First of all, not sure how the hell this haze came about, but it must be the cause of this very interesting sunset from last night--
[6:52 P.M. last night, just as I was turning the corner to get around to my job.]
This odd haze has been around for quite some time, actually. I should've done my homework about this, but I haven't. Oops. But anyway, I'll be honest here. It just makes the sky look so... so... weird. I mean, it's kinda hard to describe it but, basically it makes the sky look rather pale... close to white, really. I don't know, maybe it's just me. But in any case, I hope it's gone soon... or at least I hope it rains. We could sure use it. Big time.
In other happy-strange-oddity news, Monday night I got a special treat in the mailbox: my friend Margaret in Canada [the resident Hooky's Angel of the Excelsios Underground] sent me a third envelope full of Joy Division/New Order pics!! Yay!!
A good majority of them were Steve and Barney pictures, as well as some of them together. I was in happy post-punk girl heaven. So much so that I took a picture of my favorite picture sent to me, and now this is my cell phone wallpaper:
Coworker Tabby thought he looked younger than 49 by a good shot--she even thinks he's cute!! Hee-hee!! *all giggles and stuff now*
[I mean, hell, if he looked at me like that then, how the heck could I not say no!?]
And finally, for a laugh-out-loud shock of the day, at around 1:30 this afternoon a nice surprise happened--considering I had a crappy day [again...!], this proved to be that, now it was the hurting's turn to laugh its ass off...
With some light reflected from the outside [or was that the emergency light?]. No joke. The power around our block went OUT!!
We were closed for about an hour or so until the power came back on and we got things going again. Fun times because I wasn't on the clock when it happened, so I got to stick around and watch all the fun unfold!!
Of course, Barb was pissed because apparently this happened five minutes after she left to attend a meeting somewhere in town. It all became he-said-she-said-and-she-said when she said we were open, but Swing Manager Melissa informed her that Supervisor Chris said to close the place down until power came back up. And I, of course, just played messenger and laughed at it all. It was perfect!
...then again I'm sure there'll be hell to pay tomorrow! Crap!
So, in closing, here are a handful of songs for you Excelsians to jam to. This is my newly o-fish-ul [erm, official!] old-school gothique StarMix. Trust me, this is just part of what the 80's were all about...
Yazoo [or Yaz] - 'Don't Go' ~ Got me from the first synth notes. Alison 'Alf' Moyet is right below Gillian Gilbert in my list of the most influential women in music. Alf provided the vocals to the synths of Vince Clarke [ex-Depeche Mode]. She. Is. Amazing!
The Teardrop Explodes - 'Brave Boys Keep Their Promises' ~ I never heard of them until it was noted once that they played at a festival with Joy Division. This song got my interest and attention. Very unique in its own way, really. Gotta find more TTE for the Underground, yes, I should. Indeed.
Stockholm Monsters - 'Winter' ~ Never heard of them until a fellow NOOLer [can't remember who--dangit!] mentioned them. I now have four or five songs from them, and they are absofreckin'lutely cool. An Excelsios favorite already. So much so that two of their songs, this being one of them, are on the Hacienda Homecoming music player here [the other track on it is 'Fairy Tales'].
Public Image Ltd - 'Rise' ~ Possibly the best thing Johnny Lydon, that redheaded cutie, ever did after the rise and fall of the Sex Pistols, was starting PiL [as this band is commonly known]. This is perhaps their biggest hit, and it's a surpriser too, as Johnny sounds wonderful in this song. Bravo, Johnny, sir!! *sigh*
The Smiths - 'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out' ~ Come. The. Bleep. On. How the Helen of Troy could anyone have a goth mix without Morrissey's beloved band the Smiths!? Every goth-ish mix I've done has this song on it. It's just the perfect sad love song. [Just watch out for that 10-ton truck.]
The Pet Shop Boys - 'It's a Sin' ~ Yes, I do consider this a goth song. If you've seen the video you'd probably understand. And anyway, the lyrics are quite a testimony to it. But overall, it's a good dance tune. No shame in this song whatsoeffin'ever.
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - 'Electricity' ~ OMD [as this band is commonly known] actually played with Joy Division in the same festival as with The Teardrop Explodes. Forgot the name of the festival, but I'm sure of it. Anywho, this track's on the Hacienda Homecoming music player.
New Order - 'Mesh' ~ Hands down my favorite pre-'Temptation' song by the Order [with 'Procession' in a VERY close second!]. The beats, the bass, the guitars, vox and synths--I love it all. Just something so cool and so sexy about it. Can't put my finger on it, really. But it's still a good song!
Joy Division - 'Heart and Soul' ~ I opted for something very haunting from the 'Closer' album by the Division, and this track is exactly it. Very gothique and very beautiful. And Ian's vocals!? Hel-lo chill factor! Need I say more? I think not.
The Durutti Column - 'Otis' ~ Somehow, this could just fit. I don't have a clue how the DC could be goth, but this could serve as good chill music. And anyway, it lightens up the mix a bit. This song's on the Hacienda Homecoming music player, as well on a few more upcoming Mixes.
Visage - 'Fade to Grey' ~ One of the great classic neo-romantic gothique songs. It just grips you like it's nobody's business, from the opening synths to the final 'We fade to grey'. Although I will admit that I do find the video a bit strange if not slightly disturbing, a good song all around.
Peter Murphy - 'Cuts You Up' ~ Quite possibly one of the best things to come out of Peter Murphy since Bauhaus. This is pretty different from his Bauhaus material, but it also has its own sense of pure whim. The DJ back at Indie-Bar always paired this song with the one following it--
Siouxsie and the Banshees - 'Cities in Dust' ~ My very first Siouxsie song. Heard it as a kid, never heard it again until almost a year ago. And now it's become one of my all-time favorite songs. I once dedicated this to an ex-boyfriend who did me wrong. Of course, he wasn't too thrilled on how I moved on!!
New Order - 'Angel Dust' ~ I'm sorry but, I just canNOT resist putting this classic track on there. From 1986's classic album 'Brotherhood', this was one of the three favorite tracks on there. Its remix is 'Evil Dust', which I'll have to post on here one of these days. Yeah, it's that good.
The Cure - 'Lovesong' ~ The quintessential gothic love song, courtesy of the Cure. The lyrics, the keyboards, the entire song is just one hell of a classic. Sure it could be a bit cheesy and possibly one of their most overrated songs but, come the hello on! it could be one of the best love songs ever.
Tunnelvision - 'Glenn Miller' ~ I swear, I never heard of them until Saturday night when I went music-hunting. This song's got a sound similar to the Division, but not quite. It's a very interesting song though, and the chorus is, albeit a small bit hard-to-understand, very neat-o. Ace song.
Ministry - 'Every Day Is Halloween' ~ Ahh, the classic anthem for the whole gothic nation. Al Jourgensen did us goths justice when he and Ministry put this song together. It's got common airplay now, and not just on Halloweens anymore. Put it on and remind yourself, this is what it is to be a goth!!
The Durutti Column - 'Sketch for Summer' ~ What more unique way to end a goth mix than with more of the DC? This song is a bit more unique than 'Otis', and it's already become my favorite DC track. Possibly one of the best chill-out songs never really discovered. A great masterpiece all in all.
...and there you have it! Some of the best 80's goth tracks I can think of at the moment. Yet it all just works! I can't wait to hear this back at the Apartment.
A final note--I finally have the first official soundtrack to the 'Angelos' arc, so stay tuned for the mix of eclecticity, as I debut the first round of StarMixes devoted to the 'Angelos' arc.
Until the next round, enjoy the noise, and Cheers!! XOXOXO Mike, Crush!!
~ 'Sunshine'
ETA 8:42 P.M. ~ I am an idiot--I FORGOT THE MP3 LINKS!! STUPID SUNSHINE!!
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