BrianHimes.com » Music

Loud Music and My Childhood

Brian — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:45:03 +0000

Some days you just have to listen to loud music in the car. I don't do it that much while driving with the wife but when I'm alone I crank it.

Today as I was blasting Arcade Fire's Funeral on my drive home I got to wondering why I enjoy it so much. I think it can be traced back to my childhood.

I have fond memories of my father cranking the stereo so loud that the windows shook in our home. He would usually do it while mom was out shopping. That was our time to rock.

That's also where I learned my appreciation for music. I loved it when he'd pull out his old records. I remember listening to Led Zeppelin's Presence, Queen's A Night at the Opera, The Who's Who's Next, and Black Sabbath's self titled album. Those were the stereo blasting albums of my childhood.

It's no wonder that a dark, moody, orchestral, rock album still calls out to me to be played so loud you can't hear yourself sing along. I hope someday I'll get to share the same experiences with my children.

Posted via email from brianhimes’s posterous

Favorite Albums of 2009

Brian — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:02:50 +0000

In no particular order, here are my 5 favorite albums of 2009.

Swoon - Silversun Pickups

Break Up - Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

21st Century Breakdown - Green Day

Curse Your Branches - David Bazan

Noble Beast - Andrew Bird

SERIOUSLY? WEEZER?

Brian — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Read the article from Spinner.

Why all the Death?

Brian — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:11:00 +0000

What’s up with all the death lately? In the last few days we’ve seen the passing of Farrah, Michael, and Billy. To top it off, just last night I heard news of an acquaintance who died of swine flu. Is it the onset of summer? Or, is something else happening?

Defining Music

Brian — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:02:00 +0000

There's an interesting article over at Relevant Magazine about the bands and music that will define generation Y. It's a good quick read. I myself fall at the very end of generation X, depending on who's defining the generations, but the article hits on some points that are definitely shaping my musical experiences.

Death Cab Hates Auto Tune

Brian — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Have you heard Death Cab for Cutie's stance on Auto Tune? I have to say I agree with them.

10 Favorite Albums of 2008

Brian — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Here's a quick run-down of my 10 favorite albums of 2008. Not all of these may have been released last year, but that's at least when I purchased them. Oh, and the list is in no particular order.

Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Jack's Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
She & Him – Volume One
Weezer – The Red Album
Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Pennywise – Reason to Believe
Feist – The Reminder
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

Looking back there was deffinately a theme of female folk music last year. Kind of interesting.

Rock Band

Brian — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:53:00 +0000

Over the break, before we were privileged enough to own a copy of Guitar Hero World Tour, we got together with some friends and rocked out to Rock Band. Here are a few pictures from that evening courtesy of Eric Adkins.

This Band is comprised of Allie (guitar), Me (vocals), Erin (drums) and Chris (bass).

And, this band featured Erin (guitar), Bryan (bass), Allie (vocals) and me (drums).

Vacation Update

Brian — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:50:00 +0000

Now that I'm definitely back at work, here's a sort of vacation update. It's not necessarily in chronological order.

Visited with family
Attended numerous Christmas parties
Ate a bunch of really good food
Lead worship at church
Shopped for Christmas presents on Christmas Eve
Ate a great Christmas Eve dinner cooked by my mother-in-law
Got up early on Christmas morning to volunteer for Dinner in the Park but didn't go because of the rain
Ate biscuits and gravy for breakfast on Christmas day
Ate a delicious Christmas dinner cooked by my mother
Opened stockings with my wife (Santa visited our new home for the first time)
Watched Will Smith in 7 lbs. and cried like a girl
Finally got around to watching the Andromeda Strain mini-series from a year ago
Hung curtains in bedroom
Checked my work email once
Bought a love seat for the office/library
Cleaned the house
Ate a bunch of candy
Rearranged furniture in the office/library
Played a lot of Mario Kart and Guitar Hero World Tour
Listened to Feist's The Reminder
Listened to the Beatles' Revolver
Visited the optometrist
Ate BBQ at Barn Burner and celebrated a good friend's birthday
Played Bunco with friends and family New Year's Eve
Got up super early and watched the Rose Parade from Erin's office building
Halfway watched the Rose Bowl from bed
Watched the Maltese Falcon
Mowed the lawn and raked leaves
Ate out a bunch

Poor Cow and the Season of Spending

Brian — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:48:00 +0000

It's funny how the lyrics of a song can go unnoticed for the longest time and then hit you unexpectedly. I thought these lyrics were rather interesting in light of this season which has become largely about spending.

Peter Bjorn And John – Poor Cow

When all is gone, and things go wrong,
We don't need them anymore.
The artifacts and all they lack,
We don't need them anymore.

I don't have the means, and so it seems
For now I can't participate.
But I've waited long,
Now the dollar's strong again,
I still can't participate.

When we don't consume it seems we are immune
To all of the thoughts they sell,
You know as well as I, that's a lie…

'Cause I want to spend, I want to spend,
In a never-ending story, but it always ends.
I want to spend, I want to spend,
In a never-ending story, but it always ends.

And when I die, the angels will try
To count all my belongings.
To measure my worth, pure gold, solid dirt,
To see if I'm worth keeping.

But the house I rent and the car I drive,
I'm sorry but they ain't mine.
You know as well as I, that's no lie…

'Cause I want to spend, I want to spend,
In a never-ending story, but it always ends.
I want to spend, I want to spend,
In a never-ending story, but it always ends.
And it always ends, and it always ends…