Monday, August 20, 2007

W>A>T>C>H>O>U>T>
Reality Bites. Everyday and Night.


"I hate clocks, and i could break them all!!"


Ashley Mollerup is sitting next to me on her couch and it's 2:30 in the morning.


Her roomate has made some sort of fish dish tonight and it reeks like the San Fransisco bay.
We have just gotten done discussing each others communication flaws, while making custom ringtones on I-tunes. My favorite ringtone of the evening is Lo-Fi-Fnk's What's On Your Mind, which i'm making play on my phone everytime I recieve a text message. I soon realize i hate the sound of clocks, but rarely have time to hear them because i'm either hearing people bicker, listening to jams or thinking really loudly.


All of this is happening after our latest summer trend, that is watching a fresh crop of really trashy reality television. Let me explain! I used to loathe the very idea of this sort of entertainment, excluding timeless classics such as The Real World and that awesome show on VH1 called Bands On The Run. But with the addition of the ON DEMAND feature in my life, cable tv's finest reality tv offerings are now at mine and my crew's disposal. This started with my liking of the latest season of Survivor a few months ago. That was when i individually got hooked to watching certain people's bickering and drama unfold in a "game" style setting with rediculous competitions and strategy. But it wasn't until VH1 decided to play a marathon of one of the seasons of Surreal Life, that Ashley joined me in a growing obsession. I caught our friend Adam watching Beauty and the Geek and Americas Top Model and sat in on those marathons and decidedly got hooked to watching as well. Perhaps it was the chance to make our own commentary on everything that was so funny and rediculous about each program.
Lately though this whole thing has gotten way out of hand. I know this because I have decided to dedicate a whole blog entry about this fascination! Here I have compiled a list of the shows that are driving me mad, both the good way and the bad. Myself and Ashley bring you: Our LIST OF Reality TV'S LATEST Finest and Flawed Moments 2007!



BOTTOM 5

10. NEWPORT HARBOR

9. THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR

8. MAN BAND

7. SIMPLE LIFE

6. THE PICK UP ARTIST

TOP 5

5. THE REAL WORLD

4. THE ROCK LIFE

3. ROCK OF LOVE

2. BIG BROTHER 8

1. THE HILLS

Friday, June 8, 2007

S>T>E>R>E>O>
JUNE: WHAT'S PLAYIN' ON THE STEREO.

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TOKYO POLICE CLUB - CUT CUT PASTE
These guys are from Canada and have blown up on a whim. I think their music is bouncy and to the point. This song for example is a "shout out 'em" anthem that's punchy and shaky.



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CUT COPY - HEARTS ON FIRE
I am obsessed with Cut Copy. They have been ruling me for only a couple years. This cut of new material is sexalisious. I am in love with life everytime this jam comes on.



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RYAN ADAMS - HALLOWEEN HEAD
This man is essential. His record Love Is Hell is one of my favorite records of all time. He releases ass loads of records in small spans of time, but they are all good. Even his worst. "Halloween Head" is his sneak peak into his new record Easy Tiger, which drops this month.



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THE MINT - WHERE LOVE WON'T GO
This is really good pop rock. Like better than those whiny dudes The Fray, and way way more indie! They don't even have a wikipedia page! Yah, that's how indie. This song moves.



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XIU XIU - SAVE ME SAVE ME
This band will probably scare the hell out of you because it is noisy and strange and sexually ambiguious. But it's also one of my recent top 5 listening expieriences. If i could put their entire record, The Air Force, on this thing i would. This song is gorgeous.



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RUMBLE STRIPS - MY OH MY
Reminds me of a less ass shakin' Futureheads, and I only think because of the great harnmonies. It's like were in a musical or a a pub or something. The trumpet is rock, and the shout in the middle reminds me of greatness. It's fun.



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COCONUT RECORDS - NIGHTIMIN'
Uh OH! Jason Schwartzman is challenging his old band, Phantom Planet, to a duel. A knife fight in an LA alley. This song is a sexy departure from his garge pop Phantom Planet songwriting, and even though Phantom Planet will always have a fan in me, Jason doesn't always. But Json's got his hooks in mewith this little notion.



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SEA WOLF - YOUR A WOLF
I get extremely jealous of this song. I wish i had written it first. Put this on your i-pod, walk a mile on a dark evening and have this on repeat. Yah, one of those jams.



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PETER BJORN AND JOHN - ANCIENT CURSE
This is the opposite of their hit whistlin' song "Young Folks". Kinda down tempo, reminds me of Yo La Tengo. It's kinda dark, and still has whistlin' in it. Kinda their dark whistlin' song.



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PATRICK WOLF - TRISTAN
Mr. Wolf has got something for sure. This song is a little haunting, and a little not. It's like chamber-dance rock. Dance rock made in a basment of a church in rome.

Friday, June 1, 2007

F>O>L>K>S>
Ashley Mollerup discusses her "Kings of Leon" summer.

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Ashley Mollerup is a bad ass. Or at least she wants me to think she is. We arrive at the Provo Denny's a little after 1am, with Memorial Day far now us. Were seated across from a couple who's very very into each other. Between bites of their "moons over my hammy" sandwich, they kiss and nibble at each others necks.


Ms. Mollerup is a tall girl. Her distinct sense of style and air of confidence could seem intimidating to the average person. Sure she's wearing Slouch Jeans by Levi's, black slip-ons by Vans, and a basic white ball cap she fondly remembers from her first year in Provo, when she purchased it at a Lids at the University mall. But it's her own personal touches, her own "flare" that make her fashions eye catching. She layers a black Volcom jacket, atop a vintage sea green button up, atop an ash grey Hane's tank. Around her neck she ties a black hanker chief she proudly purchased at Walmart, and around her waist she wraps a red leather belt that's clearly holding on to it's last few wears. Her proudest piece tonight is a vintage Phillipe Charrio brown reptile skin bag made in Italy, but purchased at Value Village in Washington one year for 6 dollars. She later tells me she would describe her style as "trashy/dirty chic".


She's into fashion (I find out she went to fashion school for a year, before moving here to attend BYU), music (while attending the Coachella Music Festival this year, she and her friend were recognized by a group of people who thought they were the indie girl rock duo Camera Obscura), and films (she's the only person I've met that actually enjoyed Hannibal Rising, and that isn't a bad thing necessarily).


After a few minutes, and some deliberating over what to order, Ashley opts for a plate of curly fries, which the waitress informs us that they are actually not curly but seasoned fries, yet they taste just like curly fries. Some time passes and the fries arrive.

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I find out the 23 year old is originally from Vancouver, Wasington. Although her occupation is "always changing", she's currently a Target Protection Specialist at the Orem Supertarget. I think it's a fancy word for security guard, yet she corrects me.

SUBSTANCE: Have You cuffed anyone yet?

AM: Well, just myself.

SUBSTANCE: Hmmm..curious, if you could be any celebrity, who would you be?

AM: It would probably be a guy. Probably Ryan Adams. Just kidding. I would just do him.

SUBSTANCE: So tell me about this "Kings of Leon" summer. What inspired it?

AM: My friend Gretchen and I went to Coachella this year and saw Kings of Leon perform. They made me really happy. Extremely happy. I loved their whole everything, their whole persona. I regretted missing them this last year when they came through, but i had already bought tickets for both the Jenny Lewis and Two Gallants shows, so i was broke. The other time I missed seeing them, i was back home and decided to see The Honorary Title and Lucero at Dantes in Portland instead because the Kings of Leon show was more expensive. It was the worst mistake ever. I went to Dantes alone that night and while I watched Lucero, Jared from The Honorary Title stood next to me and I hated it because he was shorter than me.

SUBSTANCE: Was he ugly or something?

AM: No he's way hot! He looked like he was on heroin. Anyway after Coachella this year I got home and watched the "On Call" video (Kings of Leon's latest single, from their latest record Because of the Times) on You tube, and we declared it "Kings of Leon" summer. Now we have switchblades and play pool and blast them alot.

The fries have now been gobbled up, and the Goo Goo Doll's "Let Love In" is playing from the speaker above us. When i ask her for a lyric she's loving lately, she recites a line from a Two Gallants song called "My Madonna".

IF LIQUERS A LOVER, YOU KNOW I'M A WHORE.

Subconsciously i wonder if the lyric is a reference to something personal, or she's hinting at something. I disregard the thought, and proceed with finding out her current obsessions, and last loves (or hates).

LASTS
(the stuff she last loved)
SONG- "Slow Night, So Long" by Kings of Leon.
RECORD- "Boxer" by The National.
FILM- Fay Grimm with Parker Posey.
TV- The Daily Ten on E!.
SHOW- Will Sartain's new band @ The Urban Lounge in SLC.
FOOD- "What ever the hell that was!" (Referring to the non curly-curly fries).
CELEBRITY SHE HATED ON- Nicole Ritchie.
NON CELEBRITY SHE HATED ON- The waitress.

CURRENTS
(the stuff she's currently loving)
CURRENT GENERAL OBSESSION- Searching for a cool cross necklace (a few days later she makes it clear she doesn't dig the cross necklaces with jesus on them), Losing weight (when i ask her what for, she responds "for my life"), and Taco Bell.
MUSIC- Two Gallants, Kings of Leon and Okkervil River.
FILMS- Hannibal Rising ann The Lives of Others.
TV- The Girls Next Door (she makes it clear that she's forced to watch) and House (and reminds herself of the season finale that's happening on Tuesday).
EVERYDAY PEOPLE- Tyler from Neon Trees (i blush, ok not really).
CELEBRITY- Patrick Wolf (an indie musician from South London).
FOOD- Lean Cuisine Chicken Garlic Pizza.
THING TO DO ON A SATURDAY NIGHT- Watch a movie alone (although i wonder if that's a true answer, or if she's sounding sullen for sullen's sake).

The early morning is turning earlier as we get closer to the end of the interview. The ice water is now barely cold, the waitress has comeover numerous times. The couple acrossed from us are still nibbling, although their meals had been finshed off a while ago.

SUBSTANCE: So what have you got planned for the next week, month and the rest of summer? Let's start with this next week.

AM: I'm going to get my oil changed, I have to get a new social security card, and I'm going to give plasma. Cavil At Rest is playing at Starry Night on Wednesday (she met the band at Coachella, and was excited to see them playing locally here) and i'll be catching internal theft at target.

SUBSTANCE: Internal? Like an employee? (I instantly picture her cuffing her first criminal).

She responds by telling me she knows the person, but only from working at target and watching surveilance video. I instantly think of my 6 month stint at 7Eleven this year, and said a silent prayer that tehir really weren't all the "hidden cameras" my manager informed of. Not because of fear of being caught stealing, no, actually of being caught dancing.

AM: I'm sleeping over at your house this week too.

She says this because Lola Ray, a fantastic band from originally heralding from Brooklyn, is on tour with Cavil At Rest. She is aware that I am good friends with the guys in Lola Ray, and they have stayed at my house on their tours in the past. She thinks Cavil At Rest will also stay at my house, and so i am not flattered, but more willing to cooperate so she can have her fantasy realized.

AM: I'll be hitting up Dance Dance Vinyl Monster on saturday night as well. Oh and House! I Cannot forget the House finale. The next month i plan to go home to washington for a while.

As for the rest of Ashley Mollerup's summer plans, she's looking forward to bonfires in the canyons, hitting up pool halls, preparing for Austin City Limits and paying off her credit card bills. And of course listening to alot of Kings of Leon.