Pokemon Music Shuffle Challenge

(Copied from /vp/)
Load up all your music in your music player of choice, put on shuffle.

The first 12 songs are: 

 1. Professor's Theme
 2. Rival's Theme
 3. Rival Battle Theme
 4. Wild Battle Theme
 5. Trainer Battle Theme
 6. Gym Battle Theme
 7. 'Evil' Team Theme/Battle Theme
 8. 'Evil' Leader's Battle Theme
 9. Elite 4 Battle Theme
 10. Champion Battle Theme
 11. Ending Theme
 12. Legendary Battle Theme

How sweet is your adventure's soundtrack?
 1. Don't Be Light (Malibu Remix) - Air
I'm seeing a young, smooth professor. He be cross stepping all the way to the lab, new trainers looking on in a mixture of fear and awe.



 2. Opus Of The Black Sun - The Amorphous Androgynous
My rival is a...hippy. Psychedelic (rock), man. He has a soul patch growing, and wears John Lennon-esque sunglasses all the time. He uses a mixture of grass and psychic types. He probably does "use grass", for that matter.



 3. Nowhere At The Edge Of Somewhere - The Amorphous Androgynous
Nice one iTunes. 531 artists and 13348 songs to choose from and you pick the next one from the same kerring album. Ah well, at least it works with the topic. Fighting to Psych Rock wouldn't be too bad.

Couldn't find a video, but it's more or less more of the same as above.

 4. Immune to Gravity - Moth
Ok, so all wild pokemon are Indie fans. I guess it could be interpreted as me enjoying battling so much that it makes me "immune to gravity" as it were. "When you're with me I'm immune to gravity" could refer to my pokemon. Ah, this was one of my first albums. Memories.

30 second preview. Best I can do.

 5. Why Can't I Be You? - The Cure
Well that's self explanatory. Everyone I fight wants to be me. "You're so gorgeous I'll do anything! I'll kiss you from your feet to where your head begins!" ...Ok, you're getting a bit creepy there, Cooltrainer Nathan.




 6. Sweetback - Curve
Tense and quiet, building into an energetic song that shouts power. I would love to battle to this. "If I were to die at this very moment, I'd be happy enough. Let fate decide if our future's going as high as the sky above." Those are gym battling thoughts, my friends.



7. Didjerama - Jamiroquai
Sounds like my Team X are nature lovers. Perhaps they aim to uncover the long lost grass type brother to Groudon and Kyogre, Forstrye, who wishes to cover the world in rainforest. You can imagine why he didn't do so well against his kin.



 8. The Secret Life Of Dr Calgori - Abney Park
Or perhaps that is only a cover story...Steampunk Industrial for nature lovers? There's something more afoot here. Maybe the leader actually aims to destroy poor Forstrye, in order to wipe out the rainforests! That way he can easily build over the lands they used to inhabit! The cads!
 I do however like the age old idea of a steampunk powered BBEG. At any rate Dr Calgori is my BBEG's name. Perhaps he use to be friends with my professor, but a parting of ideals lead them to become archrivals.



 9. Widescreen - Xandria
Ok, so I guess the subplot is that my PC aims to bring down the established government, and celebrity culture and stuff. Maybe he fights against cruelty against pokemon.



This isn't one of their better songs.

 10. Sam Rudich - Snowing
This song is on an album that has one of my favourite names, "Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit". But yeah, this is proper emo music. Slightly Math Rocky. This does mean, I suppose that my champion is a hipster emo math rock guy.



 11. The Willing Well I: Fuel For The Feeding End - Coheed And Cambria
7 minutes. Long credits roll.
"Could this be that hard for me? To configure the new love and paint. To my new entity or banish it home to the grave I will not save... Your world"

In a surprise twist, the PC almost takes down the champion (who maybe was Dr Calgori!?), but only at the cost of his own physical form and sanity. Touched by chaos, his form twists and warps along with his mind, until he becomes...the new BBEG! The ultimate sacrifice, gone wrong.
That sounds like sequel talk to me.



 12. Living The Wasted Life - Aesthetic Perfection
This is the theme of the being of chaos that Dr Calgori calls forth to battle me, the one that ultimately tears me form from me in a desperate bid to bring me down with it.

"Is this what's left of me, debilitated life. Look back and see nothing but my self wasted. Is this what's left of me? What's left will be destroyed. Is it ever ending my self-hatred?"

These are the thoughts it puts into my head (I guess it's a psychic type. Psychic/Dark sounds good.) that eventually reduce me to insanity.

"I am the cancer. I am the cause. I am the devil sitting on my left shoulder"

Who said pokemon can't be evil?




Well, that was fun. I invite you to do the same. Post it in the comments, or send me a link to your own blog or some thing.

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Music: Zero 7 - Simple Things

A quick on-the-bus post to recommend a Zero 7 album. Turn up the bass and chill to dem smooth rhythms.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

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On Vocalists and Emotion in Music

Another post will explain consider and debate my hiatus. Moving on.

I was just watching a Top Of The Pops compilation program. It was on of those ones that focuses on the old stuff. A look back to the good old days when any idealist will tell you the music was wonderful and perfect and just better than the nonsense we have today. Ignoring the fact that there was as much shit back then as there is now, it begs the question, what was it that makes the 60's and 70's such a memorable time for music? And like I'm sure many before me, I think I've worked out the answer.

Take a look at this fun fuelled number by young Suzi Quatro.



The bass probably bigger than she is. It's using a frankly bland chord progression that was used by more or less everyone in rock then. But damn if they aren't having fun. They are thee on that stage enjoying themselves and the music. Ok, next slide.



A wonderful song about Rod and his concerns about a relationship with an older woman. As everyone knows it features a classic mandolin part. But who is that on the mandolin? Legendary radio DJ John Peel! He's not even playing the thing. They literally just asked him to come on stage and mime. In addition, they start playing football. They start playing football! On stage, middle of the song and they're kicking a ball about.



This guy, like him or not, had a godly voice. That thing is powerful, evidently powerful enough to cause women to spontaneously throw their underwear at him. And you can tell he just loves to sing. He enjoys it. Ok, one more.



I don't need to tell you how good these guys are. Seriously, if you don't like the Rolling Stones you're not allowed to be my friend. No, really, no joke. I'm as serious as Bill Hicks on marketers.

Now watch Mick. Look at him singing. He loves it. He's on the stage and he is doing what he loves. This is fun for him. It's fun for all of them.

And that's my answer. Back then so many more people played music because it was fun, because it was somewhere they could throw their energy into and enjoy themselves. With the every growing presence that is the music industry these days, it strikes me that music has become more of a job. A career path. There are plenty of people now that do it for fun, sure. There were people back then who were doing it for money, fame, or whatever. That's fine, you know, whatever you want. But don't think that you're making good music. Good music comes from wanting to do it. From actually enjoying it. This especially applies to vocalists. I get the impression that many contemporary vocalists are simply there to say words, and as a vocalist that pisses me right off, because at the heart of it, the vocalist is the most relatable part of a group. The music can be magical, but the vocalist is the one getting your message across, your band's bridge to the listener, that they may cross and join you on your journey, as opposed to merely being spectators. Words are helpful and music is integral but its all for naught if the face isn't emoting.

This is by no means an anti selling out post. Not at all. This is just a message to enjoy what your doing, mean what the fuck you're saying or sit down, shut up and let the people who really want to be here have a turn.

Alright, there's 40 minutes left in this Friday, so I just have time enough to remind you all of the original Friday song. Here is the original goth band, The Cure. Have a good weekend.

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 6 - A song that reminds you of somewhere

This one is more of an artist as a whole, and again a bunch of artists could fall into the same catagory for the very same reason. The somewhere in question is the apartment my parents used to own in Portugal when I was very small. The reason is that they used to play these particular artists all the time as we didn't always being over too many CDs, and my parents, being the music loving people they are just played whatever they had. It is probably this that lead me to enjoy this sort of music, thus starting off my life long passion with the auditory arts. Out of these artists, including such greats as Bowie, B.B King, Iggy Pop, and Neil Young, I choose, for no particular reason, the chilled, the powerful, the legendary Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed.

Enjoy, bébé.

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 5 - A song that reminds you of someone

This will be a quick one. Lacuna Coil, Enjoy The Silence, Ellie. If there is anyone who regularly reads this who doesn't already know why, then, well, you should pay more attention I guess.



Have the superior original while you're at it.

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 4 - A song that makes you sad

Oh gosh, I missed yesterday's update. So today you shall get two. Alright. I'm hungover. Let's do this.

This one was easy. A little backstory. I was on YouTube one day. I can't remember what I was searching for but as with these kinds of stories, destiny spoke that day and introduced me to a beauteous song of epic proportions. Upon my first listen I was reduced to a child like state, capable of nothing but listening to this song over and over. I am unashamed to admit that I teared up. When I had finished listening I sat in silence for a good 5-10 minutes thinking about what I had listened to.

I seached desperately for the origin of this song and found that I was a song called Coma by Pendulum. No, not the Pendulum you're thnking of. While also australian, this was an ambient band based in Melbourne rather than Perth, and ran from 1994-1997. Wonderful I thought. This is a song that deserves my money. Of to Amazon I go.

But fate was not with me that day. No, I could not find the offending album anywhere. It seemed this band had simply disappeared off the face of the earth and had taken all of their albums with them. I searched and searched for at least two years, to no avail. I even tried asking /mu/.

But on day, when the forces that be had deemed my patience and effort worthy, I found it. I had been about to give up, but had decided for one more search attempt. And there it was. On an obscure music site there it was. For £40.00 odd pounds. But I had been searching for this thing for two whole years. I wasn't going to let a little thing like money get in the way of me and my prize.

So that's the story of how I spent £40.00 on a single (admittedly 2 CD) album with no regrets. And here is the song it was all for. I have probably oversold it. You probably won't react the same way as I. But when I listen I still feel sometihng of the magic I felt the first time. The power of this song over me is substantial, and now I introduce it to you.

Enjoy in total silence and a comfy chair. Glass of wine optional.

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 3 - A song that makes you happy

I read the subject to this one and instantly knew what I had to post. There is nothing sentimental about it, and in fact I have only started listening to it relatively recently (Within the last 6 months). Almost certainly I got it from /mu/ or some derivative thereof. I post it because when I listen to it I am taken in by it. It simply glows with "happy", and you can't help feeling a little better for listening to it.

Without further ado, today I introduce to you Atomic, by She.

[For greatest enjoyment, please don your most bassfull headphones. Thank you and have a nice day.]

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 2 - Your Least Favourite Song

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The 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 1 - Your Favourite Song

Naturally the first one is a tricky one. I have thought long and hard however, and at the time of posting, my favourite song would have to be this beauty:

No I'm just kidding, I'm still trying to work it out. I have an entire playlist dedicated to songs I deem to be worthy of constant repetition, those that have certain chords or riffs that send magic through me like an auditory orgasm. It is called my "Oh God" playlist. No really, look.

This playlist is full of potential candidates for today's request. However at this point, I must go with:






Some notes I feel I must make to further qualify my decision. Firstly, you must understand that there were a great many contender. This was not a light decision. I shall not mention names as I have decided to do this properly, which is why you are not trudging through a list of my Top 50 Tracks of the Ever.

Secondly, Giant Drag are not my favourite band, though damn if they aren't high up the list. The point however was favourite song, and it just so happens that my favourite song was not created by my favourite band. Note that by created I mean this specific carnation. This leads me nicely on to my last, and most important point.

I know it is a cover. I very much enjoy the original Chris Isaak version. The guitar is gorgeous, the vocals are like deep, sensuous velvet, the lyrics themselves are powerful and evocative, and it is an all round fantastic song. However this version I first listened to (and indeed was the first version I listened to) during, and thus I associate it with, a very emotional and memorable time in my late childhood. Because of that, this version simply pushes all the right places that Chris just barely misses. It is part Chris's lyrics and melody, and part emotional background that causes this version to come out on top. It strikes my body like an ocean wave and washes back over me like the returning same. Whenever I need to become laudator temporis acti, I break out this song. Whenever I need to remind myself of certain times past, or gain perspective for the present and future, I sit back, click play and let the dirty guitar render me peaceful.

In conclusion I do declare Wicked Game by Giant Drag to be my personal and entirely subjectively favourite song.

And with this post, I do start the 30 Day Song Challenge! I hope, o readers mine that you will enjoy reading it as much I shall enjoy listening and writing it.

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I Just Like The Music

I tell you what, Episode 12 of the Pokemon Tabletop Adventures is excitement defined. Unfortunately I have yet to check/edit/convert it to a listenable format, so you'll have to wait for that. For now  I bring news that I shall be doing, dun dun dun, the 30 Day Song Challenge! Because I didn't already flount my love for music about enough, I shall be recording here various songs according to various catagories as predefined by a list I found on Facebook! But it's not on Facebook so it's ok, right? Anyway, here is the list: 

Day 01 - Your favourite song
Day 02 - Your least favourite song
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 - A song that reminds you of somewhere
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 - A song from your favourite band
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 - A song that describes you
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - A song from your favouritism album
Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
Day 30 - Your favourite song at this time last year 

Anyway, some repellant youths have sat down next to us so I will most likely do the first day's post later, lest I have to shut down and move half way through. Maybe a post on Dorf Fortress if something interesting happens.

See you later then.

Wonderful comic series.

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Crete, Episode 3: Christ I'm an angry person today

1154 I want to write but have been dragged poolside. It is irritatingly noisy. No noisier than on the balcony, but at least up there I could pretend that I was seperated from the rest of it. Now the volleyball is back and very in my face. Can't even swim for a cool off.

Apparently it is actually water polo. I'm not really paying attention. It still features a beachball and grown men screaming like children.

The losing team have to do the chicken dance mentioned in Episode 1. Because if you're not suffering throguh playing, you may as well be suffering through watching.

Said dance appears to start with a bit of a sumo ground stomp. The participants certainly have the bodies for it OH SNAP.

You know how some music takes old songs, adds an electronic beat and sends it's on its way? The song feels a bit weird about what's happened to it, but it carries on, and actually kind of works. Purists will turn it's back on it, but whatever. But then you get some other guys who see this, so they take a brilliant, or at least cult song and add an electronic beat, because that should be even more successful right? But they kind of miss the point. The focus too heavily on the electronic bit, and forget their meant to be augmenting the original, not just making "An electronic version of x". Some don't even try. They just take the old song, chop it up, inject sections of completely irrelevant trancey eurodance, sew it all up and send the carcass out the door, where it promptly rots, or if its unlucky takes some kind of mimicry of life and shambles along in some undead halflife.
an analogy would be that some people take a kind of standard car, not too shit, but nothing flash. It runs, doesnt make any unwated noises, and is kind of popular with first time car owners. The then start adding to it, giving it subwoofers, a more powerful engine, that kind of thing. It's not necassary, it's kind of douchish, but on some level it works, and arguably it can be seen as having been "improved". Other people however take a super car, the kind that would Jeremy Clarkson would be wanking over, and they give it a flourecent yellow and pink paint job. And a pair of fuzzy dice. They then proceed to take out the engine, replace it with some colourful play doh in a roughly engine shape, then, I don't know, take a crowbar to the windshield. For substance. They then get in the car and try to drive it, oblivious to how much of a waste of flesh they are, and how they should be taken out back and shot.

I was going somewhere with this.

Stop messing with my music!

I was swimming quite happily when suddenly I notice the pool is empty. Using my finely honed senses I worked out that some organised shit was about to go down. Sure enough, at the end of the pool, a bunch of people were lined up ready to bow to the animatyion team's will. Music started, they danced. It was one of those synchronised simplistic dances, like the macerena or something. I honestly don't see the point in those dances. At some point in my life, maybe I was attacked by a wild tribe of macerena dancers, but it all just seems so purile. "Oh it's just, like, fun!" "You just got to do it, you know?" No,I don't know imaginary late teen girls, and I resent you for suggesting that I don't know what I might or might not like. Go be irritatingly bubbly somewhere else. Go on, the bar has free Bacardi Breezers.


1649, Just had a nap. Am now reading by the pool, listening to Daft Punk.

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