Tubasaluki: Quoting music since 2003

Earlier this week I went down to Portland for an informational meeting about becoming a recruiter for International Volunteer Services. The meeting and interview were interesting to say the least. The key thing they were looking for was volume, as in loudness. So, the interview consisted of a lot of shouting and then a discussion of a goal people had accomplished. How this helps them figure out how to determine which of the people at the event might make good recruiters is beyond me. I put in an application, so we’ll see.

At any rate, I drove home after the shoutfest and as I am wont to do on such trips I thought about things.

~Kid Bopz. I spent a little bit of time visiting my brother and his family down in Portland and was exposed to Kid Bopz for the first time. Now, many of you know that I’m not a fan of pop music to begin with (as I will more or less prove later on in this note. Spoiler alert: Its about Dream Theater), but to have kids sing “Hey There, Delilah”?

So, then I got to thinking, lets expand children’s musical horizons. Can we get kids singing Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills”. I think we should. It is never to early to learn how to rock. But, don’t stop there. Lets get some Kids Alternative in this mix. Tell me you wouldn’t find the irony in hearing a kid’s version of Phoenix’s 1901 thanks to the line “Its 20 seconds to the last call and you’re going hey hey hey hey hey.” Throw in some Modest Mouse, Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, maybe some Editors…yes. This could work.

~Speaking of music…I got to thinking about Dream Theater. This was brought on by the fact that I was listening to Metroplis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory, which is my favorite of their albums. Now, this album is part of what some fans refer to as a “meta-album” meaning the last note or noise (in this case, static) begins the next album. It spans four albums ending with Octavarium, which I’ve discussed before.

Scenes from a Memory is a concept album with a fascinating story. (Spoilers…so, just go listen to the album) In it there is a man named Nicholas who has these recurring visions of a girl (Victoria). By undergoing hypnosis he discovers that he was this girl in a past life and the girl was murdered by a jealous Senator. After figuring all that out, Nicholas is killed by the hypnotherapist, who is the reincarnation of the Senator. This happens while Nicholas is listening to a news report of a person’s death, whom I believe may be the reincarnation of Julian, Victoria’s lover. Julian was also killed by the Senator, and it is heavily implied in the news report that the man who had died wielded some political power, perhaps as a Senator. Not exactly the most uplifting tale to be told.

Now, the meta-album bookends with Octavarium, which while not a concept album is definatly an album with a theme. That theme is that life is a circle, a continuous cycle. That album’s last lyric is “this story ends where it began” followed by the same note that began the album, representing that cycle starting over once again. When comparing that to Scenes from a Memory, I find it fascinating how the same theme is woven into the story.

Its an interesting theme, really. Life as a cycle. I don’t believe in that (as I used to say in grade school, When you die the worms will get you…that about sums it up) but I do find the idea fascinating. You live a life, die, get reborn, and the same stuff happens to you. And, can you break free of this cycle?

Step after step
We try controlling our fate
When we finally start living it has become too late

Eh, not so much apparently. Again, I don’t believe this stuff, but its fascinating to think about, and kind of neat how the theme is woven into these two albums (and sadly, I haven’t listened to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence or Train of Thought to see if the theme extends to those albums.

This thought process dominated most of the drive, as you can tell.

~Is there a better sight than Seattle at night? The city is gorgeous. I love driving on I-5 North at night and passing Seattle. You crest a hill, and there the city is. At night, Seattle is spectacular to look at. Though, I still get a little disappointed when I see the Tully’s T where the Rainier “R” used to be.

Then I started to think about what was going on in the city right at that moment. Even at night, there were people working, loving, fighting, surviving, thriving, everything. The city itself isn’t busy, as its just buildings and pavement. (Seattle at night looks fairly calm, to be honest) but thinking of what goes on beyond those buildings was a neat thought.

~ I finished my Christmas shopping on December 8. This caused me to chuckle a bit.

One last time
We’ll lay down today
One last time
Until we fade away

Alan