Dark Poem of Addiction

  Let me just get this post started by saying I love Lou Reed. One of the first albums I ever bought from the record store was the Velvet Underground & Nico, and it rocked. There's a famous quite (supposedly by Brian Eno) "The Velvet Underground's first album only sold a few thousand copies, but everyone who bought one formed a band." Although it has been confirmed that around 1969 (about two years after the album's initial release) that about 58,476 copies were sold, rather than just a "few thousand," I feel that this quote still holds true power. Just listening to anything by the band and you will absolutely love it. It will transport you to a futuristic world in which music cannot be defined by year or genre. And you will love it.
  That being said, I don't plan on making this a depressing tribute post to the lovely life of Lou and all his work. I plan on making this a celebratory post on everything going on in my life right now, and I hope you all will appreciate it.
  This past Thursday and Friday were.. heavenly. I was finally happy, for one of the first times in the past year, and for no particular reason, either. Actually, on both Thursday and Friday I couldn't stop listening to the Velvet's "Heroin" and "Sweet Jane." Both those songs always mellow me out.. I'm listening to them as a type, and the sweet sixties vibe is calming me down. It's strange.. they're an upbeat rock band, yet they make you feel like you're floating on a groovy cloud. I wasn't planning on making this a Lou post, but fuck.. listening to the Velvet Underground again is bringing back so many memories. They just have a sound that's so unique, I can't even describe it. Screw ranting about my life. Everyone go listen to Lou Reed!

Sam's Current Obsessions: #1 - Monty Python's Flying Circus

  What can I say about Monty Python's Flying Circus? It paved the way for most sketch comedy shows, like Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, as well as plenty of others. It is one of my personal favorite shows of all time. And the brilliant thing is, despite it not being played on television anymore, every episode is available on YouTube, for FREE! (something which is very rare these days.) Don't know what Monty Python is? Well let me explain!

  Monty Python were a British comedy group that started way back when in good ol' 1969. They eventually landed their own TV show, a fantastic thing called Monty Python's Flying Circus. The show was full of strange comedy sketches that often made little sense until the punchline. And they were fucking HILARIOUS.
  The group consisted of Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman (which is possibly the most British name ever), Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Together, they were the Pythons!
  If you're not big into British humor, you probably won't be a big fan of the show or their style of comedy. But since I am, I find these men the funniest. Half of the time they would end their sketches with a police man or some sort of hilariously ridiculous pun or punchline that made you scratch your head in question but still laugh your ass off. They were brilliant, and I feel like the Pythons were essential to modern comedy as we know it. Like take a look at this "Self-defense against fruit" sketch, probably a ridiculously silly concept, but hilariously executed.

 

Or if that doesn't tickle your funny bone, try watching the classic "Dead Parrot" sketch, one of my personal favorites.

Then check out the Lumberjack song, from which the Dead Parrot sketch segways into (pay attention to the "what about my parrot?!" heard in the background, it always leaves me dying laughing)
(check out the original Lumberjack Song here)

The Spam sketch always makes me crack up. I think it's so funny, it could very well be the funniest sketch in my opinion. 

And of course, I couldn't forget the ministry of silly walks:

  There are so many other sketches I could have posted, and all are classics. I hope you enjoyed my current obsession, the wonderfully funny Pythons. :)

Spookadelic

  So I fucking LOVE October. It is my favorite month of the year. Everything is pumpkin flavored, you can still go apple-picking, it's John Lennon's birthday on the ninth, it's that perfect slightly-cold but not quite freezing weather, apple cider is available more popularly and, oh yeah- IT'S FUCKING HALLOWEEN! Halloween is the best holiday of the year and if you deny that then you're wrong.
  I have had a love of vampires LONG before Twilight was even a thought. I love dressing up in fun costumes (last year I was David Bowie) and trick-or-treating for candy. All the dark colors- black, purple, and orange- they just make the holiday a thousand times better. The decorations are amazing; all the plastic spiders and bats and fake gravestones on people's lawns just make me love getting into the Halloween spirit. Over all, I just love Halloween.

This is from Rookie and I love it so therefore it shall be the cover photo.

Vintage skeletons are so cool.

THIS FUCKING VIDEO

Bobbing for apples!

Trick-or-treating. 

Hardcore pumpkin carving!

You'll freak when you see it.. 

The Shining is the best movie I've ever seen and it's perfect for Halloween.

THIS MOVIE

So here's some spookadelic (my own word, I'm quite proud of it) songs to help you get into the Halloween mood :) Enjoy!

1. "Spooky Scary Skeletons" by Andrew Gold
2. "Witchy Woman" by the Eagles
3. "Season of the Witch" by Donovan
4. "Strange Magic" by Electric Light Orchestra
5. "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
6. "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
7. "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers (MY FAVE SONG EVER)
8. "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.
9. "Goo Goo Muck" by The Cramps
10. "People are Strange" by The Doors