Sitting in a café on Södermalm in Stockholm. Opposite me and my laptop my friend and his colleague are working on their secret online project. I cannot say anything about it. Or maybe I can, but I won't. Its more fun that way. Stockholm is still sunny and cold, like it should be this time of year. Yesterday I saw some upcoming bands at a showcase gig for a record label at Debaser. One of them, Friska Viljor, were really great and made me think of Shout Out Louds during their more intense times. Think these guys might make it big and if they do, you know where you heard it first. Airportline is never first, and does not believe that being first is important. But in Stockholm it is very important to be first, or at least not last. So were are acclimatising to this fact here in the editorial board of Airportline. It's been a hard days night by the Beatles is being spinned in the café now. Think I need one more coffee. Tomorrow the Airportline tour continues by car to Karlstad.
Airportline went to Sweden. Took a SAS flight to Stockholm. It was all very quiet, people don't talk too much when going to Sweden. The flight next to us was going to Budapest. But it souded like they were going to a Carneval. Maybe its all the spicy sausage they have over there. When we descended towards Stockholm, breaking through the thick clouds everything was brown and gray. This is the color of Sweden I thought. But today, after watching a great stand up show with the linguist and academic Frdrik Lindström at Norra Brunn last night, I took a walk around Vasastan/Östermalm in the sunshine and saw Swden from a much nicer view. It's still cool and quiet and everyone is wearing black and gray, as if it was some kind of Swedish Uniform, but the trees are yellow and red to make up for the loss of color among the people. I understand the news bulletins (have not decided if this is good or not) and yesterday while waiting for my friend to get some food I understood what the crazy old man who spoke to me said. That never happens in Amsterdam. Not the crazy people talking to me part, but the me understanding them part.
After an impressive hat trick in Amsterdam Agents trashing of HDM 2, and an equally impressive stint at a party, Airportline felt he deserved a break from running after a round shape of plastic. He also had to prepare for his forthcoming Sweden trip. This was not supported by one member of the Agents Floorball team. This is how it looked on my facebook wall late last night:
M Still too hungover to practice? :D Yesterday at 11:00pm
Airportline haha, yes, I woke up realizing that someone had painted on my face and I felt the need to lay low. But no, had to finish a thing for work and have shit to take care of before I head to Sweden on Wednesday. November 5th from 19:30 onwards I'll be kicking your ass again though, so do not fear the floorball future! Yesterday at 11:12pm
M you should know by now that I don't take your little swedish threats seriously buddy. How about you just stick to writing pretty little short stories that make me feel all warm inside. They have a better affect on me :D Yesterday at 11:17pm
Airportline Damn, you've seen through my artificially created bad boy image which I tried to steal from Nas video to Made You Look. From now on I will devote my passion to art and kick your ass on the floorball field without you knowing it. Ignorance can also be bliss, I suppose. 11 hours ago
M The words. Of a poet. Are always. Stronger than their... Actions. I look forward to our following encounter. buddy. I'm stealing your punctuation trick. 11 hours ago
Airportline haha, that was class:) You can swing the sword of the written word, I respect that. 11 hours ago
The rain stopped last night. We took our bikes and rode the wet streets like cowboys ride the desert, with posture and a clear aim. There was a party and the fridge was full of beer. My friend is leaving the place and the country. So we talked about things, and we painted and drew on the walls. I wrote something about dancing. People asked why I used so many full stops. I like full stops I said, it forced people to stop and think. Often. We listened to Finnish hard rock, to The Drums, to Girls, to minimalist techno. It was a mixture of people and music but the beer kept flowing in a constant order. Suddenly we were on the street, the gloomy sky and random taxi cars passing us by did not tell us what time it was. I checked and my phone said four. I said I should go. So I went and today was a waste. You take one night and loose one day. That is the logic of life.
Today I listen exclusively to Miike Snow and their songs Funeral and In Search Of. Just look down.
I saw an interview with singer/songwriter Jaymay maybe a year and a half ago. I think I was in Sweden. I think I felt that it was the wrong place to be. Jaymay said that she was between London and New York, it sounded annoying for someone in only one place. Annoying since I was not between anything. I was in one place and that was the wrong place. But I downloaded her album cause I thought her music seemed sweet. Then I didn't listen that much to it, felt that it was a bit boring, a bit too sweet. But now when I am waiting for the rain to stop so I can bike out and go to a party for a friend that is leaving. Now it seems perfect. My friend will be between countries for a year, in every place and no place. Then Jaymay sounds perfect, and as we turn the clocks to winter I turn the stereo to Autumn Fallin' and too sweet might be just what I need right now. Never underestimate time and space.
I spend my days looking for people. When I have found them I evaluate them, then I contact them, or do I contact them first? I'm not sure at this point. I send them emails, trying to be nice, trying to make it sound interesting, as if I am not stealing their time. People need their time and who am I to take it? I say it is for a good cause, and it is, cause I say so.
The people have to believe me, and they give details to me, and I write them down in a document and I send the document from France to The people in France. They answer with blue font color. Or if they would answer it would be in blue, but so far they don't. So while they don't answer I keep on searching for people. And even though looking for people is not that fun, every time I get someone that fits the bill for my study I feel happy. As if I can cross out something from my to do list. I never liked to to lists but my father, who treats his to do lists like the bible, maybe managed to influence my work view a tiny bit. Tiny.
For those of you who really does not care about my everyday concerns or what t-shirt I am wearing (The Kramer) you can take a look at this trailer for the movie Nine Lives. Very strong and beautiful movie if you are ok with slow tempo and at times brilliant acting.
Airportline wants to be of service to its readers. And as a man of the modern age I know that the need for high quality series is constantly high among the blog browsing generation. I see no reason to believe that you, my dear content needing reader, is different in anyway. That is why the editors have worked their ass of in order to come up with a novel tip that we feel comfortable sharing. Enter: Bored to Death, a series about a fiction writer who struggles with his second novel. What to do except for continuing his white wine and pot addiction? Become a private detective. Sounds strange, it is. Sounds good, it is. Sounds funny, most certainly. Jason Schwartzman is brilliant in the lead and Ted Danson is the best corporate executive on TV since Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock.
Yes, I did drink too many beers on Saturday evening. Yes, I did go to IKEA the day after and sat in the office chair named Patrik, which I always do. Yes, I was wearing the clothes of an 82 year old man. No, I was not 82 years old at the time, although my head certainly felt old. Yes, I did walk through the whole city yesterday and yes, I did get four Swedish books from a friend who was throwing them out. And yes, I had thai food two times in the past two days and it was as wonderful both times. As yes, I did watch the movie Yes Man yesterday which it the sole reason for this ridiculous post. And yes, it was a predictable movie but it was also very funny and had a message that perhaps was pushed a little too hard but that still was valid: that if you don't live life you don't live. And yes, I am waiting for a French company representative to call me but no. No call so far.
Last week I said that I was gonna make fun of Norway. But, as the faithful reader of this blog knows, nothing I say ever comes true. But, since making fun of nations is something of a favorite past time I will take a knock on Canada instead. But, since I destroyed my brain during the weekends celebrations I will give the word to Joyce Carol Oates and a section in her diary dated May 28th 1978:
'Who are our neighbors? They keep moving, we keep moving. There's no continuity, no sense of a whole. And we're in, after all, a country determined to see itself as foreign to the United States though in every way it is American, and linked to the American destiny. The exhibistionistic hypocrisy of Canada! Making great profits out of the Vietnam War while pretending in public to disapprove of American aggression.'
Joyce Carol Oates, I read her diary slow but always enjoy it thoroughly. The musings about her persona and thoughts about writing feel both effortless and honest. Everyone interested in writing, the writing process and the distinction between the public/private persona should read it. It makes sense to me know why she wrote Blonde, which I have not read but really feel I should read.
Is there a song by 6 (Loney Dear) that makes you happy? Loney Dear does not make the happiest music on the planet, often choosing to venture around the same path as early Belle & Sebastian and other quiet but beautiful pop orchestras. Ignorant Boy, Beautiful girl from his record Citadel Band is not a happy song. But it makes me happy. It’s about an ignorant boy, and a beautiful girl, and this fact is repeated over and over. It is a song that leaves you room paint your own story and even though it’s melancholic it is also very satisfying. To create something own. To have that space. And I like the drums, they sound like they are wearing soft slippers. Not too hard, or in your face. This clip is from their concert at the German Haldern Festival 2007, a festival I have heard a lot of good things about.
Today is a big day for the Airportline empire. Their founder, all time pop music nerd heavy weight traveler and bike crasher, is picking up his master's degree in the picturesque red light academic pot smoking cultural center of Amsterdam. At this occasion he will be overwhelmed by academic love and maybe even eat a piece of cheese, or two. This magical celebration will then take a break before it once again bloom on Saturday night when a party will be held which is bound to include some ridiculous quotes from the Airportline founder. Most likely due to the shear excitement that friends, alcohol, and maybe a piece of cheese, or two, will bring him. The tweed pants are on, the second hand un-ironed shirt is resting on his Swedish body and the sun is greeting his face as he shortly ventures out into the world to become a master in the true sense of the word. It is a day he greats by fucking modesty and beating himself on his chest. Tomorrow he returns to the gutter with some Norway bashing, see you then!
This is for someone that doesn't feel so good at the moment. A cheer me up video. In exactly one week Camera Obscura will be on stage at Paradiso in Amsterdam. I will get back to this later in the week. For now listen, watch, laugh or cry. All is appropriate to this gem.
Yesterday I crashed with my bike. It sent me flying and then down on the ground. Miraculously, and I do not think that this is a word too strong to use, I got away with no injuries whatsoever. Not even my clothes broke. I was on my way home from a friend at around 1 at night, the city was quiet and calm. At one point I saw a guy walking with a shopping cart on the bike lane. I went on the right side of the bike lane to pass him. Suddenly I find myself on the ground. I had managed to get my own bike caught in a bike locked to a bike rack next to the bike lane. While my bike stopped in the bike rack with the other bikes I kept going, without my bike, until the ground embraced me with open arms. The guy walking with the shopping cart was shocked and asked if I was ok. 'Yeah, I said.' You sure, he replied. I wasn't, but I said 'yes, that was crazy'. Then I took my bike, which equally miraculously didn't break either, except for one of my break lines being a bit messed up, and went home. It is strange crashing without even noticing what happened and then have no scars, no pain, no nothing. Just a quiet bike ride through an empty Amsterdam.
So I spent seven hours starring at my work today. Then I began writing something not remotely related, or it was very related to not working, but very little related to the work I was suppose to be doing. Anyway, here is a section from that writing which I translated just for you my dear readers:
From Very Good At Not Working I’ve seen the hours walk past me all day and there is no sign of them stopping. Just because I am sitting in front of my document it doesn't mean that the world is waiting for me to get started. The world never waits. The black dash at the top of the empty white sheet is blinking, yelling to me to write something. I have my instructions lined up here next to me. All I need to do is to deliver, to cross out, to move on. But today it is not possible, its one of those days. Its one of those days when you blame the day even though you know it's you. It is me that is not working; the day has nothing to do with it. My eyes are burning from the screen, or is it from lack of sleep, or boredom? My eyes never help me when I need them. I look at my screen each day, for several hours, maybe it’s my eyes protest, just when I need them they refuse, say no, take a stand. You realize that I want to blame everything except for myself. I want to renounce my personal responsibility for my lack of moral. Maybe I can blame contemporary society’s computerification. But probably not.
And while you indulge in this I will give a training session to some floorballers here in Amsterdam.
A few months ago I was encouraged to answer various questions concerning the 30 most listened to artists on my last.fm profile. During a feverish June evening I wrote more or less thoughtful answers to these questions which I amid to publish on Facebook at some point. That point never came, since I never do what I intend on doing. So, now I will make a new plan (which I most likely will fail to adhere to as well) and publish some of these short texts on airportline instead. With videos. Here is the fifth post in this new series.
What is your favorite song by 5 (Stars)? Your Ex-Lover is Dead. One of my all time favorite songs. It revolves around two people that once had a relationship who meet again and realize that it meant nothing. It all comes together with beautiful strings, and when Amy Millan (who recently released her second solo album) enters with here soft voice and sings 'this scar is a flack on my porcelain skin, trying to reach deep but couldn't get in' its an example of how pop music with one male and one female singer create a tension that would not feel misplaced in an Ingmar Bergman movie.
So you woke up this morning and wondered if there are any new super groups around to listen to. Well yes, there is. Turns out that the singers of two of Airportlines favourite pop bands (Shout Out Louds and Peter Bjorn and John (in Amsterdam this coming Monday)) have teamed up with a The Concretes member and a The Plan member (also two magnificent bands) to create Tutankamon. PSL recorded the men this past week. Its a great recording that shows of Adam's great new Taliban beard. The music is quite beardy as well, swirling around the same quarters of the american old school sound made popular by fellow beard rockers Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes. This is more poppy though and frankly, very very good. The Swedish pop-music obsessed blog It's a Trap gives their debut singe out for free over here. A good way to start your morning according to Airportline.
Herta Müller today got the Nobel Price in literature and even though I know little about her, I think it is positive. She seems to be a hard core woman, with an almost Gothic look and a feeling of not having her own language she will hopefully put Romania and its literature on the map. Not that I know anything about the literary scene in Romania, but I do know some Romanians who feel that their country is being portrayed unfairly in European media. Hopefully this will change that. Even though she has never written in Romanian.
In other news The Times presented their annual list over the top 50 Universities in the world, good old Universitet van Amsterdam is 49th on the list. Quite impressive considering its bureaucratic messiness. Harvard is number one, now followed by Cambridge who has overtaken Yale since last year. Sweden has no Universities on the list which is heavily dominated by US institutions.
Tonight I am making Tom Yam Soup. Just to put some Thai flavor in the week.
I enjoy the Tele2 commercials here in the Netherlands. Worked on me, my flat mate admitted. We have their internet. More farm animals in broadband commercials is what I am saying. I suppose.
We meet the rain clouds and darkness once again. Only a few days ago we were still in summer, or so it feels. Now we hunch in our houses, under blankets, looking out into the darkness. Where did all the colorful drinks from last summer go? Even my orange juice looks gray. Outside the leaves slowly move from the rain that falls over everything into everything. We got water in our souls and even our bright raincoats can’t help it. We know that the clouds will part, that the crisp fall air will break through and the beauty will still be there, maybe even stronger than before. But today fall is the only frame of mind and as we dry our hearts escapism and reality walk hand in hand as if they never parted when Mew paints hopefulness with more beautiful colors than they have ever done. Except for their outstanding nine minute epic Comforting Sounds of course, but that on the other hand is an all time classic in the Airportline library.
Political protesting is a difficult (but often an important, daring and noble) matter. In the US a resurgence in the field has been seen lately, especially with the FOX News supported Tea Parties, against higher taxes, neither noble, daring or important compared to every other issue facing the country. During the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh last week the Daily Show got some Tea Party protesters together to try and help the G20 protesters to succeed with their aim. It was, as so often with the Daily Show, sadly comedic.
1. Quote Who’s the boss between you and mommy? What’s the question? Who’s the boss between you and mommy? Who’s the boss, you have to ask that? You don’t know who the boss is between me and mommy. I’m the boss, ok. Mommy happens to rule the decision making, there is a difference between that. Mommy says what we do and I am in control of the channel changing. Woody Allen about the power in a relationship in Mighty Aphrodite
A few months ago I was encouraged to answer various questions concerning the 30 most listened to artists on my last.fm profile. During a feverish June evening I wrote more or less thoughtful answers to these questions which I amid to publish on Facebook at some point. That point never came, since I never do what I intend on doing. So, now I will make a new plan (which I most likely will fail to adhere to as well) and publish some of these short texts on airportline instead. With videos. Here is the fourth post in this new series.
What is your favorite song by 15 (The Whitest Boy Alive)? Don't Give Up, just because I love it when Erlend Öye sings 'give me a reason to stay constantly ignored' over those careful drums and sparse guitar strokes. It's the most heartbreaking thing I’ve heard since finding out that Burger King does not exist in Brussels. You'll know what I mean when you listen to it. I listen more often to Golden Cage though, because its funkier. But Don't Give Up is pure beauty. Some Germans and a Norwegian. Who knew that kind of combination would lead to this kind of music?!
During the summer that never wanted to end I had a birthday, with a party attached to it. I got some truly amazing presents that showcased my friends unusual creative ability in a wonderful way. One of the gifts was the book The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. This morning I started reading it and it seems quite intriguing to say the least. Here is one quote which I felt the need to underline with my newly bought 1 Euro ink pen:
But in the love poetry of every age, the woman loves to be weighed down by the man's body. The heaviest of burdens is therefore simultaneously of life's most intense fulfillment. The heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become.
I'm suffering from food coma. Made lunch, ate too much, and now I look at the tasks for the afternoon and they make me sleepy. So I listen to The Bug and Warrior Queen in order to try and spur some post lunch energy. A few weeks ago I made a mix-cd for a few friends, this song was on that cd with the following motivation:
Poison Dart with The Bug takes some time to get started, but when it does it sounds like the best night out in a rainy grimy London’ you’ve ever experience. The beat kills more Mexican drug dealers than the Mexican army.
