All posts by Gabriel

play it loud: MY EXPERIENCE

Today I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and ended up having more fun then I thought. It was cool how a lot of popular rock and roll bands and artists came together to celebrate the history they had of distributing awesome music. I was awesome to see how Steve Miller made use of the electric guitar in his song “Fly Like an Eagle”. This music gave me a futuristic feel that I just really adored. Another song that caught my attention was Jimmy Page’s “Kashmir”. It made me flashback to memories I’ve had hanging out after school acting all cool and chill. This song even gave me confidence through times that were challenging and rough. Speaking of Jimmy Page, there was a mannequin portrayed as Jimmy Page posed as playing the guitar. It looked stylish and realistic with how the coat was made from leather and had flames on it. I really do appreciate the effort they put into detailing every aspect of his coat. When I Tom Morello was performing, he was using an effect pad to make it sound wacky and funky which was cool. It just shows that there are different ways you can play guitars rather than just using a base which was rather unique! There was a section that had many recognizable rock and roll posters from back then. Seeing all these posters made me nostalgic, I felt like I was back in the 1990s on the streets of New York seeing the poster for the very first time. Afterward, I visited the gift shop seeing many different souvenirs you could purchase to your liking. There was a miniature zebra guitar that was handcrafted from scrap. This was very interesting since this looks like something you would see out of a stop motion picture or show. Speak of the devil the store wasn’t only selling records and books, but also out of nowhere Bob Dylan T-Shirts. It was hilarious because I learned that Bob Dylan has a brand of his own T-Shirts, the same man who stole songs from artists and songwriters making them his own. Overall, I had a fun time going to this event. It was awesome to learn about the history of rock and roll but to also learn new things along the way. I’d totally recommend anyone to go here, it was worth the trip. If you or your friend enjoy listening to rock and roll, then this event is for you.

Gabriel’s audible artifact

The song Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice is a composition beat he stole from Queen’s under pressure. Vanilla Ice took credit for using the same beat as his own not even asking Queen for permission but also being lazy and uninspired just like Bob Dylan. I relate this scenario to the reading of Bob Dylan we discussed in class because it’s an accurate situation since Bob Dylan was also known for stealing many songs from James Damiano and many other artists out there. Bob Dylan created songs of his own, one of them is “Go ‘way from my window Leave at your own chosen speed. “It Ain’t Me Babe” (1964). This song is a perfect example of how Bob Dylan took credit from this song. “Go away from my window, go away from my door.”—John Jacob Niles, “Go ‘Way from My Window” (1958). Vanilla Ice is the type of artist who takes the easy way out from his career putting in little effort and focusing more on making money off rip-offs rather than making people happy. Instead of creating an original composition he only stole someone else’s work and put lyrics of his own on it, thus claiming it to be his own song. Seeing Bob Dylan’s behavior carried over to Vanilla Ice like a contagious disease. Just because one person copies a song doesn’t mean you should too! Just like Bob Dylan’s case Vanilla Ice should not receive any sort of Nobel prize because of his plagiarism. Vanilla Ice is the kind of person who doesn’t deserve respect, recognition, or fame for his actions. Taking time to listen to the two songs back to back will give you a clear idea that they’re literally the same.

Gabriel’s mixtape blog

I choose the song “How Sweet is to be Loved By You” by James Taylor because it reminds me of special memories I’ve had with my mother over the years. After my Mother passed away, I’ve had many things to remind myself that she’s always there, including this song. The song starts off with a tone that is happy and pure just like my mother’s optimistic personality. The way the music is all upbeat and has a catchy rhythm reminds me of classic groups like the Beatles, the Police, and Bob Marley. My mother and I would listen to this music whenever she was driving. It also reminds me of fun things I did with my mom, like watching movies, tv shows, and asking how my day went. It also reminds me of how much she loved and cared for me whenever she helped me with my school work and bought whichever videogames came out. A lyric that stands out to me is “I needed the shelter of someone’s arms and there you were.” I’m able to connect to this quote so well because it makes me flashback to all the times my mom was there for me whether I was mad, sad, or stressed, she was always was there to comfort me during those times. This quote also represents that her house was always my home, no matter what, even if I ever ended up moving out, she would always be there to accept me and keep me safe. In another quote James Taylor sings, “I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were.” This quote identifies how my mom would always be there and help me find a solution to the situation by listening to problems I’ve had, whether it came to school, family, or work. Another important quote that caught my attention was “I close my eyes at night wondering where I would be without you in my life.” This quote links to how I would wonder if I didn’t have my mom what position would I be in, and how would I feel? In the end this song makes me feel all kinds of emotions, like happiness. Reflecting on great memories I’ve had with mom from childhood to kid to teenager makes me feel a strange mixture of emotions like regret, sadness, delight, and in the end happiness. This song speaks to me in a special way because of this and will always have a special place in my heart from here on out.