Talking with Lia Parisyan

Lia Parisyan wears many artistic hats as a Google search will confirm. She is lovely and highly talented. Today, we talk to her about her poetry.

S.R. You seem to be various in your approach to writing and other arts. What is it that draws you to poetry in particular?

L.P. I have always been drawn to sound and imagery. I like painting a picture for readers and listeners. Poetry has been an outlet for me to express my joy, grief, doubts- it’s very therapeutic, and it appeals to me because the page is more a witness than a judge.

S.R. How would you describe your writing style and what influences you?

 L.P. Eclectic. I consider myself a Symbolist. I am influenced by color, the spirit world, and my day-to-day surroundings.
 

S.R. Do you recall the first poem you read? Please, share the experience.
 

L.P. The first poem I ever read was in Armenian. It was set to music, and it was about a famous battle. The imagery was so vivid, and made a lasting impression on me because I felt like I was in midst of it.
 

S.R. In your blog, you hint at being well-traveled. Where are all the places you've travelled to?

L.P. I have lived in Santa Catarina, Brazil, and Yerevan, Armenia. I have travelled to Mexico, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, most of the United States’ East coast, Canada, NKR, and Holland. I hope to travel more. My next destination will be Thailand.

S.R. How have these impacted your writing?
 

L.P. Brazil and Armenia had a profound impact on my writing as I was introduced to new words, ideologies, colors, and traditions. The sea, the moon, jewels, and remnants of the Old World often appear in my poems and prose.
 

S.R. Armenia seems to have a special something for you due to being part of your ancestry. What is your relationship to it and how did visiting there help you to grow as a poet?
 

L.P. I have always wanted to experience Armenia. I am part Armenian, part Syrian, and part mélange. My family on my mother’s side is from Syria, and are part Armenian and part Arab, and my father’s side is from Turkey. I am a child of the diaspora, and the culture I experienced was a mix of French colonialism, Arab Modernism fused with American suburbianism. It was difficult growing up because there was never a sense of belonging; I had a fragmented identity, and going to Armenia helped me realize how unique the culture is in Yerevan and other cities, and how the “Armenian” culture I experienced was so different from what I experienced abroad. It helped me reassess my values, helped me explore new themes, and helped me realize that I didn’t have to belong, and could create my own space and identity. Many of these ideas are making their way into my newer poems, and it’s an infant theme that I would like to develop further.
 

S.R. What projects are you working toward?

L.P. I am working on an Art Collaborative in the Bronx, and I hope to link writers, artists, poets, photographers, etc.,  to have them explore themes together, create new discourses, and give them the opportunity to have physical spaces for expression and exhibitions. 

S.R. Who would you like to work with in the future and why?
 

L.P. Honestly... Eminem. He was the person who made me think about words and really want to write. I watched an interview with Eminem and Anderson Cooper a while back, and saw that he too had a box of scribbles, and writes on everything from matchbooks to receipts to hotel stationary. It was nice to know there was another compulsive writer out there. I also have a love of euphony, and he’s a genius when it comes to playing with sounds and extended metaphors.
 

S.R. Where do you see yourself in 10 years poetically?
 

L.P. I would like to publish a book of photographs and poems. I see myself traveling, and creating Photo-Poem/Prose books that aim to capture an image and the essence of a moment.
 

S.R. What advice would you give to an aspiring poet?
 

L.P. Write every day. Don’t judge yourself too harshly. Sit and observe a place and person, write down your observations. Look at recurring themes and images, see how you can develop those further.
 

Learn more about Lia Parisyan on Facebook

The Virtual Blog Tour , I'm a Joining

I've been asked to join the "Virtual Blog Tour" by answering the following questions.

 1. What are you currently working on?

My poetry manuscript "Linger To Look" is currently in production stage. I'm trying to get it ironed out for eventual publication. I would like to have it released in time for the 2015 Spring book buying season, but, if not, I'll aim for the 2016 Spring season (I'll keep everyone updated). "Linger To Look" is my most experimental poetry yet. It draws heavily on Middle Eastern history and influences and blends them with Appalachia.

 I'm also finishing a songwriting collaboration with Kevin Mallory. The song will be called "Solitary One". I am reading four books for review. I'm also meant to interview Lia Parisyan for this space - watch for that. A local ACT Theatre has recruited my colleagues and I to design and build the set and costumes for its upcoming production of "Alice in Wonderland". It is up to me to find a visiting artist for the annual main event at Raging Rapid Art Gallery. I am also preparing to take a Modern and Contemporary poetry class starting in September. My plate is full!

2. How does your work differ from others of its genre?

I attempt to honour the Appalachian tradition while updating it with the contemporary and influences from around the world with a touch of the experimental. Appalachia is a land of great change right now. I try to reflect that in my writing. Therefore, it isn't what you would expect of an Appalachian poet by any means. My work falls firmly within the school, if you will, of the Appalachian Renaissance, but is still its own.

3. Why do you write what you do?

Firstly, because I love words in a sensual way. The way each one sounds, feels in the mouth, echoes off surfaces, and the shades of meaning and connotation. I love what I do. Secondly, to shatter stereotypes: Appalachian stereotypes obviously, but also others. I love to erase boundaries and strive for the supranational. All cultures are my culture and my culture is all cultures. The variety and colors that make up mankind is more beautiful and infinite than all the variety of flowers. Why not celebrate it for what it is: when harmonious, the most glorious creation of all God's creations. It is no surprise, therefore, that love tends to be a dominant theme.

4. How does your writing process work?

Every work comes about differently and I generally let them grow as individuals - like children. But a method that has been successful more than once is to write one phrase or stanza at a time and later organise it, so that the final poem is a collage, a patchwork quilt greater than the sum of its parts. It can be a very long process. Patience is vital. And humility. I have to get out of the poem's way. My job is to jostle the words around until they tell me where they need to be. That's all. The best work emerges when you take yourself out of it.

The key to this blog tour is to keep it going, so here are the three writers I'm tagging:

Michael O'Dea, a poet who draws from rural Ireland, County Roscommon mostly, for simple but profound and beautiful verses.
Christodoulos Makris, a very busy poet currently practicing in Ireland and the U.K. His work is heavily experimental, opening up exciting new avenues for the poetry of the area. He even made a poem that continually updates itself via Twitter!
Artemis Blithe, a poet who excels at spoken word and performance and who is also bringing Appalachian poetry to the 21st century.

There Are Sparks of Amazement

The latest review of "Marrow" is in. I am floored that the reviews have all been positive so far! The blog NirvanicM says: "There are instances in your life, when you stumble upon amazing things and they form a part of your life. In a similar way, I came across this Art book ... The book is graciously simple, with a minimalistic layout ... There are sparks of amazement ... may not go well with the faint-hearted, but reality cannot be cushioned. ... Everyone should read this."

Read the full review.

Tattoo Arts Festival

I will have a table set up with copies of both my books - "Following Hope" and "Marrow" - available for sale, as well as selected sketches of the "Salome Series".

See Goodreads for more info. ***UPDATE 8/23/2014: Event has been cancelled***

SIFF: Seattle International Film Festival 2011- Two Movies

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 23, 2011. Links within this article were extracted then)

The SIFF, or Seattle International Film Festival, is the largest film festival in the United States and has the catchy and appropriate motto of "See Interesting Films First". The 2011 festival ran from May 19 - June 12 at venues, cinemas, and theatres across the entire Seattle area.

I arrived in Seattle towards the end of the SIFF and generally too late to enjoy premieres or celebrity appearences, or even meet and greets with directors, producers, and the like. So I'm sorry to have to tell you there will be none of that in this article. It will focus on venues and primarily on the films themselves. The original plan was to watch four films, but jetlag and other circumstances whittled it down to two. These two films were "The Hunter" and "The White Meadows". WARNING: This article contains spoilers!

"The Hunter" (2010) screened at the Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill on June 3, 2011 at 4:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. Originally built in 1915, the Egyptian Theatre has a theatre stage with a cinema screen. The room is curtained on the sides with red curtains and boasts a slightly cheesy (or whimsical, if you prefer) Egyptian decor. In a corner to the left when seated in the theatre/cinema was a sign that read "Aladdin's Magic Lamp". As you can perceive from that fact, the aim in decorating the theatre was not accuracy, but a fanciful Westernized version of Egyptian decor. Still, the antique nature of the place favors that, and it was pleasant surroundings. The Egyptian has been home to the SIFF since the 1980s.

"The Hunter" was introduced by SIFF Programmer Justine Barnum who gathers films for presentation at the festival from mainly North Africa and the Middle East. This information was greeted with applause by some. We were told about the new SIFF Film Center that was opening soon and would provide similar films and services year round instead of just at the festival proper. There would be an opportunity following the screening to linger and mull over various meditations and opinions regarding this and other films at the SIFF Lounge at The Noodle. We were also informed that our ticket to that night's showing would gain us discounts on tickets to see other Iranian films, such as "The White Meadows" and "Circumstance".

"The Hunter" falls under the genre of thriller. It is an Iranian/German film by director Rafi Pitts who also plays the lead role. I was under the impression that the movie was in the Farsi language, but further research online reveals that it is Persian, with English subtitles. The soundtrack is sparse, but effective. It allows the everyday noises of Tehran to dominate the soundscape. In fact, for the first half, the viewer hears mostly traffic, and, for the second half, mostly rain. The story centers on a very quiet, meditative ex-con Ali Alavi. In the midst of the Iranian elections of 2009, he struggles to reintegrate into free society and shows every likelihood of becoming a reasonably obedient citizen. He earnestly tries to spend as much time as possible with his beloved wife Sara and six-year-old daughter Saba. But one day, Sara is killed in the crossfire during a clash between police and insurgents and Saba goes missing. We follow Ali in his desperate quest to find his daughter and get answers from the police. But, in the same way that he fails to receive any real information from the police, so he fails to locate his daughter. Eventually, she is found, having been beaten to death. This is where Ali's efforts to reintegrate end. His profound grief turns into resentment against the police that he believes murdered his family, so in a sniper-like fashion in broad daylight he shoots two policemen, leaving them dead on the road. It isn't long before he is chased down. Here begins the second half. Now in a forest nearby to Tehran where Ali used to take hunting excursions, he is arrested. But the two policemen who have him in custody are not familiar with the woods and all three are soon lost. The clear line between hunter and hunted then blurs as the policemen decide to take justice in their own hands and the viewer is confronted with outright corruption in the system. The startling last scene, in which Ali dies, leaves the question: who is right and who is wrong when everybody are criminals? The applause following was short and sparse. Perhaps the audience was still processing what they had just seen.

Trailer for "The Hunter".

The next day, June 4, 2011, "The White Meadows" (2009) enjoyed one of its final screenings for the SIFF at The Kirkland Performance Center at 6:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. The Kirkland Performance Center also had a theatre stage with a somewhat larger cinema screen. The decor was more modern with stadium seating, blush colored seats (the bottom six rows nearest the stage were red), and a gray and black stage that clearly was meant to disappear and focus attention fully on whatever was happening on it rather than the stage itself.

"The White Meadows" is a drama by director Mohammad Rasoulof, for which he and its producer Jafar Panahi were jailed. While Rasoulof has been released, as of the date of this screening, Panahi had not. The film itself has been banned in Iran. It was introduced by SIFF Programmer Clinton McClum who was eager to update the audience on the current status of the director and producer as it was known. Judging by the general conversation of fellow viewers, this movie was a real hit at the festival. The film is in the Persian language, with English subtitles.

"The White Meadows" follows the long tradition of allegory in Middle Eastern literature. In artfully beautiful shots, a world of fable is created using Lake Daryacheh (or Lake Urmia) in North Iran as the setting. It is a stark world of salt islands (called "salt marshes" in the film) in a lake as calm as glass where everything is a sparkling, maddening white. Rahmat, played by Hassan Pourshirazi, paddles through this dream-like world on a small boat and does not interfere in anything that he witnesses, except to collect the tears of the mourning, the oppressed, and the suffering. He patiently listens to complaints, sins, burdens, cares, grief, and woes. In this way, he gives comfort and a measure of relief to the people he searches out. He silently watches their various rituals, superstitions, customs, and punishments. For most of the movie, the audience is awe-struck as they follow his long and arduous journey. This film has the feel of both Homer's "The Odyssey" and the classic collection of tales "The Thousand and One Nights", commonly known as the Arabian Nights, for it has both the element of the epic journey by sea of Homer and the grandiose, mythical events of the Arabian Nights. It is not until the final scene that the viewer is shocked with the sight of green, the sound of birds, and an odd conclusion that plays upon several elements encountered in the journey in a symbolic, meaningful way. This movie is both powerful myth and a thoughtful meditation on human suffering and oppression. The overall effect is that one is transported into a fairy tale realm with anything but a happy-ever-after ending that holds a merciless mirror up to the human condition into which the viewers are not forced, but rather tricked into being willing, to gaze at and the serious questions asked cannot be denied. As the credits rolled, the Center was filled with a dead silence for all of two minutes as the audience stared- absolutely stunned by the heart-wrenching import of the film. When the applause finally broke out, it was heartfelt and prolonged. "The White Meadows" is a movie through which one feels changed a little- almost imperceptively- but permanently.

Trailer for "The White Meadows".

The Story Behind U2's Song "Miracle Drug"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on July 29, 2011. The link in this article was extracted then)

U2 are famous, among other reasons, for the surprisingly touching and often pregnant with meaning inspirations for their songs. One of their songs that has been most discussed for its meaning is "Miracle Drug" from the studio album "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", copyright 2004 U2 Limited. Although never officially released as a single from the album, "Miracle Drug" has quite a devoted following among the band's fan base, and even outside it. Here is the remarkable story that inspired it.

Cerebral Palsy is an "umbrella term" that covers a number of neurological disorders of varying severity and symptoms caused by lesions, and sometimes tumors, in the brain. Therefore, there are various types of CP as diagnosed, and it is not uncommon for an individual to have multiple types of varying degrees in the same case. Because CP is so variable, very little is known about it. There is no cure. And treatment consists wholly of attempts to correct growth anomalies and minimise symptoms and long-term complications. Even this is very hit-and-miss, more experimentation than anything. Researchers and doctors are not able to even agree on what causes the lesions and damage to the brain that results in CP (though oxygen deprivation is the undisputed cause of a small percentage of cases).

Christopher Nolan (September 6, 1965-February 20, 2009) was born with severe Cerebral Palsy. His was a very complicated birth. He was breached and, in order to save the life of both mother and child, a C-section was performed. A second surgery was also required on his mother. He himself was deprived of oxygen for approximately two hours, but somehow he managed to survive. His condition has often been described as paralytic, but that is inaccurate. As he himself wrote in his memoir "Under The Eye Of The Clock" he rarely ever stopped moving. The trouble was that he had almost no control over those movements. He humourously describes his embarrassment when stress and tenseness caused his limbs to fly about unbidden and he punched someone in the face or worse. His spasms were so severe that when he commanded his body to move a certain way it often froze and refused to move at all. Even his ability to speak was affected: his words came out only as moans and shouts. He was placed under the care of the Central Remedial Clinic in Clontarf, Dublin, and when he reached school age his family moved into Clontarf so that he could attend at the school sponsored by the clinic. His family, friends, and school staff communicated with him through a system of meaningful eye movements. After the medication Lioresal became available, he was able to control his head just enough to type using a "unicorn" device attached to his forehead. He immediately began writing letters, short stories, plays, and poems heavy with alliteration. Soon, he decided he wanted to attend school with the able-bodied. He tested as having above average intelligence, but a school could not be found that agreed to take him.

Mount Temple is a secondary school in Clontarf, Dublin which was established in 1972. It was an experimental school for its time. It was the first public school in Ireland to be nondenominational and one of the first to enroll both sexes. The faculty employed a very liberal, tolerant attitude toward the behavior of their students and in the teaching methods they used. (Interestingly, it also has the distinction of having the most star-studded alumni in its period of Irish history, the most recent of which being actress Eve Hewson, Bono's daughter.) It was thus the school to which to send children who didn't fit anywhere else. After a brief interview with Nolan, they agreed to take him on. He was the first disabled child to be taught there. For the first week, he attended half-days in order to build up his stamina for the full-day schedule, to give him time to become relaxed in the public school setting, and to give his able-bodied student helpers time to adjust as well. In time, he adjusted very well to the format of Mount Temple despite the great fatigue that the long days gave him and he had a large body of friends there. When he was fifteen, his collection "Dam-Burst Of Dreams" was published which established him as a school legend to this day. Eventually, he went on to Trinity College, Dublin and published two more books: "Under The Eye Of The Clock" (a reference to Mount Temple Comprehensive) and the novel "The Banyan Tree". He died after choking when he was 43 years old.

The boys that became U2 also attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. They were also put out of other schools because of being children of bi-national and/or bi-religious parents and/or having behavioral issues. Fourteen-year-old Larry Mullin, Jr. posted a sign up there for auditions in his family's kitchen. Seven boys answered the post and the Feedback was born. Mount Temple allowed the boys to use a classroom there to practice in. In time, the lineup was whittled down to its four current members and the name was changed to the Hype and, finally, to U2. It was by winning a talent contest at Mount Temple that the "baby band", as fans now affectionately call that stage (originally coined by U2's manager Paul McGuinness), was able to cut its first EP with CBS Records: the now very rare and sought after "U2 3". All of which is now the stuff of legend.

It was just as U2 were enjoying their last year of school that Nolan arrived. He must have left a mighty impression on the boys of this band, for there you have the possible roots of Bono's least discussed and longest held cause: disability advocacy in Ireland, particulary for those with CP. And the inspiration for "Miracle Drug" which is written as if from the view point of Nolan's mother.

"Miracle Drug" by U2 ("How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", 2004)

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=RNm7P2lY9DA

The Five Funniest Videos on Youtube

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on January 25, 2011. Links in this article were extracted then)

In this article, I list what I think are the four funniest videos now available on youtube.com. This is intelligent humor- meaning that it is funny while still being relatively dignified. Much of the comedy has to do with the words that are said. There is no slapstick or bodily functions to be found in these videos, only good, clean fun. And each skit just improves with repeated viewing! Each description includes who posted it, whatever description the poster put with it, and a brief idea of what to expect when you click the accompanying link. They are listed in order. Get some tissues to wipe your eyes, sit back, and laugh until you can't breathe! The object here is enjoyment- and remember, laughter has in fact been scientifically proven to be the best medicine.

1. Jedimaster0096 shares with us the funniest sketch. From the second season of "A Bit Of Fry and Laurie", this is Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie discussing "Beauty and Ideas". This sketch proves beyond all doubt that these two actors are comedic geniuses. The discussion itself centers around an actual philosophy and this sketch has been used in college classes for perusal and dissection on this and similar theories. What other sketch can boast of that? Fry leads the discussion with an overwhelmed Laurie struggling to keep up. Fry continually changes Laurie's name throughout- even calling him 'lovelet' at one point- and exhausts himself with passion for his subject. There are times when you can see both of them struggling not to laugh. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RQzRhH67Q0

2. Albanbytyci gives us Victor Borge's "Phonetic Punctuation". Just what show this sketch came from is not listed. But this hilarious jewel is just what it says: what if we spoke punctuation as well as words? After demonstrating the sounds of various punctuation marks, Borge reads a short story with these sounds. If you do not fall out of your seat, I'll be very surprised! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4qii8S3gw

3. Johal91a has posted another Victor Borge moment. This one is Borge's "Inflationary Language" where he inflates the numbers that naturally occur in the English language with one number higher. Thus, as Johal91a points out, anyone becomes anytwo, etc. Again, he reads a short story to demonstrate this language. Imagine the practice that had to go into this sketch before he could perform it! Again, you're certain to fall out of your seat! My favorite line: "Get out of here, you three-faced triple crosser!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6kElOYcd8&NR=1

4. BBC gives us the longest sketch in this article. At the time, David Tennant and Catherine Tate were co-stars on "Dr. Who" and here Tennant is Tate's new English teacher for "Comic Relief" in 2007. First she jibes him for being Scottish, brilliantly throws out some "Dr. Who" references, and finally lampoons Shakespeare in a fashion that will have you crying in merriment in short order. Perhaps the best bit is at the end where Tate quotes the entirety of "Sonnet 130" as if her mouth were a machine gun designed to slap Tennant hard in the face. You've never heard the Great Bard like this before and likely won't again any time soon! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxB1gB6K-2A

5. BrokerTim uploaded this brilliant video of his "dad at Comedy Barn" in Tennessee. This is for those of you who feel the need for less intellectual comedy at this point. This video became so popular that a ringtone was derived from it and a website was launched at http://thelaughman.com. I could watch this all day and I'll still laugh! Poor guy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y4keqTV6w

Top Ten Broadway Musicals

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on December 22, 2010)

It is difficult to narrow down Broadway musicals to a top ten. I enlisted the help of my Broadway-savvy sister, Elle Casey, on this one. We tried to consider what really were the top ten and not just our personal tastes. Included are brief paragraphs explaining the plot of each show and the name of one song per show that we feel defines it. They are listed in no particular order. We hope that you will tell us your opinion in the comments.

Cabaret- this classic originally opened in 1966, has enjoyed a number of revivals, became a movie in 1972, and has some of the most recognisable songs of any Broadway musical. Set in Berlin of 1931, the story centers on the Kit Kat Club and its seedy nightlife in contrast with the growing Nazi menace outside. The plot revolves around Englishwoman Sally Bowles and the American writer Cliff Bradshaw. There is also a second couple, Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, the former a German boarding house keeper and the latter a Jewish fruit vendor. The emcee of the Kit Kat Club watches everything unfold while what in the beginning are the twisted stories of love, lust, and revenge become intertwined with the Nazi horror that invades. Defining song: "Cabaret".

Chicago- this satire of corruption and the concept of the celebrity criminal first opened in 1975. It is set during the Prohibition in Chicago and has a subplot of the allure and immorality associated with jazz at the time. It has also had a revival which has become the sixth longest running show in Broadway history. A film adaptation was made in 2002 that starred Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah. Much of the story takes place on Murderess Row in Cook County Jail. Roxie Hart is accused of murder and faces hanging until Billy Flyn enters the picture. Defining song: "All That Jazz".

A Chorus Line- the original production was in 1976. It has nineteen main characters, each auditioning for the same show. The set is very sparse. Each character is revealed as an individual vying for their bit of spotlight and sometimes the competition is ruthless. In the end, however, they all become indistinguishable just as a chorus line would be. It was adapted to film in 1985 and has enjoyed several revivals and reincarnations. Defining song: "What I Did For Love".

Hair- No list would be complete without this Rock musical. After an off-Broadway debut in 1967, "Hair" came to Broadway in 1968, stirred up much controversy, and defined the Rock musical genre. It came directly from the Hippie culture of the time and many of its songs became anthems in the Anti-Vietnam movement. It was also innovative in that the audience was invited onstage for a "Be-In" finale. A movie adaption was released in 1979 and some of its songs became Top Ten hits. A revival opened on March 31, 2009 to rave reviews and received a Tony Award. Defining song: "Hair".

Phantom of the Opera- Another must for this list. Andrew Lloyd Weber has reigned as the undisputed king of Broadway for decades now and this is his crowning acheivement. Originally written as a vehicle for his then-wife Sarah Brightman, it opened in the West End in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988. It is the longest running show in Broadway history and has long made its home at the Majestic Theatre which was the only theatre to have the mechanics to house the show. It celebrates its twenty-third year in January 2011. The reincarnations and movie adaptions of it are numerous. It opened in Las Vegas in 2006 with everything appropriately glamoured up. The most recent movie adaption was in December 2004 starring Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler. Defining song: "Music of the Night".

West Side Story- this is also one of the most beloved stories to grace Broadway. It opened in 1957 and spawned a movie classic in 1961 starring Natalie Wood. Set in 1950s New York City and based loosely on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", the play raises interesting questions about the forces that divide mankind. The 2009 revival uses Spanish lyrics for some of the songs sung by the immigrant population while the original had them singing in English. This adds to the reality of the story and reflects the prominance of the Spanish language today. Defining song: "Tonight"/ "I Feel Pretty".

American Idiot- this rock musical is fantastic in that it is based largely on one album and has redefined what the average ticket-holder expects from Broadway. The music of alternative-punk band Green Day are the backbone of this production. After a run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2009, it moved onto Broadway in March 2010. The reviews are stellar and ticket sales ar strong. The list of awards given to this show is impressive. A concept ablum turned Broadway success. Defining song: "Whatsername"/ "St. Jimmy".

Memphis- this is loosely based on Dewey Phillips, a Memphis DJ who was one of the first white DJs to play African-American music. It lived in various cities around the U.S. between 2003 and 2009 before finally coming to Broadway on October 19, 2009. REviews are mixed, but it appears that the plot is alluring enough that it just might become a classic. Defining song: "Memphis Lives In Me".

Rent- just a few years ago this show was all one heard about. A rock opera based on "La Boheme", it centers around a group of artists struggling to survive in New York's Lower East Side in the best days of Bohemian Alphabet City. The show enjoyed an off-Broadway life starting on January 25, 1996 and made a home on Broadway on April 29, 1996. It enjoyd immense popularity and explored the theme of AIDS which was most prominent in people's minds throughout its run. It closed on September 7, 2008, after a 12-year run, but has enjoyed various incarnations and an off-Broadway revival is set for 2011. Defining song: ""Seasons Of Love"/ "Will I?".

Spring Awakening- this is one of the most melancholy offerings to date. It is a rock musical remake, so to speak, of the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind. The original play was banned in Germany. It is set in 19th century Germany and follows teenagers just discovering sexuality and all the painful consequences of fornication, etc. It also explores the horrors of abuse. The result is tragic for every character. It premiered off-Broadway on May 19, 2006 and opened on Broadway on December 10, 2006 . It's run was short, ending on January 18, 2009, after 888 performances and 29 previews. The soundtrack continues to sell well. Defining song: "Touch Me".

Sources:
Cabaret (musical), Wikipedia.
Chicago (musical), Wikipedia.
A Chorus Line, Wikipedia.
Hair (musical), Wikipedia.
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical), Wikipedia.
West Side Story, Wikipedia.
American Idiot (musical), Wikipedia.
Memphis (musical), Wikipedia.
Rent (musical), Wikipedia.
Spring Awakening, Wikipedia.

Top Ten U2 Songs: A Personal Compilation

(originally published on Yahoo! Voices on February 26, 2008. Therefore, this list does not include the album "No Line On The Horizon" or anything released since.)

This article proved a challenging one, more challenging than might be remotely expected. Here we are dealing with one of the greatest bands in history- a band that has quite literally changed the world. They have done this, not simply on personal and individual scales within each of their fans, but also culturally, politically, and even technologically. Their music is such a living, breathing force that a Top Ten hardly suffices if one means to list these as a Top Ten of All Time for Everyone. Perhaps a Top Twenty might do the job, or even a Top Fifteen; but alas, the choices are overwhelming. Therefore, in an effort to make this a little easier perhaps (although in truth it was still nearly impossible), I decided instead to write about my Top Ten Songs. Even so, the fair representation of all U2's studio releases and reinventions proved impossible within such limited numbers. I also made a point of trying to avoid the more well known songs such as "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "With or Without You", and "Where the Streets Have No Name". The exceptional greatness of these songs is inarguably established already and often these classics overshadow other lesser known songs of equal quality. Believing that the lesser known phenomenals deserve their moment in the sun, I did attempt to include a few of them. Without further ado I give you all my personal top ten songs by U2:

10. "Discoteque"

This is a rollicking fun song from a mad era in U2's history, and here I mean mad as a compliment. From the Pop album, this song is as contradictory as the image the band put forth during this time. Pop, as defined by the band, meant "to make or cause a small explosive sound". This they certainly did, taking electronica and dance to whole new levels. In "Discoteque" alone there are at least eight different layers of drum machine effects in addition to Larry's own drumming. It is over-the-top, flashy, and frantic. And "Discoteque (Hexadecimal Mix)" especially is a belly dancer's dream with unexpected musical turns and twists. But it is also a remarkably deep song about a woman looking for love (in all the wrong places) and running from it at the same time: "You hurt for it, work for it: Love/ but you don't ever show it" and later "You're looking for the One/ But you know you're someone else instead/ .... You take what you can get/ Because it's all that you can find/ But you know there's something more/ Tonight." This song is truly representative of just what the band was about in those days: megastar partiers of the wildest kind, poking fun at everything including themselves, and yet cynical of how far such a lifestyle could really take them. They still had a conscience, were still earnest, and were still a thinking man or woman's band.

9. "One Tree Hill"

From the classic album The Joshua Tree, this is a beautiful, even haunting, ballad in tribute to a close friend who died in a motorcycle accident. Greg Carroll was a Maori from New Zealand and he often looked after Bono's wife Ali when Bono himself could not be there, taking her out dancing, etc. He was like family. So when he took Bono's Harley Davidson on an errand and didn't return, it was a blow the band has yet to recover from. According to one source, Bono never owned a motorcycle again. This song was performed, likely in a less polished state, at Carroll's funeral and fitting evokes the sea-faring lifestyle of Maori tradition. The lyrics are certainly poetry, the performance of them among Bono's finest, and musically is a delight- so much so that it is easy to forget That one is listening to an eulogy: "You run like a river/ Run to the sea."

8. "Heartland"

This song comes from U2's experimental and hodge-podge live/studio release Rattle and Hum. Once again, this song is representative of the purpose of that album and movie. It takes us across America from the Mississippi cotton fields to the oil fields of California, and likens America to a lover the day after: "See the sun rise over her skin. / Don't change it." and "She feels like water in my hands." This is as direct a love song as U2 has ever written and performed. The notes are clear, nearly pristine, and the music has the dream-like quality of love in its first passionate throws before reality sets in. Other songs from this period depict reality- a love for the country while not turning a blind eye to its less than favorable aspects. This song is all about exultation and enthrallment: "Heaven's gay: / Here is a heartland."

7. "Walk On"

This song's original intentions are political, being an encouraging anthem both about and to Aung San Suu Kyi. But its inspiring message has a much wider and deeper appeal. It sounds for all the world like a personal message from the band that it is worth fighting to live in these perilous times, that each and everyone of us has our contribution to make and we must by all means strive to make it. It can't be taken from us. U2 are famous for this kind of ... idealism? Well then, idealism in its best connotations. The majority of the album from which this song comes, All That You Can't Leave Behind, is of this sort. This song is perhaps one of the best examples of U2's persistent positivism. The music also reflects this, and it slowly builds into flight, yes, flight; especially is this so in live versions and the closing refrain of hallelujahs.

6. "One Step Closer"

This comes from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, an album whose title is a direct reference to Bono's father, Bob Hewson. On the back side of the CD near the center one can see at certain angles the words "Miss You Sugar", Bono's mother's pet name for Bob, making this a dedication of sorts: an album for and about the curmudgeonly old Dubliner. This song is written as if from Bob's point of view. Dying with cancer, he loses faith in his God and in his life. Does God exist? If so, does he care? Well, I'm "one step closer to knowing." What I like about this song is its return to the aesthetics of classic U2 as found in their work of the eighties. There is also the fact that, in the song anyway, it is never explicitly stated what one is closer to knowing, which leaves the interpretation open-ended for the individual and gives the song room to grow beyond its original intentions, as so many U2 songs do. This also reads like a piece of lyric poetry.

5. "Miracle Drug"

A song about the mother of a poet who has Cerebral Palsy? Irresistible! If the message isn't enough, we also have here one of a handful of instances where The Edge sings lead, although in this case it's only a few lines. See if you can pick them out. I dare you! Also from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, this song showcases Larry's extraordinary drumming skills. The effect as a whole is utterly exhilarating. If you happen to be familiar at all with CP, it is powerful enough to move you to tears.

4. "Stay (Faraway, So Close)"

Bono has said that this is his favorite U2 lyric and it's no wonder. This song attacks a risqué subject (domestic violence) and seeks to make sense of it. We are introduced mostly to the psychological effects of abuse, particularly if it's long term: "You say when he hits you/You don't mind/Because when he hurts you/You feel alive", "You stumble out of a hole in the ground/A vampire or a victim/ It depends on who's around", and "With satellite television/You can go anywhere". Dark? Yes and the music does little to alleviate that here. The live versions, usually acoustical but occasionally amped up almost to heavy metal, are even darker and more disturbing. But that is as it should be: no glossing over this one, folks. Domestic violence is all bad. Period. This is a song you'll never tire of.

3. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"

The more conservative of my friends take issue with the title, but this song could clearly not be known by any other name. Originally, this song was recorded for Zooropa but was cut from the final line-up for the album. It eventually found a home on the soundtrack for Batman Forever and has since become one of the songs always associated with the beloved Zoo TV tour character Mr. MacPhisto. This is a song about celebrity, but it is hardly a celebration: "You don't know how you got here/You just know you want out" and "But they want their money back/If you're alive at thirty three". At the same time, it acknowledges that some people crave it as much as they hate it, maybe more, and even suggests that some are made for that burden: "You know you're not shy/You don't have to deny it, love". This is among the sexiest of U2's oeuvre. Certainly it is among one of their most rock-n-rollish songs, as demonstrated by a very edgy (pun not intended) guitar riff and a backing rhythm that shakes the walls.

2. "Fallen At Your Feet"

This is a relatively rare track. It can be found on the soundtrack for the movie The Million Dollar Hotel, a decidedly European movie set in L.A. about love in a hotel full of people with mental difficulties who cannot afford needed care. It is a bizarre and twisted storyline that in the end succeeds in being sweet. The song transcends the movie. It is a simple piece musically. It is acoustical and features Daniel Lanois singing harmony. It is as light and breezy as an early summer morning and lyrically takes one's breath away. As is normal with U2 songs, it threads several meanings together. It is a man singing to a woman, as well as someone singing to God: "Teach me to surrender/Not my will/Thy will". Beautiful.

1. "One"

I couldn't avoid all the well known standards, it seems. Honestly, I could have included nearly everything from Achtung Baby on this list; it is truly an album that deserves to go down in history as nothing short of legendary. This song is unlike anything else from that record and at the same time could belong nowhere else. It grows, expands, and matures with you as you do and never gets old. Written as if from a man with AIDS to his father, this song is angry- much too angry to dedicate to your significant other. And yet... it is tender at times. Although the obligation to "carry each other" is anything but a privilege here, it is a duty kept out of love and a promise to work through the issues. Of late it has also taken on a political connotation with the advent of the One campaign and the band's placement of it in the setlists of the Vertigo tour. It is as sonically intense as it is lyrically. The bass line is deep, definite, and resonate. The drums are indifferent and sad all at once and this is quite possibly the only song Bono can actually play on his guitar. It is The Edge that musically makes the show here with one of the most memorable riffs in history. The guitar solo on the recorded version is short and sounds like a keening, but in the live versions it expands into full-throated sobs and then soars on invisible wings. This implants a hope in the song that is much more subdued in the studio version. Bono's lyric changes add even more weight and integrity to an already deeply profound song: "Did you come here to play Jesus? /I did" and "Hear us coming, Lord/Here us call/See us scratching/We're scratching at your door/ ...Please, don't make us crawl". This is a song that will still be important forty years from now, even if no longer enjoying radio rotation.

I wrote this article with full knowledge that it is a controversial subject; certainly so among the band's more avid fans. Feel free to expound on what you thought should or should not have been included. I look forward to your input.

Top Ten Alternative Albums of the 1990s

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on February 23, 2011)

Alternative was a more fluid genre in the 1990s than it is now. Back then, the genres were big and encompassing. There was Rock, Country, Pop, R&B, Hip Hop was getting started and Rap matured. Everything that didn't fit comfortably into one of those was called Alternative and divided within that category into sub-genres. Also, artists were experimenting with their sounds so that they were taken out of their former genres and were selling out of the Alternative racks in the shops (internet was not yet the force to be reckoned with that it is today). At the end of the decade, many of those artists were returned to their former catagories and the numerous sub-genres became full-blown genres in their own right, making Alternative a much more specific and competitive catagory of music. Since this article is meant to numerate the top 10 Alternative albums of the 1990s, I have taken the view of the genre that existed then in my considerations. The albums are listed from least to best and reflect merely my opinion. Please, feel free to open a discussion regarding your favorites and why in the comments. I'd love to know!

10. Barenaked Ladies- "Gordon":

This Canadian group remains unique in its blatent good humour. They were masters at tackling serious and not-so-serious subjects by making them hilarious and giving them a peppy beat. They were also famous for the fact that their live shows were almost entirely impromtu events. Released on July 28, 1992, "Gordon" has the most songs that eventually landed on their greatest hits compilation. Here you will find "Enid", "Brian Wilson", "Be My Yoko Ono", "What A Good Boy", "New Kid (On The Block)", and the perennial favorite of many "If I Had A $1000000". That still has to be one of the funnest songs ever: "Haven't you always wanted a monkey?"

9. The Cranberries- "Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We?":

With a lead vocalist siren with a voice somewhere between Sinead O'Connor and Enya, this group became the biggest Irish musical export since U2 about a decade earlier. And their timing was impeccable. In the 90s, there was a modern Irish revival with Broadway sensations "Lord of the Dance" and "Riverdance" selling out packed houses and going on the road and traditional Irish aires showing up in movie soundtracks of all kinds. Hybernophiles spang up everywhere wearing Celtic harps and claddaghs and drinking Guinness (myself among them). The Cranberries rode that wave and swelled it. With O'Riordan's otherworldly voice and the music that backed her, they created dreamscapes overflowing with feeling and nuance. The lyrics about O'Riordan's bad romance spoke to a generation who felt that society itself was one long, abusively bad relationship.

8. Smashing Pumpkins- "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness":

The Smashing Pumpkins are probably the most underrated band of 1990s Alternative music. This album in particular is epic in ambition and execution. Released October 24, 1995, it was described by the band as being "'The Wall' for Generation X". It was released in three formats: cassette, CD, and vinyl. The cassette and CD versions consisted of two cassettes and two CDs respectively. The first was called "Dawn To Dusk" and the second was "Twilight To Starlight". The vinyl version had six sides that were titled thus: side 1 "Dawn", side 2 "Tea Time", side 3 "Dusk", side 4 "Twilight", side 5 "Midnight", and side 6 "Starlight". It includes the songs "Tonight, Tonight", "Take Me Down", and "1979". "1979" remains the Smashing Pumpkins most recognised song. That being said, I also like their album "Siamese Dream" because on it is the song "Disarm".

7. Nirvana- "MTV Unplugged in New York":

"MTV Unplugged" was probably one of the last good shows on a network that originally had the best idea, but it had already begun to go wonky and turn into smut. Interestingly, Nirvana's performance on this show gorged with great acoustic performances is almost the only one remembered now. It aired on December 14, 1993. Nirvana did the unusual thing, choosing for their setlist lesser known tracks and covers. This supergroup from Seatlle (mother-city of the Grunge sub-genre which they catapolted to national fame with the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit") was never comfortable with the limelight and perhaps they were tired of hearing their own hits. At any rate, it proved to be a good call. It became the first Nirvana album to be released following Kurt Cobain's famous suicide in April 1994 and debuted at number 1. The episode was released on DVD in 2007. My favorite song here is their cover of David Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World".

6. No Doubt- "Tragic Kingdom":

Does anyone else think that Gwen Stefani was more palatable in her No Doubt days? Released October 10, 1995, this album played across several sub-genres. It became the go-to album for every oppressed and marginalised girl in Gen X with songs like "Just A Girl", "Excuse Me Mr.", "Sunday Morning", and its most famous song "Spiderwebs". But it wasn't just feminine angst. It described the battle of a generation against hopelessness with songs like "The Climb" and "Tragic Kingdom". After the failure of the experiments of the 60s and 70s and the resignation of the 80s, this was the sound of a generation taking notice of pain and suffering and bearing the full weight of it on their shoulders unapologetically.

5. Alanis Morissette- "Jagged Little Pill":

Speaking of unapologetic, this album certainly was that. It defined a new role for women in music and new expectations. Released June 13, 1995, it just barely beat No Doubt to this definition. Morissette stepped out as a force to be reckoned with as uncontrollable as the weather. No woman artist before her had been so free with profanity (my copy was self-edited). She stretched her voice mercilessly, cooing, screaming, and warbling as no one had done before. She proved herself a poet as well as musician. Who knew you could pack so many multi-syllable words into one song? And she was one of the first to add a secret song (a track hidden away at the end of a CD which can only be heard by playing the last listed track and waiting, sometimes as much as 20 minutes).

4. Oasis- "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?":

No list of 1990s Alternative would be complete without Oasis. This band relied on two legendary Irish brothers and was a volatile one. It was not uncommon for them to break up on stage in the middle of a gig in full view of their audience only to get back together a few weeks later (I think they are currently broke up). But their following was fanatical. Often, opening bands for their shows were booed and abused until they left the stage because Oasis was the only thing their fans wanted to see, so the band's instability could never hurt them. "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" may be their best album. There is no denying the greatness and staying power of its songs. "Some Might Say" can be found on the video game "Guitar Hero World Tour". Yes, there is plenty of Gen X melancholy here, but my nephew was a fan before his death last year at almost 12 years of age. So there.

3. Radiohead- "The Bends":

Actually, you could probably insert any of Radiohead's albums from the 90s here. "The Bends" is my personal favorite. The title refers to what happens when you come up out of the water too fast when scuba diving and that's pretty much what you'll find on it. Thom Yorke's uniquely falsetto voice and Radiohead's boundary pushing music is kind of like- pardon the expression- tripping without acid on most of their albums. This one is the most tame, but don't let that description fool you. Released March 13, 1995, this album is home to some of their best songs: "The Bends", "High and Dry", my favorite "Fake Plastic Trees", "My Iron Lung", "Black Star", "Sulk", and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". Yes, I left some unlisted.

2. Pearl Jam-"Ten":

Do I really have to say anything about this one? Pearl Jam was, next to Nirvana, the iconic band of the Grunge sub-genre and it seems to me that they are proving themselves the greater over time. The fact that they recently released a strong album probably doesn't hurt in that regard ("Backspacer"). Originally released August 27, 1991, "Ten" was re-released in 2009 in 4 formats: Legacy, Deluxe, Vinyl, and Super Deluxe. It generated 3 hits: "Alive", "Even Flow" (which can also be found on a version of "Guitar Hero"), and "Jeremy" (based on the true story of a tormented boy who shot himself in the face at school). Other strong tracks include "Once" and my favorite Pearl Jam song "Black". To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of "Ten", Pearl Jam are reportedly planning a music festival somewhere in the middle of the U.S. sometime this summer. Details have not yet been released.

1. U2- "Achtung Baby":

So here I am at number 1 and I'm tongue-tied. There is so much to say about this album that there is nothing to say. And you might think it ridiculous or cliche to find it listed here since it can be found on almost every list that has been composed of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. You might be right. But I'm going to give this a shot anyway:

..."It's time to go away and dream it all up again." Bono famously remarked in 1989 after the mind-blowing success of "The Joshua Tree" and the exhaustion of years of touring. U2 wanted to make an album that would sound like anything except U2. They recorded in Hansa Studios in Berlin and in Dublin. This album nearly ended the band who fought violently over artistic differences. The Edge went through a nasty divorce. Bono welcomed the arrival of his second child. The Berlin wall had come down and Communism collapsed. The world was finally beginning to come to some kind of grips with that new terrifying disease AIDS. All of this and more found its way onto an album that not only succeeded at not sounding like U2, but that in fact sounded like nothing ever heard before. Released November 19, 1991, this Attention, Baby! has been vital in creating the definition of Alternative as we know it today. Music critic Neil McCormick, commenting in a review of U2's 2009 release "No Line On The Horizon" in his column, wrote: "Who doesn't sound like U2 these days?" Every song is breathtaking. This album is exuberant, decadent, ironic, playful, dark, sexy, mad, and joyous. It is joie de vivre in audio form. And did I mention daring? With songs written from the viewpoint of various fictional characters, we eavesdrop on a mad philosopher's phone call from hell, a song about love of the divine, and a woman, and bellydance all at once, a song about a father/son relationship that is cracked by AIDS, a song about divorce, a song about loving someone even when it's not perfect, or gone completely bad, or even when the significant other is gone, a song about the numbing effects of pop culture and celebrity, Judas Iscariot singing to Jesus after his suicide, and a song about terrorism. And that's just the meanings that U2 have openly discussed. Add to that the numerous nuances that the songs take once they become part of the listener's psyche and you have endless possibilities. This is a real contender for best album of all time.

Resources:
Gordon (Album), Wikipedia.
Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We?, Wikipedia.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Wikipedia.
MTV Unplugged In New York, Wikipedia.
Tragic Kingdom, Wikipedia.
Jagged Little Pill", Wikipedia.
(What's The Story) Morning Glory?, Wikipedia.
The Bends, Wikipedia.
Ten (Pearl Jam Album), Wikipedia.
Achtung Baby, Wikipedia.