Christmas thoughts

Tonight I am thinking to myself about how I got cast as one of the three kings in a school nativity, when I was in primary school. 

I didn't volunteer, it was because they needed someone "of Orient". 

All I really learned that was sometimes all you are to people is a race.

Recommended musicians on Twitch, 2021 edition

I made a post like this last year, I think it's about time I did an update for 2021. Now that musicians have been forced to take down their VODs from Twitch because of licensing stuff (Twitch don't like paying royalties), it's harder to see which streams are going to be "your thing", so - have a read, and maybe look through their YouTube and songlists to see if they perform the kind of stuff you like. Pretty much everyone is free to listen to, but whether song requests are free differs from channel to channel, so, be polite and read streamer profile panels for info. Tipping money is a friendly and nice thing to do!

Here we go.

• Joshua Woo
  https://www.twitch.tv/joshuawoomusic
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/joshuawoomusic/songs
  Spotify (solo): https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ctglO7zzrGgYtFavND9BC
  Spotify (band): https://open.spotify.com/artist/6FfAxaRvMrikzkied5Kduv
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3dVLVy3lE4T9UUWtZ1_3OA
  
  Josh was known as PlasticJosh last year. He's come a long way in a year, improving his sound quality, and writing a lot of original songs. He's also started releasing solo material under his own name, as well as continuing to release songs with his band Plastic Sun. He can still sing ALL THE NOTES. Serious range, 4 octaves or something. He's a one-man band. He's performed the entirety of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" album a few times. Including singing "Great Gig In The Sky". He's got an upcoming Queen stream and I am really looking forward to that. You can also spend channel points to get him to do David Bowie or Bob Dylan impressions, because why not? Watch out if you request MASTER EXPLODER by Tenacious D, I am now one of his mod staff and I hate having to clear up all the brains off the floor.
  
  
• lara6683
  https://www.twitch.tv/lara6683
  Songlist: https://goo.gl/6AVr4n
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lara6683
  
  I'm never going to write one of these lists without Lara on it, unless she stops streaming on Twitch. Legendary video game* piano lady. Lately, she's really gotten to grips with using a looper, which is great, she's been able to play all the little bits she didn't have enough arms for before. She's especially good for playing chill, relaxing music, and also - sometimes people get her to mash two songs together on the fly to create something new, and it's astounding. Always astonishing.
  
  * she plays other genres too haha
  
  
• ihazabeard
  https://www.twitch.tv/ihazabeard
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/s/ihazabeard/songs
  
  A fellow called Myles who lives by a beach, in the south-west of England. He's got the most lovely, melancholic voice, and specialises in "sad boi" songs. He plays a really nice guitar while he's singing, and I can't believe almost forgot to mention that. Last year he was on hiatus and I was wondering if he'd ever return to Twitch. Well, he did, and he got partner status. He'll often stop and call it a shambles, or deliberately hurry an ending and say "something like that". But he's really, really nice to listen to. I recommend you request his original song "Long Way Home". It's such a good song and there's no other song on this planet as perfect for his voice.
  
  
• Jonathan Ong
  https://www.twitch.tv/jonathanong
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwbNxgXSHBjGBUjKHVZS7ZA
  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xeDq8pB9BO7iiivmRFXp1
  
  Dr Ong is still a charming, giggling lunatic who will learn and play literally anything you throw at him. Sometimes just on piano, often as a massive production off the cuff. Also, he's AMAZING at piano. His warm-up is Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu, which he'll play at the start of every stream while casually chatting like it's nothing. He's started writing original music and has put some on Spotify. I'm really looking out for the Nier piano collection he's been working on, too.
  
  
• porkrollbob
  https://www.twitch.tv/porkrollbob
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/porkrollbob/songs
  
  American guy with a huge songlist of 1000+ songs, mainly blues and rock. I always picture him with a huge smile on his face, I can hardly imagine him without it. Another one-man band, and he's really good at what he does.
  
  
• Amelia Ray
  https://www.twitch.tv/ameliaraymusic
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/ameliaraymusic/songs
  Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gK69QweVlWP3gCB9baUou
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AmeliaRay
  
  Nice lady from San Francisco, currently living in Finland. She knows just about every song on this planet. Her songlist is merely a guideline, there are secret songs. Every week, she'll do a special stream like "Billboard Top 100 songs of [X year]" and go off and try to learn those 100 songs to play the next day. She has a game every day too, where someone in chat will suggest a word, and she has to play 13+ songs with that word in the title, with the rest of chat calling out whatever songs they can think of that match. She's also a songwriter, check out her songs on spotify and bandcamp!
  
  
• sarcastic_fingers
  https://www.twitch.tv/sarcastic_fingers
  Songlist : https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/sarcastic_fingers/songs
  
  Pleasant transgender dude who plays piano and sings. Specialises in songs from the previous century. Really great at the kind of song where it's the story of a life and the strong vocal blows you away. He can bring out his proper opera singer voice once in a while too. But that kind of song is tiring, so he mixes it up with some other stuff. Kinda looks like 1970s X-Men Cyclops, in red glasses. All in all very cool.
  
  
• Erin Shay Live
  https://www.twitch.tv/erinshaylive
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/erinshaylive/songs
  
  This is actually a married couple duo from Australia, but the husband doesn't get his name on the banner, hahaha. Erin is a wild ball of pure energy, who can sing really well, but you'll often see perching crouched on top of a chair... or dancing about... and there's a thing where sometimes she sings a song while doing a handstand and with a mouthful of Malteasers. Her husband Si accompanies on guitar. He's actually really good too, but I guess I won't talk about him, haha.
  
  
• Bagel Rabbit
  https://www.twitch.tv/bagelrabbit
  Violinist who will improv along to songs requested by chat. Literally any song, they'll try and play along to it. Last year, they were on hiatus... I wasn't sure if they'd come back.... but... good things come to those who wait, and Bagel was reborn into being the gayest streamer you ever did see in your life. But also, streams are very much 18+ now. As it's currently Pride Month, they're raising money for two charities; one for trans sex workers and the other for elderly LGBT+ folks. Since they play along to other people's music, they've had two copyright strikes already, there are no saved VODs, you'll just have to pop along and see with your own eyes.
  
  
• Jenem
  https://www.twitch.tv/jenemmusic
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/jenemmusic/songs
  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39LOdVfciNvDAyTbE5cjSA
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmJ1iFuN1uG-oQh5I6fN2gQ
  
  Singer / songwriter who plays guitar and sings. I listen to her some afternoons, she's good, her songs are earnest, and I like her Manchester bee emotes, the symbol of her home city.
  
  
• Fenwa Teryen
  https://www.twitch.tv/fenwateryen
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/fenwateryen/songs
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FenwaTeryen
  
  Acoustic guitar / vocals from this chap. He seems to live in the Fallout game continuum, has a quasi-1950s aesthetic, has a classic bass announcer speaking voice like... Troy McClure or someone, but his singing voice is way higher. He sings mainly really, really vintage songs and also Fallout-related songs.
  
  
• SangahNoona
  https://www.twitch.tv/sangahnoona
  Songlist: https://www.youtube.com/c/sangahnoona
  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0jgQptgJlvGmjonCUAUFqO
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sangahnoona
  
  Super classy piano bar, huge long songlist. She's great at playing funk, rock, pop, jazz... all sorts. Originally from South Korea, but based in Washington DC, USA. As well as being a great pianist to listen to, I feel like she's a really good host on her stream, very pro delivery, camera shots, sound quality. She streams on YouTube too.
  
  
• The Complements
  https://www.twitch.tv/thecomplements
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/thecomplements/songs
  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tU85IJB7ZSiF8vzN8JbdV
  
  A duo named Greg & Aleesha, mainly piano & vocals. They do Disney songs and music and musical theatre showtunes and pop and rock too. They're also really, really nice and wholesome and friendly.
  
  
• Lizz Vega
  https://www.twitch.tv/lizzvega
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOb-nKUytSwoGYDO5dZQxhg
  
  Chill lady who plays harp, but... like no-one else I have ever heard in my life. She'll play the harp and loop an organic psychedelic dreamscape with it. She'll thump it for percussion. She'll surprise you by singing. Honestly, she's amazing.
  
  
• EBX Erin
  https://www.twitch.tv/ebx_erin & her band: https://www.twitch.tv/elsiebinx
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/s/ebx_erin/songs
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/erinaccomando
  Band YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChE7ppzoydydUTKbO_oS5KQ
  
  Great vocals & piano, and I think she is another artist who is a vocal tutor. She also has a band called Elsie Binx. Currently raising money for LGBT+ charity The Trevor Project.
  
  
• King Korgan
  https://www.twitch.tv/kingkorgan
  Songlist: https://www.streamersonglist.com/t/kingkorgan/songs
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZDK46mrkSUq7ZjB1eAa9pw
  
  Time machine to the psychedelic 60s & 70s. Nice fellow who looks like Roy Wood and sounds like Wakko Warner. Has genuine vintage electric organs and guitars, sounds great.
  
  --
  
  Last year's list is still good! Give those people a follow too!

Thoughts by a British person about American TV's ideas about British people

One thing I find really weird about American TV is that if they make a character who they think is stereotypically posh British, they give them this weird accent that doesn't sound like anywhere in Britain and make them use obscure words like "nary" which British people stopped using a few hundred years ago.

Thing about Day Of The Tentacle

I know it's not cool to talk shit about a beloved older comedy game, but I've been playing Day of the Tentacle (remastered version) recently and.... 

The song "Jealous Guy" is such a non apology

I'm talking about John Lennon's song Jealous Guy.

People go on about this song "oh it's so beautiful", "oh it's so sincere". But I find it ugly and insincere. Which doesn't mean that I think people are wrong to like it, just that they've missed something.

Context is huge. John Lennon stated in interview that he was a wife beater, through jealousy. Read the bit in the wikipedia page on him about his relationship with Cynthia Lennon. 

The Beatles song "Run For Your Life" on Rubber Soul (1965) is another song Lennon wrote (well, Paul McCartney gets co-writing credits) where a jealous guy threatens to murder his "little girl" if she does anything with another man. The line "I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man" originates in an Elvis Presley song, but John Lennon decided to expand that into a full song. I've read claims that George really liked the song and John hated and regretted writing it.

In his last major interview, John Lennon spoke of the opening lyrics in the Beatles song Getting Better:

"It is a diary form of writing. All that 'I used to be cruel to my woman / I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved' was me. I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically – any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women. That is why I am always on about peace, you see. It is the most violent people who go for love and peace. Everything's the opposite. But I sincerely believe in love and peace. I am a violent man who has learned not to be violent and regrets his violence. I will have to be a lot older before I can face in public how I treated women as a youngster."

Speaking about Jealous Guy in 1980, John Lennon said:

"My song, melody written in India. The lyrics explain themselves clearly: I was a very jealous, possessive guy. Toward everything. A very insecure male. A guy who wants to put his woman in a little box, lock her up, and just bring her out when he feels like playing with her. She’s not allowed to communicate with the outside world – outside of me – because it makes me feel insecure."

And perhaps that would all be good and well, except that he sang the whole thing as "how he behaves when he's jealous" - it's framed as "something I did in the past" but there's no "and I don't do that any more".

Everything there is to know about Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Total Eclipse Of The Heart might be my favourite song of all time. It was the first record I owned that I truly fell in love with, and all I had was a 7" single that my family got from collecting cereal box tokens (wanna see it?). It's probably rare now. It was the B-side! I was probably 7 years old. Is that weird? Haha. I didn't even hear the full album version for another decade or so!

Love Never Dies review

There are spoilers in this review. It's of this Melbourne production of Love Never Dies which is free to watch this weekend:

This Andrew Lloyd Webber musical isn't bad bad in the same way as some of the others, it just makes me feel ill watching it.

I think maybe the show would have been better if the characters weren't supposed to be the ones from Phantom, because it makes all of my red flags go off seeing Christine so quickly welcoming of the phantom just because he says he feels great pain without her and they reminisce about their "one night" together.

I mean, I am still thinking of him as a real horror; manipulative / stalker / threatening / murdering.

And both phantom and Raoul - when confronting each other - treat her as a possession, and Raoul has become just angry and useless... there's no-one really to root for out of the two of them.

And I would not put a child in the trust of a twisted and murderous man just because he's biologically his father.

It's not that the show is bad bad, it just makes me feel like everything the show wants me to get on board with is wrong. I'm sitting there going "no, no, no, no, no" at every moment that I think is supposed to be positive.

I think if you looked at the book for this musical in isolation, this phantom would be no more of a horror than a grumpy goth with bad skin.

So... either you have a phantom who is far too horrible for you to want him to succeed, or a completely declawed phantom who is just bland.

A word I don't like

I don't mind the word "moist" at all. I am not sure why people don't like it. But I really don't like when people are doing a cooking show or cooking instructional video and use the word "slurry" to describe mixing something into a paste - because it just makes me thinks of farms and how they smell.

Currently playing : Nier

I'm currently playing Nier (not Automata) on Xbox 360.

I really like it. It is a beautiful, sad game, with beautiful music and good artwork.

I finished the game with one ending last night, and decided - rather than play and get the next ending to the game, I would start over again from nothing.

There's an achievement for completing the whole game under 15 hours which I'm aiming for. I'm skipping all the sidequests, which means sadly I miss out on Devola & Popola singing together.

It is unrelentingly sad, just chock full of sad stories, sometimes unnecessarily sad. 

For example - when you go to turn in your final fishing sub-quest, there's another man standing in the quest-giver's place. He tells you that the old man who gave you the quest died then says no-one in town really liked him anyway. I mean, come on, writers, you didn't need to do that! This has no impact on the overall story of the game, they just decide to throw in things like that all the time.

But the sadness is a good outlet for me in this world we're living in. It's easier to put your heart into a bunch of fictional grief and feel that than look at the world today pretending along with everyone else that the daily massive amounts of death aren't that bad.

What's The Buzz - Jesus Christ Superstar - sounds like invincibility to me

Andrew Lloyd Webber has been releasing musicals for the public to enjoy for free for a short window of time during this lockdown period. This week, it is appropriately Jesus Christ Superstar.

I say "appropriately", but really... he's made Jesus Christ available for 48 hours from Good Friday until Easter Sunday, which is the exact opposite of how Easter is supposed to work.

Anyway. I started watching, and this song "What's The Buzz" starts up.

And I think to myself... hang on, this tune... what is it? It is the song of my people. Yes! It is:

Sorry, that's all I can think now. (Yes I know Jesus Christ Superstar came first)