everyone you know we all react in different ways. It also to some of the more crazy minded individuals, gets mixed up somewhere along the way amoungst our dreams, ideals and for me my fascination with fiction... It's hard to know what is real here anyway isn't it? we only know what we are told or have experienced the rest of it we make up, i'm pretty sure that's what the greater minds do for us anyway.
When it comes to style i've always beeen really into the idea of the present and future mixed up with times of old. Like a modern take on Edwardian clothing and style that we in my passion have often dressed as or the 50's rockabilly brought into the 21st century. It goes the same for music with myself as well.. I cannot for the life of me began to understand musicians that wish to just create what their favourite band in the 60's did. Lets use the same wires and the same techniques and play that sound just 50 years later...
We're just combinations and collaberations of everything and anyone we've ever known, seen or those things we have heard. Yeah we selectively choose which will be more dominant in its influence for some reason but everything we've ever known has originated from someone before us its just us building on top of that and that is what the future is I suppose. It's a little bit of you and me with a little bit of someone else and how we piece ourselves together that makes us different, how simple it makes the world seem.
All this chatter leads on to fit in quite well with my vision of the next album inside this machine... Not as regards the end of the world but more the collective creation of a place far from the gloom of reality. But this is all for another day.
Nice to pop by again. Leave me some comments and share the link friends.
Lx
When we do all eventually sink, implode, explode, get eaten, zapped or whatever we're in for when this world ends, I hope we will be the ones with the big smiles on our faces :)
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Inside This Machine
{Home sweet home?}
It's that time again where I've been home from tour for a couple of days and I'm looking for things that aren't here, it's like a little place between my life and everything else, sometimes i feel like hiding away other times I'm curious, what am i missing? what is mine here and what doesn't fit.
Today after each cup of tea I've asked, Where is the show? where are those happy faced fans kipping outside of venues? where is the terrible shower that sprays a soft jet of lukewarm water in an attempt to clean sweat filled pores? (I don't miss it all)
I'm also faced with a lot of alien objects and devices which haven't been in my life for around a month and a half. Things that are considered normal but not so much in my life, such as ovens, washing machines and beds that stay in one place and allow you to lay fully outstretched. The nights work backwards, i miss some of the beauty of day and see nothing at night. Sometimes i make an attempt to work in line with the world I've returned to but a part of me doesn't let go and maybe doesn't want to revert to this way of living, just to be thrown right back again a month or two from this place. It's somewhat of an In Limbo lifestyle and one I hope to master.
{Paper Tiger}
Welcome inside the machine. you are part of it and everything you do contributes to it. We're all cogs inside it to some extent... some of us with bigger burdens and responsibility than others (in our own minds). But all a piece none the less, however independently strong thinkers we are, sometimes it can be quite unnerving to us the little power and control we actually seem to posses, I often feel like a paper tiger here, sometimes we crave another place to be ourselves, sometimes we must create a place that suits our existence in order to function alongside everyone else. Whatever the true vision, I think this world is a completely different place depending on which eyes you're viewing it through.
{Imaginary eye}
Over these past 5 months I've struggled to separate reality from imagination, often the two cross and I'm left in a world that is both imperfect but joyfully fulfilling. Sometimes its been hard to sympathize and connect with the darkness in that real world and occasionally I feel guilty for that. Maybe it's because from my view (in the immediate future) it is so overwhelmingly bright. I feel like what I am a part of is actually a world that exists beside the real one and it's outlook is exciting, warm and welcoming as opposed to the sometimes cold and disconnected reality.
{heartline}
I've often been asked to help with the personal issues of others, fans and friends alike but have honestly struggled to be able to offer solutions for the only answer i seem to be able to offer is a positive view. A view through different eyes, through our eyes. Where people appreciate connection and seek some kind of refuge from the world we so desperately strive to slot into or at best sit beside and watch play out. I've noticed that what we've begun to create is like a lifeline, an opening and opportunity. It really does begin to become more than a simple burst of pleasure and enjoyment. The links go deeper and friendships overlap here, people can be who they wish to be without the fear, this is ours' and their escape from a life that we are told is normal, of course many of those people have that real life but they have left an opening back through to a very different one.
{excuse me sir my watch seems to have stopped it's irritating tick tock}
I've begun to lose the concept of real time, days are counted in a different calender here, a bit like erasing history, all routine we've had since our childhood and forming something new like the day camden became electric under the lights of the ballroom. My own birthday was almost erased by myself because the much bigger event of capturing a whole period of our lives on this new record was taking place. I think it's because what is happening here and what we are achieving now doesn't happen each day or each year it happens now and these exact moments may never repeat themselves. It's a feeling that both terrifies me and urges me to live for the moment if only my bloody memory allowed me to remember these moments of magic.
{echoed voices still dead to the world}
I still see hate and bitterness spread over these web places and I struggle to understand the processes behind it and the more i see the luckier i feel. I feel none of what those people find in their world, for one of the first times in my life i do feel a certain amount of calm and confidence. A confidence that the choices I've made and the people I've invited into my life means that I can see past the shit without any urge to go treading in it, in fact I jump right over and don't look back. Life through these eyes with you people for the foreseeable future looks better than the enemies could even dream and that my friends is a secret win for anyone involved in this.
{homosapien? me?}
For a man that is rarely satisfied and rarely switches off I can only hope this state lasts some time. I know this lovely feeling probably wont last forever as nothing ever does, but whatever comes after the next phase i know inspiration will follow and that I guess is what I live for. A series of events, places and faces that continue to inspire, move and teach me, there are so many more beautiful things to see. It's amazing as I mature and begin to learn what little us humans actually desire and require to keep the veil of sanity in check. I recently watched something on the blitz and what those people endured, with every great trauma it is in humans only around 3 weeks that shock continues to impact until finally it overcomes them or its overcome by a great spirit, humor and the love of others. I realise now that to share something with people is a big part of what many spend their lives searching for and for now here Inside this version of this Machine we have that very thing we can stop here and enjoy it while the world outside keeps spinning. And with that let's share a smile.
a mess of voices and ideas but this is my life as i type right now.
An album is approaching that has captured all the things we had dreamt of achieving as young adults. Now a couple of years on we are able to make the bold and dramatic music that we've always aspired to conjure. OK the full orchestras and my vocals recorded from the very surface of mars aren't yet featured but hey there is always the next album...
speak soon lovers
Lx
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Jigsaw Falling into place!
Hello charming things!
It's been ages since i've posted here! Mostly because life in 2010 has been non stop and this is where I settle down when I have a minute to sit back, breathe, take it all in and contemplate life.
So what exactly have I been up to that means I haven't sat back in my old armchair and written about the world...
Well January was torn between an obsession with online shopping on Korean fashion sites/ ebay, getting supplies ready for the tour of our lives, Rehearsing for that tour and of course working with my boys on tracks that will appear on our second album! Set to be recorded in a month or so in April at Outhouse studios, counting the days..
After all that tom foolery we set out on the Kerrang tour 2010! which we have just returned from. Before that though we played 2 shows that were treated as warm up/ the chance for fans to see us for a few pounds... As long as this band continues to grow I want to try and do these kinds of events... In my eyes it's a thank you very much for supporting us let's get together and celebrate good times.
When I look around at bands, rockstars, musicians whatever we call ourselves I see so much disconnection from the audience... Watching Liam watsit face gallager last night at the Brits just reinforced that for me. It's a classic example of why the world needs bands like My Passion. If fans of that band still hold any respect for that man they are idiots, fools being played, paying a man to forget about other human beings and just fuel his own ego. It doesn't matter who the hell you are, we are all human beings, there are some basic things in life and one of those is treating other people with respect and you will be given that in return. I believe Gallager has none and to me he is saying fuck you to the fans that made him. Those days are dead, acknowledge how important fans are to your success or just drop like a lead balloon. Hey maybe I'm wrong, maybe our fans just aren't the kind that would be stupid enough to support something that didn't make them feel belonging or have that mutual appreciation between us and them. Maybe it's on a deeper level. Of course you do have a power over people that follow you but what angers me is when people abuse that.
Ahem.
So yes we headed out on the kerrang tour! Obviously we are a relatively new band to many people. For me it was the kind of opportunity my passion has always thrived on. Meeting new people, many with an opinion already formed or a skeptical view of us from just seeing a picture. We expected the tour to be a great success for us with the exciting live performance and passion. But I really didn't expect such an overwhelming response, I didn't expect so many people to be open minded enough to like pop punk and my passion! But what it did was restored my faith in so many young music listeners.
The view I've always had of I don't care what it is if it excites me and does something for me, entertains, captures some emotion then i will enjoy it no matter what I may have thought or what others think, really was apparent in people! It fills me with hope for the future of music that's for sure.
My Passion has always been about impact and the love of what we do and turning some negative into a positive and that just can't be ignored live! And hey even if you don't love it always hope people have a respect for us getting out their working our asses off and doing what we love to our best abilities while at the same time staying human off the stage and being approachable.
Sitting here now feels like an important time in our lives, having just met thousands of fantastic people who i think will become part of the my passion world, whilst not forgetting those following us over these last few years and having completed the biggest tour to date i get this feeling inside that the jigsaw formed in our minds many years ago is now falling into place. It's like the work has been us collecting all the pieces and now the picture is becoming clear and its exciting. It's like we want to run out and grab all the other bits... and these are coming I assure you.
Next week we achieve a childhood dream and although i can't give anything away again my faith in the music industry has been strengthened so much in this last year! The thought that not everything you see, hear, experience in magazines and elsewhere is brought by money and nothing else. Just every so often the acknowledgement that something is real, unique and offers something individual is enough. Sometimes i also like to think that me being a genuine guy without any fake bullshit plays some part as well. I think as with everything it's a combination of all factors and that's what us guys have always believed in... Let's be the best we can be in all that we do, It can only increase your chances of succeeding in what can sometimes be a pretty tough world. When there isn't an opening in one way try another it's so easy to use an excuse for why something has or hasn't happened much harder to pick yourself back up and try and alternative.
All of this is obviously much harder without the love and connection of the people around you and to find such a family am i so very lucky. If ever I do find a time when there is more dark than light in my life then i have those people to depend on and them on me. It's a fine balance but isn't everything, in the end as long as my mind up in this head keeps the same outlook on the world that I have had so far then it'll stay bright.
love
Lx
It's been ages since i've posted here! Mostly because life in 2010 has been non stop and this is where I settle down when I have a minute to sit back, breathe, take it all in and contemplate life.
So what exactly have I been up to that means I haven't sat back in my old armchair and written about the world...
Well January was torn between an obsession with online shopping on Korean fashion sites/ ebay, getting supplies ready for the tour of our lives, Rehearsing for that tour and of course working with my boys on tracks that will appear on our second album! Set to be recorded in a month or so in April at Outhouse studios, counting the days..
After all that tom foolery we set out on the Kerrang tour 2010! which we have just returned from. Before that though we played 2 shows that were treated as warm up/ the chance for fans to see us for a few pounds... As long as this band continues to grow I want to try and do these kinds of events... In my eyes it's a thank you very much for supporting us let's get together and celebrate good times.
When I look around at bands, rockstars, musicians whatever we call ourselves I see so much disconnection from the audience... Watching Liam watsit face gallager last night at the Brits just reinforced that for me. It's a classic example of why the world needs bands like My Passion. If fans of that band still hold any respect for that man they are idiots, fools being played, paying a man to forget about other human beings and just fuel his own ego. It doesn't matter who the hell you are, we are all human beings, there are some basic things in life and one of those is treating other people with respect and you will be given that in return. I believe Gallager has none and to me he is saying fuck you to the fans that made him. Those days are dead, acknowledge how important fans are to your success or just drop like a lead balloon. Hey maybe I'm wrong, maybe our fans just aren't the kind that would be stupid enough to support something that didn't make them feel belonging or have that mutual appreciation between us and them. Maybe it's on a deeper level. Of course you do have a power over people that follow you but what angers me is when people abuse that.
Ahem.
So yes we headed out on the kerrang tour! Obviously we are a relatively new band to many people. For me it was the kind of opportunity my passion has always thrived on. Meeting new people, many with an opinion already formed or a skeptical view of us from just seeing a picture. We expected the tour to be a great success for us with the exciting live performance and passion. But I really didn't expect such an overwhelming response, I didn't expect so many people to be open minded enough to like pop punk and my passion! But what it did was restored my faith in so many young music listeners.
The view I've always had of I don't care what it is if it excites me and does something for me, entertains, captures some emotion then i will enjoy it no matter what I may have thought or what others think, really was apparent in people! It fills me with hope for the future of music that's for sure.
My Passion has always been about impact and the love of what we do and turning some negative into a positive and that just can't be ignored live! And hey even if you don't love it always hope people have a respect for us getting out their working our asses off and doing what we love to our best abilities while at the same time staying human off the stage and being approachable.
Sitting here now feels like an important time in our lives, having just met thousands of fantastic people who i think will become part of the my passion world, whilst not forgetting those following us over these last few years and having completed the biggest tour to date i get this feeling inside that the jigsaw formed in our minds many years ago is now falling into place. It's like the work has been us collecting all the pieces and now the picture is becoming clear and its exciting. It's like we want to run out and grab all the other bits... and these are coming I assure you.
Next week we achieve a childhood dream and although i can't give anything away again my faith in the music industry has been strengthened so much in this last year! The thought that not everything you see, hear, experience in magazines and elsewhere is brought by money and nothing else. Just every so often the acknowledgement that something is real, unique and offers something individual is enough. Sometimes i also like to think that me being a genuine guy without any fake bullshit plays some part as well. I think as with everything it's a combination of all factors and that's what us guys have always believed in... Let's be the best we can be in all that we do, It can only increase your chances of succeeding in what can sometimes be a pretty tough world. When there isn't an opening in one way try another it's so easy to use an excuse for why something has or hasn't happened much harder to pick yourself back up and try and alternative.
All of this is obviously much harder without the love and connection of the people around you and to find such a family am i so very lucky. If ever I do find a time when there is more dark than light in my life then i have those people to depend on and them on me. It's a fine balance but isn't everything, in the end as long as my mind up in this head keeps the same outlook on the world that I have had so far then it'll stay bright.
love
Lx
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