Trust Imagination

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night

He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing, stretching every nerve
I had to listen had no choice

I did not believe the information
I just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom, boom, boom
Son, he said, grab your things I've come to take you home

To keep in silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
Turning water into wine
Open doors would soon be shut

So I went from day to day
Though my life was in a rut
Till I thought of what I'd say
And which connection I should cut

I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going boom, boom, boom
Son, he said, grab your things I've come to take you home

When illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free

Watched by empty silhouettes
Close their eyes but still can see
No one taught them etiquette
So I will show another me

Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom, boom, boom
Hey, I said, you can keep my things they've come to take me home
--Peter Gabriel, "Solsbury Hill"

What I'm wearing: Black piped jacket, Speigel | Black skirt with lace accents, NY & Company | Burgundy & black stripe tights, We Love Colors | Black heeled boots, Aerosoles | Black skull scarf, gift from my husband | Dangly jet earrings, random accessory store

The Professor's Homework Assignment: Musical Inspiration

For this month's homework assignment, The Professor asked how songs or music inspire your dress, mood, art, writing, etc. This was a little hard for me, in that I'm not all that into music. Yeah, bad goth! For me, goth is more about the aesthetic and history and literature than the music. And my musical interests pretty much stopped around 1995 anyway -- I only listen to '80s new wave and goth, with a smattering of Lady Gaga and RuPaul.

So you're getting a little flashback here, musically at least. And in time... The video below was filmed and edited by my husband, and it features me and my dearest friends at a chateau in France, a little over a year ago, doing what we do best. Being silly and historical! We were inspired, that's for sure :)

Friday Five: I Wanna Rock & Roll All Night

1. What band has made the biggest impact in your life, and why?
Yes -- I can't explain it now, but growing up, the whole prog-rock artsy thing of their early music really gelled with me. It's the closest I've come to having a spiritual side, as otherwise I'm entirely atheist & find zero connection to gods, goddesses, yada yada yada in the sky. I even read Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" because a footnote in it inspired Yes' gatefold double-album "Tales From Topographic Oceans," & that totally inspired my desire to visit India (which I did, decades later). I hardly ever listen to Yes now, in fact, I almost can't listen to it because it kind of hurts. I have to be in the right mindset to open my brain to that. It's weird, & like I said, hard to explain.

2. What album is the first you can remember purchasing yourself?
"Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles. Because it was my first "favorite" movie & I wanted the LP.

3. What concert stands out in your mind as the best you've ever seen?
Best full concert? Hmmm ... the "Sound & Vision" tour by David Bowie at Shoreline, 1990-91-ish, was pretty damn spectacular in every way. Full package. Also, Green Day performing the full "American Idiot" album at the Warfield, being filmed for something, a show that was announced 2 days before, was really kick-ass.

4. What concert stands out in your mind as the worst you've ever seen?
James. We went based on their one hit "Laid" & that was the only good song. Spent most of the show loitering at the bar until they played said song & then went home. Snoozy.

5. If you could create your dream band, what musicians would you choose? (they can be live or dead, it's a dream band)
Duh, I'd reunite the Beatles. A private concert for me, my Mom (who introduced to them, natch), & select friends. "Sgt. Pepper" era all the way.

Questions culled from The Friday Five on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Black pinstripe dress, made by Donna | Burgundy peplum sweater, Anthropologie | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black lace & burgundy satin pumps, Rampage | Burgundy & bronze shield necklace, made by a local artist | Burgundy pearl earrings, Designs by Victoria

A Little Night Music

I'm a HUGE fan of winter holiday music. Christmas carols, Hanukkah songs, yuletide tunes, traditional music, pop songs, novelty tunes, you name it, I freakin' love it! I'm not totally indiscriminate -- I hate "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" & I've yet to hear a version of "Oh Holy Night" that doesn't make me cringe. But between the day after Thanksgiving & sometime before New Year's Eve, I have a massive mix of holiday music on auto-play. I'm forever collecting more tracks to jazz up my collection. So I thought I'd share a few of my favorites, particularly with a goth & light-hearted edge...



Gotta have this on while putting up decorations -- it's "Making Christmas" from the "Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack!


"Carol of the Bells" is one of the darkest Christmas songs already, & This Ascension's version from the Excelsis Dark Noel holiday CD series by Projekt Records goes extra dark.


"2,000 Miles" by the Pretenders always warms the cockles of this new-wave girl's heart. It's not strictly a holiday song, but it mentions Christmas & just has that feel.


A lot of people have been turned off from this song by Madonna's cutesy version, but the original "Santa Baby" sung by the sultry Eartha Kitt is a classic. This YouTube version isn't the best recording (try iTunes for better audio), but you can get the idea of how sophisticated & adult the song really should be.


While some covers don't work, I love how this one does -- a goth band takes a little ditty from a children's cartoon & turns it into a hauntingly beautiful tribute to the winter season with "Silver and Gold" by Faith & Disease (also from the Excelsis series).


And now for something completely ROCKIN'!!! I love Twisted Sister's version of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful." It does indeed rock!!!