Monday, December 04, 2006
A MEME ABOUT ME ME ME!
Got these questions from collide, and I must dutifully answer: :)
1) Are we going to hear anything from you musically anytime soon? If you have something up your sleeve, give me a preview of what you're up to. If not, tell me about what you would want to do.
Aaargh, this is a question that grows more and more insistent each day. I've been want to get back to playing music for a while now, and I think a part of me NEEDS to do it. A combination of inertia and simply a lack of time due to workworkwork has been my main obstacle, even more so than my past issues.
Even the Universe seems to want to help nudge me along; as Aids of purplechickens and salamangkiero have both very graciously offered to play for me once I get started again. At this point of the year, I don't have enough time to do even the stuff I HAVE to do, so I have set my own deadline that once 2007 starts, I WILL finally get started on music again.
As for a preview: Being the natural contrarian that I am, I am most likely going to go the singer-songwriter route under my own name like Damien Rice or India.Arie rather than forming a band. In the past, being in a band has given me the cushion to allow myself to slack creatively, relying on my bandmates. Going solo puts all the pressure on me, which I think a laid-back personality like mine really needs.
Trying to describe a preview of what I want to do, I thought for 30 minutes and numerous revisions before coming up with this: I want to make music that's more than just something to bounce along to -- not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that there's so much of that already out there. Whether it's make them laugh, or depress the hell out of them, or remind them of the happiest day of their life, I want to make music that will MOVE people.
(what I would do though for my dream project if I could get everything that I asked for? heheh, That's another post altogether. Maybe I'll do that after this one)
2) Give me five musicians and song writers that you would want to work with.
1) INDIGO GIRLS (specifically Emily Saliers for songwriting)- Her gift with melody and songcraft is something that has always astounded me. I'm happy with the musician that I am, but if I had to steal the skills of any musician, it would be her. They were the artists that made me want to play music.
2) FATAL POSPOROS - the OPM band that I fell in love with. In retrospect, it was probably their fabulousness that I adored (hahah!) so it would make a bit of a full circle to jam with these amazing ladies.
3) ELTON JOHN - one of music's great songwriters, as well as an openly gay artist and proud of it. I feel I'd have so much I could learn from the man, and not just in terms of music.
4) BARRY MANILOW - not because I'm a huge fan of his music, but after seeing him on American Idol, he showed himself to be a nurturing and supportive teacher who could teach me more about how to be a good singer. Not in terms of runs or high notes, but how to convey an emotion and tell a story through my voice.
5) COG - just because I have absolutely no idea what would come of it, except that we would tear some shit up. Heh.
3) Tell me about your favorite restaurant and describe your favorite dish from that restaurant.
Oh man, that's like asking me to name my favorite song! To make it easier I'll cheat and do top 5 for this one:
1) HULA HULA - Located along West Gate in Alabang, it's an asian fusion steak and seafood grill that wraps itself up in faux-Hawaiian kitsch just for fun. Must trys are their maki rolls done in an innovative fashion like their Island Maki Roll (deep fried pork wrapped in a rice roll and topped with cruchy garlic and served with a soy-vinnegar dip) and their Paella Roll (Chorizo wrapped in paella rice and nori).
Good entrees are their Mess of Steaks, (an assortment of beef cuts on one plate) and Island Belly Chops (huge juicy pieces of grilled liempo) you can choose from a wide array of sidings and a choice of bastings, Manila smoke, Teriyaki, Adobo Rub and Olive Oil & Herb. (I always go for the last one). As an added bonus, at around 9pm, all their female waitresses do a hawaiian dance for the customers, if you're into that sort of thing.
2) OMAKASE - This Japanese restaurant specializes in fusion rolls like the spider roll (soft shell crab in rice), salmon skin roll, and their trademark item, the American Dream, a roll stuffed with salmon, kani, and cream cheese, deep fried and dipped in a soy sauce mayo combo. Who says all Japanese food is healthy?
3) CHILI'S - I'm generally not a fan of these pricey chain restos, but their hamburger topped a food magazine survey a while back, and I wholeheartedly agree. Their hamburgers are the best you can get in the city, done any way you like, in your choice of sesame or whole wheat bun, with a small mountain of fries. There's something timeless about a really good hamburger and fries, and there are few places that do better than Chili's.
4) WAI YING - or as my friends call it, "Wai Yiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!" located in the heart of Chinatown, this unassuming hole-in-the-wall eatery is almost always filled with locals, which considering the location says a lot. Their dim sum is absurdly cheap, offering what is perhaps the cheapest GOOD hakaw in town at P45. Other must tries are their siomai, curry beef siomai (crispy deep fried beef dumplings sltered in curry sauce) and fried cuapao served with a condensed milk dip. You'll swear you never knew fried bread tasted so good. Plus, they stay open til 2am, so it's perfect for after gimik-munchies.
5) VETERAN'S CAFETERIA - discovered during a recent food trip, the VFA is located in the outskirts of Clark Air Base, near SM Clark. If you want to try REAL American food, this is the place to go. Since their main customer base are old US veterans who decided to stay here, this is as authentic as you can possibly get without needing a Visa.
You can get classic dishes like Biscuits and Gravy, Grilled Reuben Sandwiches and Eggs Benedict. at prices that are absurdly reasonable. Their Steak and Eggs, consisting of a large slab of beef, 2 perfect sunny side up eggs and a BIG cup of rice (remember them americans like their food plentiful) and would easily cost 50% more if they were served in Manila restos. The location is of course a big obstacle to going there, but if you happen to be in the area already, it's a can't miss.
As an added bonus, anyone who is suffering from the notion that all caucasians are good looking will rid themselves of that particular falsehood after eating there, tee hee! I plan a food trip return there sometime next year. Anyone who wants to join me, let me know =)
4) Who is the character from heroes that you can relate to the most? Explain. Also tell me whose powers you would like to have.
I find myself sympathizing a lot with Niki; both in that she has a hard time trying to find the time to do everything she needs to do, hence wishing she could be two people. Also, I unfortunately know about the importance of being able to shut a part of your personality 'off' in order to survive and do what needs to be done.
As for what power I wish I could have, it would have to be a tie between Nathan Petrelli's power of flight for sheer joy, but if I want to be practical, it would be Eden's power of persuasion because there would be literally nothing I couldn't get done.
5) Tell me about a band that you love that I've probably never heard of and tell me why I should listen to them.
Nellie McKay is an old soul living it up in a young woman's body. She's quite shameless about her ambitions (quotable quote: "Fuck that, I wanna be a star!") but she is stubborn and totally uncompromising on wanting to do so on her own terms.
Her debut album "Get Away From Me" was a double disc, unheard of for a new artist. And when her label wanted her to trim the 17 tracks of her second album "Pretty Little Head", down to a more manageable number, she quit rather than compromise, eventually finding another label.
Her music defies convention; in one song she'll be doing a 1920's-style ode to matrimony ("I Want to get Married"), and in the next she'll be rapping ("Sari"). She doesn't allow herself to be limited by genre, trying whatever interests her. She is completely fearless, confident, immensely talented, and just a little bit insane. Everything a great artist should aspire to be.
The Rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
