Tag Archives: Depression

12 Days Until I See GnR Live, And I Still Haven’t Fully Reviewed CHINESE DEMOCRACY

I’m not going to start his post with the question, “Does anyone still read this blog?” Even though I really want to, I’m going to avoid the question, mostly because I think I know the answer (and does it really matter?). I’m less than two weeks out from seeing Axl and Slash play together on their Endless Money For All Eternity Tour and I thought it would be a good idea to write something before my emotionally charged concert review (summation?) post that will be coming post-GnR concert.

It’s a little bit funny (this feeling inside?) that my last post was on a Natalie Imbruglia covers album. I feel like many of the people who follow/randomly stumble upon this website don’t get that I’m not exactly the world’s biggest Guns N’ Roses fan and that the title of this website is a bit tongue in cheek. I’m also pretty sure that some of the people on Facebook that follow the Defending Axl Rose Facebook Page think I’m Axl. God bless, ’em, each and every one of them.

Anyway, I have tons of things that I’d like to write about: songs, albums, concerts, the like…but I’ve been mostly unable to get any writing done due to some life changes and the fact that my toddler doesn’t allow me to use my home computer (which I need to write these posts). I am pretty stoked to see GnR and wonder if they will be able to compete with the awesome spectacle that was Metallica. Time will tell. Part of me wants to look up setlists from previous shows on this tour, but I kinda want to be surprised. I do want to hear “Rocket Queen” and “My Michelle.” If you’ve seen them and they don’t play those, please don’t post a comment below telling me they don’t, let my disappointment come naturally.

mean to axl

This is super mean, but I can’t help but laugh each and every time I see it.

So that’s it for now, just a quick check-in. I’d like to review this country album and maybe talk about the latest Cheap Trick record. I don’t know exactly when I will get to those, but you can definitely count on a post-GnR concert write-up. I learned my lesson with Metallica and will consume less alcohol, so my notes/memory of the event should be better, thus resulting in a better post.

If you’re going to the Denver show, hit me up on Facebook or leave a comment and maybe we can meet up.

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Depression & “Redondo Beach” with Morrissey

Lately I’ve hit a bit of a rough patch. I’m not depressed, per say, but I’m definitely bummed out. Nothing really big and terrible has happened, it’s just a bunch of little things all adding to a larger pile of misery. While wallowing last week, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to see Morrissey in New York this October. Of course I had to say “no” (Defending Axl Rose hasn’t made me a millionaire yet). She’s never seen Morrissey live and as someone who has I encouraged her to go without me.

That conversation got me thinking about Morrissey and why I love him so much. His band The Smiths were super influential and anyone even thinking about writing songs (happy or sad) should definitely check out the work of The Smiths. But Morrissey’s specialty is really sad songs. I can’t think of another human being who (at least on the surface) is more depressed than Morrissey. God help us all if Morrissey ever finds happiness. In fact, as terrible as it is, I truly do not wish happiness upon ‘ol Moz. I don’t think he could handle it.

Is Morrissey gay? Is Morrissey straight? Will he get back with The Smiths? I could care less about these tabloid questions that so obsess the British media. All I care is he’s fucking miserable and recording music. I guess I’m old fashioned.

Here Morrissey is sad because someone scribbled all over his guitar…

One of my favorite songs I’ve ever heard him sing is a cover of the Patti Smith song “Redondo Beach.” It’s a tragic song about two lovers one of whom (spoiler) kills herself after the couple has a fight near Redondo Beach. Morrissey released a live cover of “Redondo Beach” in 2004 in support of his LIVE AT EARLS COURT album. As songs go, it’s good even though it is pretty melodramatic. The song’s narrator sings about how he got in a “quarrel” with “you” (his lover) who he now can’t seem to find. In a seemingly unrelated bit of news a girl has washed up on Redondo Beach…and in the end it his love is gone forever because:

Down by the ocean

It was so dismal

I was just standing

With shock on my face though

The hearse pulled away

And the girl that had died it was you

Shakespeare this isn’t, but the tragedy, especially when Morrissey (our main-man of depression) is singing it I can’t help but feel bad. And I like that. I guess the same part of us that likes to watch scary movies is the same part that likes to hear sad songs. I don’t know about you, but when I’m sad I like to hear sad songs. I can’t imagine trying to hear something super-happy and upbeat when I’m feeling down.

Morrissey’s built an entire career around this sort of emo-music (please kill me in the comments for calling Morrissey “emo”) and even though it might seem a bit strange he provides a service humanity really needs. I highly recommend anyone feeling depressed, blue, disenfranchised, pissed off, confused, or otherwise unsatisfied to check out the massive library of awesomely depressing music recorded by Morrissey.

Morrissey Depression Super-Mix

1. “Let Me Kiss You” from YOU ARE THE QUARRY

2. “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” from STRANGEWAYS, HERE WE COME

3. “Redondo Beach” from LIVE AT EARLS COURT

4. “Satan Rejected My Soul” from MALADJUSTED

5. “One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell” from YEARS OF REFUSAL

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