26 October 2010

Modernity is a bitch.

Today saw the last of the Sony Walkmans leave the production line. The enigmatic and sometimes hefty portable music player of the 80’s that introduced us to phrases such as ‘belt clip’, ‘auto reverse’ and ‘mega bass’, has finally waved the proverbial white flag and is being put to rest.

Cassette tapes were arguably one of the most reasonable and realistic forms of portable audio storage. Great pleasure could be had from the streaming contents of a TDK D90 (or the Memorex equivalent during past days of austerity), but in an age governed by terabytes (for the record, anybody with a terabyte of music is stealing way beyond the acceptable quota), concepts such as filtering, and becoming familiar with music are gone. 

Ah, how we all enjoyed making mix-tapes, selecting songs that would best express our pubescent turmoil, then labelling the inlay with decorative bubble writing – bliss.  Now however, such innocent pleasures are redundant, as a person can easily saunter the world with every single piece of recorded music at their fingertips with accompanying thumbnail art. 

I am very much a huge fan of Walkmans and use mine on occasion, despite always being met with looks of disgust and labelled as a man averting modernity.

Personally, Walkmans have provided the backdrop for numerous memories and experiences. Be it en route to school trading tapes with friends, or mastering the feat of rewinding a tape using just a well-oiled wrist and a Parker Pen, (spare me your derision's, when your imitation Duracell AA batteries are on their last legs, you will do anything to hear that Chesney Hawkes number again).

So it is with lofty esteem that I say, thank you Sony Walkman and I bid you adieu. And please, do take some comfort in knowing that iPods will be joining you one day.

My very own walkman...with Mega Bass!

24 October 2010

Typical me.

This morning I came across one of my school reports from year 7. At this point in time I was 12 years of age and my reliance on a nurturing, primary school environment had all but left. Here are some highlights:

Attendance: 220 days out of a possible 220 days

Appearance: Good/Ex

Extra curricular:
Basketball squad, Computer Club, Maths Club (they felt it necessary to omit my membership of the Stamp Club).

Form Tutor's comment:
K has the potential to do very well, however he seems to lack the will to make the most of himself.

Music
K is musical and has excellent keyboard skills.

IT
K works efficiently and is generally helpful to other pupils. (I find it devastatingly cliched that the IT teacher uses the term 'efficiently).

French
K could do very well in this subject but his classwork is too often marred by his tendency to waste time and be disruptive.

English
He has many very interesting ideas but these are rarely developed fully in his written pieces.

11 October 2010

Art I like #4

My iPod is nothing more than a revolving audio whore-house. Loaded with albums, radio sets and podcasts, it is my daily sanctuary in a faceless commute. Most people assume that it contains nothing more than the revered soundtrack of a 21st century nomad (jazz, opera, folk, grime) and you would be right to assume so, but over the last year, a new genre has crept into my playlists and is fast becoming my sound of choice. 

Dubbed ETM, (emotional trap music) it is the broody tale-telling of drug-related exploits, atop of some of the most furious, bass-laden infectious yet melodic compositions. Many are surprised when I valiantly come to the defence of Rick Ross, Young Jeezy and The Clipse but to me, these writers are marvels, combining trademarked cadences and vowel-heavy haphazard ablibs with urban vernacular, resulting in lofty narratives of consumerism, hedonism and all the hallmarks of a life in the trap’.