Degrees of Love

Love is used a lot to describe someone's feelings towards certain objects, places, things, people. And in its easy and frequent ability to be used, it has lost its luster and true meaning. I look forward to a different word being created to express the intense emotions that love is supposed to represent. Until then I choose to use something else: adoration, deep affection for, intensely enjoy... Okay. I'll keep working on it.

Anyway, the point of this blog is to discuss my latest obsession. As you guys know I love music. I have my favorite bands. This past Tuesday (Aug 9th) one of them released their latest album. When I found out I ran out to buy it. They have played one of the songs in heavy rotation on the radio lately, but I have found a song that has really touched me. It has even inspired me to write what is called a songfic.

Who is this band? Staind.

I instantly connected to the band when I first heard their song "Mudshovel." It was on their Dysfunction CD. My friends could not understand my obsession with the band. The lead singer, Aaron Lewis, has the ability to express his angst with not only his lyrics but his pain staking yet wonderful voice. I can totally relate to him. It is like salve on my soul some days.

It wasn't until Break The Cycle and 14 Shades of Grey came out, that people finally started to really notice the band. And that is pathetic to me. They were great long before the commercial success of those CDs. I had one guy argue with me that Staind had never had any albums before those CDs. Uh, hello? Just because you failed to notice them before everyone else did, doesn't mean they did not exist before. Stupid fucker!

And even before my discovery of them, they had another album. A self released CD called Torment. As soon as I discovered its existence I purchased it. Can't be a true fan if you don't have all the band's music.

I remember feeling the same way about NIN (Nine Inch Nails). Pretty Hate Machine was a moderate hit with "Head Like Hole" but there was so much more on that CD. But again it was not until The Downward Spiral that people really began to take notice. "Closer" gave them chills and all of a sudden everyone seemed to be singing Trent's lyrics. But what about their Broken album? "Wish" is an awesome song. Such anger!

I'm the one without a soul...
I'm the one with this big fucking hole...
No need for me to stay...
The last thing left I just threw it away...
Put my faith in good and my trust in you...
Now there's nothing more fucked up I could do...
Wish there was something real...
Wish there was something true...
Wish there was something real...
In this world full of you....

But then I guess that is what makes us different. The fact that I can see beauty where others see something disturbed. Where I listen to the lyrics of a song, others are busy listening to the beat (or noise as some of my friends have called my music). But I know if they would just listen to me, they would see it too. They would experience what I experience.

They are stubborn, and refuse to admit that I am right about most if not ALL things. That's okay. FUCK 'EM! I'll just enjoy the moment when I say, "See I told you! You dumb ass mofos!"