Newdrivehome

A journey through life's nonsense

  • “Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?”

    Newdrivehome Blog #22

    (Lana Del Rey – Young and Beautiful)

    Honestly, I usually plan my posts and what I had to say. I watched “The Great Gatsby” tonight and this song reminded me how much I LOVE Lana Del Rey.

    When I first discovered her music and…her, my life goal was to marry a woman like her. (Or her…hopefully thinking). For me it feels impossible for intelligent lyricism and quirky personality to work together to create a beautiful song like this.

    I think I’ve noticed it as the years past around me…the lyrics and meaning of this song means so much more. Beauty eventually fades but the love that trapped your heart (in a good way), with your significant other…doesn’t fade.

    I feel this song on the bottom of my heart…the message and Lana (obviously)…but it’s perfection is why I listen to it every other day. (Anything she’s written honestly). I love…love and the story of this song and this movie is fantastic. But at the end of the day…I post this hoping others reading this, read the original book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby”. It’s a beautiful narrative about 1920’s America.

  • “It’s Holidays Time Now”

    Newdrivehome Blog #21

    (Wham! – Last Christmas “trap remix”)

    Sorry everyone, I’m not too early…it’s November, it’s officially Christmas season now.

    I wish I could write about a deeper meaning for todays blog…but honestly it just reminds me of this whole season and how much I love it. It just puts me in a good mood and the hope maybe this Christmas season will be different…and I’ll be happier. Kicking off a new holiday series and redesigning the website…stay tuned.

  • “Everyone is titled to one good scare”

    Newdrivehome Blog #20

    (John Carpenter- Halloween)

    Spookyseason Blog #7

    Michael Myers. Enough said…Michael Myers to Halloween is like Santa Claus to Christmas. To this day every time Halloween is mentioned I can hear the piano of this song start to play.

    Just about everyone hearing this theme play during the Halloween season year after year alone is impressive. But more impressive is the ability for this movie and song to continue to stay alive and adapt to the world around it. First released in 1978 (45 years ago!), with a number of sequels and remakes over the years and it’s still being brought brought to life like the legend of Michael himself. It wouldn’t be a Halloween season without watching at least one of these movies.

    Since first watching and seeing that famous mask…no matter how many times I’ve re-watched I’ve always been invested in whatever comes with the excitement of these movies. Always a favorite.

  • “One Thing About Living In Santa Carla I Never Could Stomach…All The Damn Vampires.”

    Newdrivehome Blog #19

    (Gerard McMann – Cry Little Sister)

    Spooky Season Blog #6

    I’ve been saving these last few spooky season posts for tonight. I don’t want the next posts to seem spammy, but I love this holiday. Currently watching these spooky movies to enjoy this Halloween evening.

    I grew up watching “The Lost Boys”, and the theme song always stands out as a core memory of 80’s horror movies (my favorite era). The way it sounds and how it was written…is perfect for this era. This was the first vampire movie I’ve ever recalled watching; a foundation of my love of this season and these movies.

    Although I wasn’t old enough to fully appreciate these films in real time, I’ve watched all of the 1980’s “Corey’s” movies throughout my life (thanks mom & dad, for introducing me to them), and this is one of my favorites. I’ll admit I’m a nerd and love comic books…a large part of this movies plot was based in a comic store and I LOVE that. The mystery, imagination, and storyline.

    Before vampires were written in the sparkling “Twilight” era…vampires had personalities and were a menace to fear from. Do yourself a favor and start your spooky night movie marathon tonight with “The Lost Boys”. And listen for this song during your watch. I’ll repost again when I start the next movie tonight…or when my ADHD brain writes about another related song. You might be up past your bedtime tonight, my apologies.

  • “I just don’t wanna miss you tonight”

    Newdrivehome Blog #18

    (Goo Goo Dolls – Iris)

    When it comes to life changing songs that I’ll NEVER get tired of hearing; “Iris” sets itself apart from so many songs in my mind jukebox.

    I remember my teenage years hearing this song on the radio and how it moved me in a way that acted as a catalyst over the years…when it comes to my love of deep, meaning, lyrical music…that mirrored my life. It always made me feel I lost something listening to it…whether it be a lost love, missed connection, or an indescribable feeling of melancholy.

    For me, personally…this song felt like a love letter to those, whether a significant other or all that love you, that I’m still here. When the world around you is breaking you and you aren’t acting yourself…it always sent this message, like this lyric states:

    “And I don’t want the world to see me

    ‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand

    When everything’s made to be broken

    I just want you to know who I am”

    Timeless music. If it’s been a while since you’ve heard it. Take a listen to it.

  • “Wikki, Wikki, Wikki”

    Newdrivehome Blog #17

    (Newcleus – Jam On It)

    I…in a good way, blame my parents for my love of rhythm, hip-hop, and music in general. I remember long drives as a kid (probably to get me fall asleep). But I feel it helped me understand the rhythm in music and songs like this made me appreciate anything I hear…to this day.

    This song always reminds me of breakin’ and the breakdancing culture of the 80s that my parents were raised from. I’m quite sure many people in my life have stories about this never ending love of breakdancing & this style of music. I know a lot of the people I grew up with can understand the importance of this songs style in our current lives.

    Music like this is timeless and it still gets me moving, released in 1984 I feel it’s a single that helped shape the genre from the day of release til now. It’s Saturday…listen to the track and retro to the breakdance culture of the 1980s.

  • “I wish you would…come pick me up”

    Newdrivehome Blog #15

    (Ryan Adams – Come Pick Me Up)

    Here’s a late night entry to the blog. A short break from the spooky season posts.

    Although I’ve posted about Ryan Adams before…this song has hit me in a different way recently. For me, it’s a lonely song about a yearn for a toxic past relationship with a significant other that wasn’t healthy. But after a night with whiskey and lone thoughts these thoughts come to surface.

    I wish I wasn’t talking from life experience…but this song, for me has helped me write through a lot of these moments in my life. This song has always been my go-to when I’m confused or trying to figure those moments In my life.

    I remember hearing this song first at one of my favorite movies “Elizabethtown”…back when it first came out and from that point, I fell in love with it. Check this song and that movie if you get the chance. They’re both great ways of experiencing life’s unsolved love mysteries…and their resolution.

  • “28 Days, 6 Hours, 42 Minutes, 12 Seconds. That Is When The World Will End.”

    Newdrivehome Blog #15

    (Echo & the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon)

    For #spookyseason #5, all I will say is….The movie “Donnie Darko” changed my life. The way it made me feel, paralleled certain things I felt at the time when I first got obsessed discovering this movie. Conrad Bravo, I’m sure, can relate to the days, when we lived together…when I had a day off and he’d come home from work I had watched “Donnie Darko” all day…on repeat.

    The odd nostalgic feeling this film made me felt was incredible. Between Frank, Donnie, and world ending…this song and film made me want to be apart of this world Donnie created. If you haven’t seen this film, take a look. This movie will always be a favorite in my mind.

    The song in the opening of “Donnie Darko” is called the “The Killing Moon” by Echo & the Bunnymen…released in 1984, it sets the mood for the rest of the film. If you get a chance this spooky season and haven’t seen it, check out “Donnie Darko” or at least this song.

  • “What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?”

    Newdrivehome Blog #14

    (Nick Cave – Red Right Hand)

    So…it’s still #spookyseason. So here’s #4 in my series this month. Every time I hear this song it reminds me of the first time I heard it. In my middle school & high school years, the “Scream” series films were big and in my opinion, helped usher a new generation into the slasher genre…and this song was used in the first three movies and just about any other of the “Scream” films.

    Although I had heard this song in the “Scream” movies for years; if I’m being honest I didn’t even know the name of this song until a few years ago.

    This song was released in October 1994 and the title is from “Paradise Lost” the John Milton poem and was featured in “Dumb and Dumber” as well, before becoming the…for me…slasher anthem of my teens.

  • “Who is this irresistible creature who has an insatiable love for the dead?”

    Newdrivehome Blog #13

    (Rob Zombie – Living Dead Girl)

    To kick off this Friday the 13th & my #spookyspeason #3 series…Rob Zombie. If you’ve loved horror movies over the 20 years, I feel you’ve heard the name. If you didn’t know, before being the film director he is now; Zombie released his first solo album “Hellbilly Deluxe” in 1998 after White Zombie disbanded.

    “Living Dead Girl” has been stuck in my head since it released…this song and the accompanying music video helped form my love of horror movies. Seeing Zombie direct many movies I’ve come to love (The Devils Rejects included), I think this song fits properly in my life any time of the year. But, especially during the the Halloween/spooky season.

  • “Sweet Dreams are made of this”

    Newdrivehome Blog #12

    Marilyn Manson – Sweet Dreams

    This is my 2nd spooky season post. A lot of these entries in the spooky series won’t follow my normal formula…I feel it’s meant to be that way.

    I heard this song when I was 12, watching the “House On Haunted House” 1999 remake and I feel it set the mood for the rest of the movie. I recall seeing the music video months later (remember it’s before the internet…shocking!). But, that music video kinda traumatized me…in a good way. Looking back to today, I appreciate the “shock artist” side of this song remake.

    For me, being so young and seeing this song played right before the catalyst in a horror movie starts to unravel…it’ll always be a moment in my music history that I’ll remember. Around that time Marilyn was being eaten alive by critics and still is. I don’t want to get too deep much about his current situations, I only felt this song fits into this spooky season post. There aren’t any rules in these posts. Tell me your thoughts and enjoy October…another new post tonight!

  • “Nothing to kill or die for. And no religion too.”

    Newdrivehome Blog #11

    (John lennon – Imagine)

    I’ll begin this post tonight saying that I rarely like to get political publicly…like on this website or in daily life. Only because I believe it divides us as humans; I respect other beliefs and have an open mind, but there are others that can’t allow that to happen amicably. Therefore I decided long ago to stay silent on these issues…not from lack of courage. I only believe it limits the ability to freely blend with the world around me. So I tread lightly…the world doesn’t need more issues based on my opinions.

    As the 17th century French Polymath Pierre Beaumarchais once said:

    “As long as I don’t write about the government, religion, politics, and other institutions, I am free to print anything.”. A quote that still resonates to this day for me at times.

    All that said, I would feel apathetic if I wouldn’t write or mention the attacks from Islamist group #hamas on #Israel. At this writing the death toll is at 1100 and will rise over the few weeks. It’s a war that has always felt never ending and my thoughts are ALWAYS with those in the middle of this conflict. I feel many here on this side of this world living comfortable forget that these war zones and human conflicts are a daily life issue for a significant amount of people in these conflict areas. Im only stating this in the hope that others keep that in mind throughout their daily lives.

    With that…this post song is fittingly John Lennon’s “Imagine”. I fell in love with this song in my teenage years and it wasn’t until I understood the message of this song years later that it moved me the way it continues to move me to this day. Written by Lennon & Yoko Ono and released in 1971…it still feels relevant to this day. The lyrics are straightforward and maybe one day the world can learn to live as one one day. Until then, I listen to this song and imagine/daydream of how a world like that could be. Take care of yourself and those around you.

  • “Sufjan Stevens and Spooky Season”

    Newdrivehome Blog #10
    (Sufjan Stevens – John Wayne Gacy Jr.)

    Now that it’s “officially” spooky season…this month I’ll be writing about songs and the ambience/spooky uncomfortable they deliver. Songs that deliver a message or vibe that make you feel uneasy…even if the music themselves sound beautiful.

    Act one in this spooky series this month…Sufjan Stevens “John Wayne Gacy Jr”, he wrote about the serial killer, who killed many boys in his home and hid the bodies below his floorboards. If you haven’t heard of this story. I’m not trying to write and honor his awful actions. Google It.

    This song just delivers best the beautiful of human reactions to disastrous situations. I don’t agree to what he did, but the song Sufjan Stevens writes is relatable, because it tells you that there is a way to make the best of the world around you…he wrote about the evil in the world around him, no matter how heartbreaking it is.

    It’s history and he wrote it in a way we can all relate. This song has haunted me for years, and that’s why I posted it tonight to launch my #spookyseason posts this month. Holler your thoughts…send suggestions for spooky season songs too!