Author: Alex Winnick

There is a quote by Harry Chapin that I wanted to share. He tells a story about his grandfather, who differentiates between good tired and bad tired. The point is that in order to be good tired, you do not necessarily need to be successful. You may fail, but if you fail at something you care about, something for which you have a passion, you can go to sleep that night happy. I think this is so powerful because we all spend an incredible amount of time on things we do not particularly care about- not because we want to, but because we think we have to. I hear so many of my fellow students profess their disinterest in their classes- about how little they connect to the subject matter or substance. In Harry Chapin’s mind, they are bad tired. Even if they get an A+ in the class, they go to sleep bad tired. Obviously we cannot all drop our required courses for interesting electives, but hopefully this quote can inspire an effort to increase the amount of time we spend on pursuing our own interests, and defying the idea that widespread definition of “success” is the only way to ensure thay when we do finally rest our heads at night, we are good tired.

“My grandfather was a painter. He died at age 88. He illustrated Robert Frost’s first two books of poetry. And he was looking at me and he said, “Harry, there’s two kinds of tired. There’s good tiredand there’s bad tired.”

He said, “Ironically enough, bad tired can be a day that you won. But you won other people’s battles, you lived other people’s days, other people’s agendas, other people’s dreams, and when it’s all over there was very little you in there. And when you hit the hay at night, somehow you toss and turn, you don’t settle easy.”

He said, “Good tired, ironically enough, can be a day that you lost. But you won’t even have to tell yourself, because you knew you fought your battles, you chased your dreams, you lived your days. And when you hit the hay at night, you settle easy, you sleep the sleep of the just, and you can say, “Take me away.”

He said, “Harry, all my life I’ve wanted to be a painter and I’ve painted. God, I would have loved to have been more successful, but I’ve painted, and I’ve painted, and I am good tired, and they can take me away.”

Now if there is a process in your and my lives in the insecurity that we have about a prior life or an afterlife, and God (I hope there is a god – if he does exist, he’s got a rather weird sense of humour however)…

But if there is a process that will allow us to live our days, that will allow us that degree of equanimity towards the end, looking at that black implacable wall of death to allow us that degree of peace, that degree of non-fear, I want in.”

—Harry Chapin

Good Tired

I am not entirely sure what I was doing with my life at 16 years old, but I can say with utmost certainty I was not a New Zealand pop star whose 5-track EP is taking over the world. Barely old enough to drive in the US, Ella Yelich O’Connor (formally known as Lorde) has been climbing charts across several continents ever since the release of her first EP, titled The Love Club. It is now the third ranked album in New Zealand, and boasts the track Royals, which has reached Number One. Again, to reiterate: she is 16 years old. Don’t believe the hype? Take a quick listen to any of the five songs on the EP, and I guarantee any of your skepticism will vanish. Her voice has the depth and range of a 25-year old, not to mention a similarly mature range of diction. She sings about the fake, contrived lifestyle of pop stars (Lana Del Ray, in particular) and adheres to her modest upbringing. In one of the first interviews she gave, Lorde cited the importance of literature and writing in her life, and listed off a few impressive and intellectual names. Even stripping her of her irresistibly attractive voice would still leave some emotionally candid and provocative lyrics.

But that voice! Lorde’s music is instantly appealing because of its consistent sound: a deep and regular egg-shaker-type beat, grand accompanying vocals sung in a round, and of course Lorde’s primary vocals in the foreground. It’s Lana Del Ray meets m83 who kicks it a little with Lilly Allen while chatting with RJD2. And it sounds freaking amazing. Each track adds variety, and they are all distinct in their own tone, however there is an undeniable cohesion to the short EP. Lorde simply does not mess around; she knows the message she wants to deliver and has the skills to do it. Out of the 5 tracks, three most noticeably prove this fact.

We open with Bravado, by far the most m83-esque of the group, a song that is most definitely influenced by one of Lorde’s favorite bands, Animal Collective. This is the darkest track on the EP, and it takes almost half of the song before we are introduced to Lorde’s bright and chipper spirit. The song is a great introduction to Lorde’s ability to play around with tempo, and vacillate between octaves. It would not be my choice of song to blast on a sunny day, but it is nonetheless impressive.

Next in line is the masterpiece of the collection, titled Royals. This song is just brilliant. It’s fun, it’s catchy, it’s meaningful and it’s artistically remarkable. Lorde absolutely rips the celebrity lifestyle to pieces, ridiculing the lyrical content of mainstream pop music. She attests (by practically rapping) “But every song’s like gold teeth/gray goose/tripping in the bathroom/bloodstains/ball gowns/trashing the hotel room,” and then immediately responds to this with the statement, “We don’t care, we’re driving Cadillac’s in our dreams.” Lorde is proud of the fact that she and her friends are not obsessed with the maniacal, celebrity lifestyle; they do not idealize expensive liquor or cars, and are not creating music to get rich. This attitude may reflect the fact that Lorde is still a full time high school student, but it is still laudable that she has not been consumed in the image of a trashy celebrity. This song is also unique because Lorde restrains nothing vocally; she exhibits her full capacity, and it is astonishing. This is a track that will stay in your head for days, and will add the lightest hop to your step.

Finally, sharing the same name as the EP, the song The Love Club is also a gem. Although not as dynamic as Royals the Love Club makes up for this with its lyricism. By spinning a rich tale of maturation and belonging, Lorde weaves her most complex metaphor, and reveals aspects of her childhood and the social experiences of her sixteen years of age. This track, above all, exemplifies Lorde’s unmatched ability to blend her youthful spirit and advanced writing skills. I highly recommend giving this EP a listen, and to keep an eye out for Lorde in the future. In her words, “It’s time the kid got free.”

lorde.co.nz

Is being said by two or three people around campus. Since the student organization MUSIC Matters released the artist for their annual charity concert, I have only encountered a few students who have been overwhelmingly excited about the choice. The truth is, most folks forgot Ben Folds was even making music when they graduated high school, and the artist choice came as a bit of a surprise. Ben Folds last released an album in 2008, which makes him slightly outdated on a college campus.

However, all of that being said, the concert looks extremely promising. Above all, MUSIC Matters’ principal goal is to raise money for a different cause each year; the 2013 concert will create a needs-based scholarship for accepted high school students to come to Michigan. This alone is praiseworthy, and an excellent use of music and school resources. Furthermore, the concert will be at Hill Auditorium, which will be fairly suitable for Ben-Folds type music. Last year, MSUIC Matters presented their first concert by bringing in J Cole at Hill Auditorium. As I commented on last year around this time, (see here: http://arts.umich.edu/ink/2012/04/08/2456/) Hill Auditorium is possibly the worst venue for a Hip Hop concert, and this severely restricted the level of enjoyment. For a more folk-acoustic type show, comfortable seats and a beautiful theater might be more appropriate.

The concert is April 11; if you aren’t doing anything I recommend checking out the show. The cheapest tickets are $20, and the money goes to an amazing cause. Just think of it as donating the money to an incredible scholarship fund, and then getting to see Ben Folds in return. What could be better than that?

This week TEDxUofM, the student organization that organizes the annual TEDx Conference at Michigan, is continuing a new initiative called TEDxSalons. A Salon is a small gathering where attendees can eat, discuss, brainstorm, and connect in a more intimate atmosphere than a standard TEDx event; think of it as a loosely facilitated discussion. The Salon will be a chance for new people to meet each other and share ideas in a relaxed, engaging atmosphere. The goal of these events is to create a conversation that isn’t widely being had on this campus, and to get people thinking about these various topics. Don’t think of it as a class discussion; it is informal and enlightening! The event this week is called “On The Streets of Ann Arbor: A Conversation on Homelessness.”

This theme focuses on the status of homelessness within our community. The discussion will hope to speak about homelessness in a sensitive and respectful manner within a group of individuals learning to understand more about the topic. Discussion will include the growing gap between wage earnings and the cost of living which leaves hundreds of families and individuals (in our community) unable to make ends meet. Understanding homelessness is more than mere statistics. We witness the individual faces of homelessness on the streets, but the larger community struggles are often unseen. Untold stories of the men, women, and children without homes. How often do you stop, and how often do you take the time to hear the story?

TEDxSalons revolve around the idea that conversationing is an art; that talking to people, and sharing ideas is a form of artistic expression. The Salons are a unique space because they ask attendees to engage in a respectful, committed discussion, without the pressure and unnecessary limitations of a class or grade. People attend because they are interested in learning simply for learning’s sake. By focusing on relevant issues that are going relatively unnoticed, TEDx is asking attendees to channel this energy for interaction and learning into important and challenging topics. Above all, the Salons series is a hope that, at one point, the University of Michigan becomes a campus that embodies the TED mantra “Ideas Worth Spreading” every day of the year.

Event Details:

“On The Streets of Ann Arbor” A Conversation on Homelessness

Wednesday, February 27 at 7:30pm (Conversation starts at 8pm)

East Conference Room, Rackham, 4th floor

Refreshments will be served.

After my second workshop with high school students as a part of the Hip Hop Academy, I officially feel outdated in the Hip Hop world. Not to say that I do not stay up to date with the current Hip Hop releases and activities, but it is clear that the same artists and music that caused me to fall in love with the culture are irrelevant, if not unheard of, according to teenagers just four or five years than me. Common, Talib Kweli and Jay-Z have been replaced by Meek Mill, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. While there are positive qualities to be discussed regarding these contemporary rappers, (particularly in terms of Kendrick) they distinctly lack the 1990’s style of early Hip Hop that defines the genre. These rappers helped establish true Hip Hop, and albums such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, Reasonable Doubt, Illadelph Halflife and Resurrection embody the fifth and most essential pillar of Hip Hop: Knowledge, more than anything Drake or Meek Mill has produced. So even though Biggie Smalls and Tupac are still synonymous with early Hip Hop, Nas, The Roots, and the A Tribe Called Quests of the 90s are no longer discussed or noticed.

Comparatively, this is a shame. The majority of Drake and Meek Mill lyrics focus on drugs, money and women, and the glorifying fame this lifestyle brings. Of course, Common, Nas and the rest were rapping about these topics as well, but they were doing it in a much more socially minded, creative manner. For instance, one of Common’s most famous tracks, “The Light” serves as a platform for Common to discuss how his love for a woman extends beyond a purely sexual relationship, and how he would never use sexist terms such as “Bitch” directed at her. Meek Mill’s song “Amen” featuring Drake features lyrics like, “Shorty wanna f**k me, I say get on top and roller coast.” Not the most intellectual statement about women ever delivered in music. The same topics of drugs, women and fame have transitioned from forms of economic hustle, entrepreneurial spirit and meaningful relationships to testaments of power, success and male dominance, which perpetuate the negative stereotypes against Hip Hop culture. Any critic examining Hip Hop today would obviously assume that the genre of music promotes taking advantage of women, abusing drugs and alcohol and irresponsibly partying, as that is what the majority of Hip Hop says today. This is a shame, because Hip Hop has always, and always will, stand for so much for more.

However, it is not surprising that today’s youth idealizes Meek Mill and Drake. They produce catchy, attractive music that offers an identity and culture to which to attach; and not all of it is bad. Meek Mill promotes a life outside of prison (having gone to jail and sworn never to return) and Drake has said something intelligent here and there. Kendrick Lamar, while producing aesthetically different music than the 90s rappers, preserves their habit of writing creative, intelligent and socially conscious lyrics. As much as I would love to share my love for the artists that, for me, define Hip Hop, I unfortunately cannot force 10^th graders to see it the same way. I am left with the only prospect of finding the same values, creativity and genius in today’s rap if I hope to support Hip Hop’s last and crucial pillar.

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of attending a party with a live band, a Michigan tradition that despite occurring frequently remains a lovely surprise each time it happens. The differences between a DJ and live band are numerous, but they also share a surprising amount of similarities. Both of them can serve as great dance music, despite the obvious assumption that a DJ would be the best option. A live band, when done well, can get the crowd grooving just as much as a great playlist, possibly even more so. Pre-recorded music lacks the intimacy and the personality of a band, and offers little to no opportunity to interact with the artist. However, in order for a band to reach the same level of entertainment, it has to perform the right way. It can be so easy for a band to sound frankly, terrible, if the mics are not operating and the singing sounds more like screaming, not to mention if the music lacks any discernable melody. When done right though, a band can instill a part spirit unlike any DJ. Last night, the local band “Popliteal Fossa” (shown below) did just that.

Comprised of just three musicians, Popliteal Fossa is a rock/folk band that embodies what a good house party band should: they are fun to watch, easy to listen to and most importantly, incorporate an extremely danceable rhythm in each of their songs. This atmosphere is optimal for old-school, non-invasive dancing that, when performed by the right crowd, will make any 2013 house party feel like a 1965 celebration. Having a band is also just a wonderful testament to student talent, and a great opportunity for peers to showcase their passions and work. The same could be said about DJs, however there is much less variation in this area of music. Nowadays, anyone with a laptop can be a DJ, and even pass for someone who is actually spinning two records on a turntable, which makes the degree of skill harder to identify. It is easy to immediately tell if the band has any skill. The question remains, then, if a live band at its best is more fun than a DJ at its best. It’s a tough call to make, because in all honesty there is not a right answer. Each offers a different type of environment; live bands require independent, somewhat more embarrassing dancing, and few opportunities to sing along with the music, while DJs allow the dancing to resemble high school homecomings, but run the risk of having soundtracks similar to high school homecomings. As DJs are far more prevalent, however, this is not really a choice we have to make often. Live bands continue to impress because they come at such rare times, and always offer a refreshing taste to the House Music scene.