gothic horror

I was never a goth. Ok, I like The Cult and Fields Of The Nephilim and some songs by Mission or Sisters Of Mercy, I even own a Red Lorry Yellow Lorry compilation, not to mention the Virgin Prunes lp's, but I don't have a black cap, no boots, no make up kits in my bathroom, no cowboy hats either... I adore all the vampire tales and I never deny a good horror movie but... that's about it. I've been in Resurrection Records once, a famous gothic record store in Camden [it went bankrupt in the mid nineties], and felt so strange with all these creatures around me: it was as if I were a boom boy in Lord Of The Rings, wearing jeans and a PORNO STAR t-shirt next to Liv Tyler's fairy ears, Virgo's armoury and E. Wood's smelly feet. Too many earrings, too much piercing, too much make-up, too much... bad taste in music for me. I mean... who on earth could listen to an entire Incubus Succubus album at one go? Not me, I tell you...
But Alien Sex Fiend aside, gothic has its way, no objections to that: it's so... superficial, it deals with magic and it feels better when it’s dark. Now that’s why it’s kind of charming: because it’s abnormal. It moves in mysterious ways, it has nothing to do with your average John Doe and, if u r lucky, you may even listen to some great songs: hey, some people consider Michael J. Sheehy to be a goth.
But why on earth have I found myself so… addicted to the Phantom of the Opera? It’s plain gothic horror, but its budget was big and that’s a first for gothic works. They never have much money for these things – and how could they, when they sleep all day long and spend the night pretending to be vegetarian vampires? But the Phantom of the Opera is so far out… it ends up being IN. It’s so bad, that it gets to be almost perfect. It’s so naïve, you want to have some more as soon as the curtains fall. It’s so elementary, you wish you were commissioned to write to sequel. It’s just an answer to man’s simple needs and instincts. The Phantom is the misfit, the gypsy, the outcast, the rejected, the malformed, the damned, the cursed, the unlucky one. Christine is pure good: she’s innocent, most probably a virgin, devoted to her father’s memory, willing to make a lovely couple with Raoul, who was her teenage love interest. But Phantom’s the tragic lover, a sensitive companion, and an irresistible male. Phantom is the forbidden fruit, Raoul is what society, religion and family values impose: prince charming. But Christine cannot help but being attracted to the ugly one, not because he’s bad whereas the other one is so good…it hurts, but because he’s the one who inspires all these feelings. Throughtout the movie, Christine kisses Raoul but they never have much physical contact. On the other hand, the Phantom lifts her up, holds her, puts his arms around her waist, feels her chest, breaths in her ear, whispers to her words of love & lust…
And if I may push it to the limit, the Phantom is a fallen angel, maybe Lucifer himself who’s condemned to wander around in hell when all he desires is the heavenly light – and guess what? It only takes one woman to be blinded by that…
So… call me romantic, if u like. But do me a favourite, please. Don’t ever call me gothic! :-)

Gonna have to face it, you're addicted to... BLOG

Yes you are. That's why you are reading this. Because blogs are cool. And some blogs are... bigger than others, to misquote Stephen Patrick. And this blog may not be that big but is cool as fuck. I know, because I am the editor...
Blogs are internet's new reality trick. You get a glimpse of a stranger's life. I had a talk with a friend the other day. He told me that, when in blog... do as the blogans!!! That meant that you are supposed to write down the truth and nothing but... Says who?, I say... Simon says, I guess...
I don't want to expose myself. I will do that when I will publish my book. Because in the writer's note, in the last page, just under a sexy photo of mine, I will make clear that all facts are not true and have nothing to do with real people. That will be a huge lie, of course. I only know what goes in my head. And what goes in there is nothing other than my interpretation of reality. So... here we are again - blogs are an alternative reality show, but don't expect that from Head Over He...ll.
I only write 'cause I have to. I have to, because i don't have the time or the money needed to be on drugs all the time, so I use this blog as a cheap and easy to get drug. i like it, but each time I try it, I just want to do it again. And... confession time: there are times when everything that happens in between is so... pointless, really. To be honest, the most adventurous moments in my life the last weeks are the ones I spent in my two beloved B's: BLOG & BOX.. Go figure...
If u have visited www.hardcorearena.blogspot.com then u know that this guy keeps a digital diary in there. I respect that, i even admire him 4 that, but don't think I could do sth similar. Different needs, I guess. Then there's www.littleshotsofhappiness.blogpost.com, where yk prefers to draw with words. But that's just an emotional shelter, a way of seeking akwnoledgement. No can do either. Not that witty, not that indifferent either. But you can always have a taste of www.footballholic.blogspot.com, where you can crack a smile because this guy has an amazing sense of humour. I should know, I served 17 months with him on a war ship... And I'm proud to be his best man now... Finally take some time to stop by www.whitecaringermany.blogspot.com. Any blog that uses an Associates' song as its title seems pretty good to me.
Now the real question, however, remains unanswered: what does it matter the most - the posting itself or a visitor's comment? Shall we make a poll for that?

The Point Of No Return

Blimey!!!

I don't believe it... I am addicted to The Phantom Of The Opera... i saw the film last night, and... who knows why, maybe because I expected it to be a nightmare, I found it pretty glamorous, so I enjoyed it, with a little slice of guilt...
But today I have no excuses. I have the cd on repeat and listen to stories about angels of music, mirrors, little lotte's, magical lasso's, Hannibal, prima donna's, poor fools, Raoul, masquerades, fairgrounds, wandering children, swordfights, chandelier crashes and journeys to cemeteries... Gasp!!!
Hats off to Joel Schumacher [he of COUSINS fame], though, let alone for the choice of Emmy Rossum who epitomizes everything's that pure, desired and good in this world...
And please don't let me be misunderstood. The film's awful - it just... it was exactly what i wanted to see last night. Is that so bad? Ok u got me, I won't do that again. Happy now?

Dear Santa

all i want 4 Christmas is... * Money off new cd's * New cd's * Money * Any combination of the above * A huge compensation and a thank-you-we're-sorry letter from my boss so that I won't have to resign * A new hi tech laptop * A new playstation 2 console [i think the old one has some minor technical problems] * The latest James Bond game for PS2, as well as The Chronicles Of Riddick, NBA LIve, NFL, all for PS2. * A plasma screen TV * Cd & Vinyl libraries... * A three week holiday abroad * World peace [just joking - that's a down to earth list] * A cool dvd player * More real friends * Less fake ones * New thrills [and pills and some head aches as well - no heart aches, please...] * A Queens Of The Stone Age Athens secret gig [not secret to me obviously] * Strong will to write and finish that damned book of mine * Flexibility to write some scripts for a tv series * Good health [priority number one] * Counting the visits to musicismyradar.com and feeling dizzy!!! * A thank you letter for my publicity work on Collateral signed by Tom Cruise & Michal Mann. * Steven Spielberg finally deciding to write down a would-you-like-to-be-the-head-of-musical-supervision-for-Dreamworks-Pictures-please letter. Addressing to me, that is.. * A goodbye suicidal note from Ben Affleck * AEK winning the greek championship and announcing the transfer of Milan Baros... * The Turks having democracy a la grecia and watching their famous Empire collapsing within a few months. Asking us to help them re-build their country. * Celine Dion retiring form the show biz * Fame Story studio burning in flames. Tatiana stuck inside the elevator... * An unofficial Fight Club. Ideal line up: me versus Hatzinikolaou, Triantafyllopoulos, Tsimas, Evagelatos etc. Meat Loaf's participation yet to be confirmed * A new Blue Nile album sometime during the 21st Century if possible * Lost Billy Mackenzie recordings found in the BBC archives or sth * A great Coldplay comeback with orchestral arrangements. * A Closer re-union and a sold out Wembley concert * Heavenly or some other cool record label begging me to compile my own series of cd's called "A Young Person's Guide To..." [alternatively] However, I'd change all that, for just one thing. You don't know what? I know you don't. Let's keep it that way...

THE MOTHER OF ALL LISTS

You can forget about magazines, radio stations, fellow bloggers, and BLAGGERS ITA [oops, lapsus linguae...].
I can't wait to launch my site, so here are all the music thrills you must seek in order not to miss a single great release of a year that's slowly dying...
Well, I don't have the time or the clear mind to remember all titles, but I sure as hell can remember the following:
Me listening to the discman twenty times in a row Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out and then getting blown away by their live show in Athens a couple of months later.
Singing Ordinary Boy's Just A Song in the street and thinking "what a great lyric!!!"
Playing in all my dj sets Killers' Somebody Told Me because it's the best Duran Duran comeback song ever!!!
Got my speakers stuffed with Crystal Method's phat beats!!!
Anticipating The Blue Nile's fourth album, HIGH - got it early July, listening to it non stop - still don't know if I love it because it's excellent, or because I knew I'd love it all along...
Turning the world upside down to locate one bloody copy of Frankie Goes To Hollywood double cd anthology for all the adventurous remixes and melting each time The Power Of Love begins with these mellow Anne Dudley string arrangements...
Going to sleep every night with Coldplay's live playing in the background...
Trusting my metalhead friend K. and purchasing Karl Sanders' [guitarist for the metal band Nile] solo album, where he explores the musical tradition of the East... What a journey it is...
Re-evaluating Depeche Mode and filling some gaps just because they're her favourite band.
Being in awe when Tom Cruise gets to slaughter at least twenty Koreans and some more minorities in the famous Collateral club scene. Paul Oakenfold's Ready, Steady, Go! never sounded that good!!!
Paying 20.20 euros to obtain a copy of The Dears' debut, "No Cities Left" and discovering the new Blur!!!
Shopping & fucking
Sikose to to gamimeno
Getting away with murder. Riddick being my middle name...
Listening to A Perfect Circle covering Depeche Mode's People Are People. What a cover!!!
Jumping around with Can't Stand Me Now by The Libertines
John Frusciante's Goals and Colour Of Fire's Linkin Park meets Muse enthusiasm!!!
Her sighs when we were making love. The sound of safety, calmness and happiness that only I could listen when she fell asleep into my arms. The sound of my heart each time I bump into her now... The sound of her voice, when she's lying that she's fine...
Charlie Clouser's industrial score for SAW! I mean... WOW!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Buckley's reissue of "Grace" [I mean, have you listened to the instrumental version of Dream Brother? - it's as close to musical perfection as it can get...]
Moby's Extreme Ways @ the final scene of The Bourne Supremacy
Keane's debut. Yes, they're mainstream - what's wrong with that?
BLACK HEART PROCESSION's Life Moves On With Mistakes... Whatever gets you through the night...
Diana Ross' Ain't No Mountain High Enough. She brought it to me [E, not Diana]. A 4cd box set. The lyrics are unbelievable. You can't help but wondering - can one really love that strong? I think I can. And my life's not a song. It's much more depressing and difficult - and than God, it seems it's going to last more than three and a half minutes...
Listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers in a Hilton room with a great view the first day of the year. They got some pre-set alnums on TV, and you can buy them for as long as you stay there - not bad for an idea. And we had a great time...
The violin solos on The Village, accompanying one of the best confessions-of-love ever: Why don't you ever say what's on your mind? - And why you're always saying what's on yours?... What a line...
The Stills' Still In Love Song
The Streets' Dry Your Eyes
Unisex's Pigs & Their Farms
Playing Rufus on our radio show and getting asked at least five times a day "what's that amazing song?" That was "What A World" and yes, it was amazing...
The list could be endless. Dj Krush, Troublemakers, The Closer "lost album", Bark Psychosis, and way too many to mention here... Be aware, though: a full list will be uploaded early the new year on my musical website. Coming soon...
Thanx 4 listening

I GOT THE POST CHRISTMAS BLUES...

well... not exactly. I don't actually. I'm feeling pretty fine, meaning not bad, and that's all I ask these days. It's personal, so please don't ask... But it has nothing to do with Christmas. The only thing I feel right now and it's somehow related to Christmas is boredom. I woke up and decided i didn't want to go to work. So, I put an old Blue Nile album on the cd player and started doing my chores... I washed the bathroom, changed my bedroom sheets, gathered up all the magazines in one corner and.... well, ok, if you haven't seen my place, then you couldn't possibly know what A MESS means. And I did no wonders - it is still a mess, but a fine mess whatsoever, hehehe... However, time passed by and i couldn't pretend any more - I had to come to the office or call in sick. I did the former and now I am bloody bored. Because the minute I walked out my appartment, I sensed that this city has continuous hangovers, belly aches and turkey side effects [aka pills, thrills and headaches anyone?]. The bus was late [oh, I don't mind, I am always on foot], people were not rushing [now that's a first for Athenians] and for the last four hours or so... the phone is not ringing like crazy [now that's... strange!!!] But I am here, and I am so bored... I almost wish an annoying journalist from the North would call me to catch up - yes, THAT bad...
Don't ask me why but, right now, I am listening to the deluxe double cd edition of The Phantom Of The Opera soundtrack - it's pompous, it's full of bravado's, it's flamboyant, it's pseudo-operatic, it's... terrible, actually! But I am going to see the movie tonight, cause a friend of mine [yes, she's a lady, obviously], asked me so but if it's at least half as boring as the soundtrack, then... I honestly don't know what a poor guy should ask in exchange... - hey, don't be naughty, I have no such motives!!! :-)
Anyhoo, the reason why i am writing all this is because two blog friends of mine kind of blackmail me for being...indifferent towards my blog updates... Problem is I work too hard, so there is no time for me to concentrate and post sth worthwile.
But as my friend G. [Spot is his surname] has a way of pushing me to the limit of...not being able to say no... hands down, I surrender and here I am mumbling with no point or any grace at all. And they got me thinking, because they are both supposed to write about their lives, whereas I write about somenone's life. Could me mine, could be yours, could be the guy-next-door's or around the corner or at the dark end of the street. But it's not typically mine you know... Mine would be boring. Pointless. Sad. Even pathetic. But it wouldn't deserve a blog.
Fuck, I'm so bored... I just wanna do three things right now. 1. Leave, 2. Spend 90 euros on something, 3. Sort things out with E. [e's & wizz, haha]
I am afraid all I can do is just switch on to disc number 2 from The Phantom Of The Opera... At least it's free.

silver bells

"let them know it's Christmas time..."
You know, hundreds of Christmas albums have been released. Hundreds. Even the most obscure artist may have a go @ it... But you know what's the funny thing about these albums? To get your album done in time for a christmas release, you have to record it during... summer!!! Yup, that's right! When you listen to Mariah Carey singing happily "all I want for Christmas is you", you should imagine her with short pants and a bikini in an air conditioned studio. Best case scenario, the guy who produces the album has managed to find a Christmas tree, some stockings and put a golden star somewhere, to create the relevant atmosphere. But that's it. Mariah records her version of Silent Night and then heads off for an afternoon bath. To the sea, that is...
But she is not the only one. Tune in on MTV these days. You will be able to see a great party, full of guests in christmas spirit, singing great songs about great holidays, wishing you all the best and answer to questions such as "now, we know Robbie has to go, because his mom is waiting for him. All the family must have gathered by now, is that right Robbie?". And our man robbie will say sth like "yeah, u know, this time of year, I prefer not to be a party animal myself and get in touch with friends and relatives...". But you know what? The show that you are watching is pre-shot. The studio was full of joy, mistle toe and wine early November or something. What you are watching is [whisper it] F-A-K-E!!!
Then again, there is no reason for me to be so negative. After all, I'm always in for a nat king cole song, and I absolutely adore Dean Martin's interpretations of Christmas classics, not to mention the presents, the extra money, the parties, the new year countdown, bank holidays [...]. In a way... you could say I'm a sucker for Christmas. Yes, I do feel a little embarassed with all this joy around, I do feel awkward when it comes to respond to wishes from people I do not know well and don't want to, actually, and there were times I chosed to stay home with my playstation console [what a nerd!!!] rather than driving around the streets, stuck in post midnight traffic jam.
It's just, that... you can't help it, can you? It is a big celebration, it is a little break, it is a great opportunity to catch up with people, places and habbits you have missed and, as Lemon Jelly say...it's nice weather for ducks as well :-)
Now I don't remember my point, because I've been in and out of the net since I started writing so many times, that all I can recall is an ironic approach towards the Christmas spirit. But that changed, you see. Because, I've been out in the streets, in the meantime, I saw people smiling, I received some gifts [hehehe, that's the good part when you work @ publicity, I guess...] and decided that... what the heck, I'm gonna tear her playhouse down... oops, sorry, wrong line - I meant that, even if i will have to recruit some extra help [don't ask], and although I've been... way way better in the past, I think I don't want to spend this holiday season by myself.
Wherever that's gonna take me, I don't think I care. But I sure ain't gonna stay here. It's cold, it's lonely, it's sad, it's even pathetic sometimes. And I know happiness is not around the corner, I know I cannot sing Rodney Hunter's "Let your heart be your guide" and forget all about my problems, but if you wish me MERRY CHRISTMAS I am not gonna turn around and make a long face like Bill Murray in Scrooged or Billy Bob Thorton in Bad Santa. There's more to life than misery, they say. I don't know about that. But who cares? This is not the time to find out...
All the best, dear friends...

STUMBLE AND FALL

...but then again... you are supposed to do something, aren't you? I mean, yes you do stumble and you do fall, but at least you got up. You started walking. You might as well run a little, jump over fences, catch the last train...
There's that Razorlight song, called Stumble and Fall. a great one, if i may say so. And yes I may - that's why I created this blog in the first place. You should check this song - if you haven't already, erm... stumbled and fell over it on tv or the radio or something. It's nice because it's not great, you know what I mean? It's nice because it's the sound of young England. It's nice because it treats losers in a way that lets you think that a loser shouldn't necessarily be a pathetic punk, charming in a picturesque point of view. You can always write a hands down song with a chorus like "I'm a loser baby, why don't you kill me"...
But you can also do better than that - You can write another one, not so musically innovative, but twice as much melodic, that talks about stumblings and fallings. Because... hey, to stumble and to fall means that you got yourself straight, even for a while. You may have stumbled, you may have fallen, but you got yourself straight alright. That's why you stumbled, that's why you fell. Mumbling, mumbling.. This blog will try to straighten things up. So, I guess it will stumble and will fall... I got no problem with that. At least i cannot afford to...