new tune:christian slater

Feeling pretty pathetic right now because I haven't posted here for way too long!!

Basically I thought I'd share my band, Trip Fontaine's new song 'Christian Slater'. Please give it a listen, I hope ya'll like it.

Sorry this post was way too short...

https://soundcloud.com/schoolofrock-sydney-schoolofrocksydney/christian-slater

horrors of high school no more

At this moment in my life I feel I am finally free from the suffocating, concrete walls of my 'old' school. Being able to let go of those past 4 years has been liberating and amazing. I've certainly experienced the horrors of high school as I know so many others have. 

I remember being so excited to go to high school...I watched American teen movies and just expected the next years of my life to be fun, filled with great friends and interesting boys, but little did I know the first 3 years of high school would be full of ups and downs (unfortunately lots of downs). 

When you're a teenager, you're fragile, full of emotions, expectations and disappointment. Being surrounded by only girls for up until year 10 was not too good for me. Yes, there were no embarrassing period issues in front of boys but being in a school with almost a thousand girls made me realise how much I needed boys in my life. 

I didn't realise until high school how nasty girls could be. The constant gossiping about who's doing what was almost toxic. People didn't have their own opinions, they just followed a leader and if that leader hated someone, so would the rest. I couldn't understand the social side of my former school. Girls would turn their noses up if you spoke to someone they didn't like and one girl was even told she couldn't sit with me. Personally I believe you should be able to sit with whoever you want, whenever you want and everyone should have to deal with it!

So yes, I'm moving schools. Yes, I will miss people, but just to be free from an environment that wasn't right for me is a great feeling. 

I thought leaving those school gates for the last time would feel strange but instead I just felt as though this enormous weight was taken off my shoulders. I could feel the eyes of girls who hated me divert to look at someone else and it felt so good. 

I've bought my new uniform and I'm ready for the next two years of my high school life to be pretty peachy keen!

Farewell enemies & friends from the past and RIP bad school memories from 2011-2014.

girls are grrreat

Feminism isn't a word girls like to mention all too often. There's a definite stigma attached to saying you're a 'feminist' and it's the crappiest stigma of all. Many think of a feminist as being a man-hater, not shaving their legs, hating dresses and burning bras left, right and centre. 

I can proudly say I AM A FEMINIST and no, I do not hate men (I actually love a darn huge amount of men), and yes I like to take my sweet time in between shaving my legs but just because I do, who says that makes someone a feminist, and I haven't burned a bra but am currently thinking it would be a great way to express my angst towards everything. 

I've been slightly hooked on feminist rants lately, mainly because I have continuously witnessed people being seriously sexist and outright disgusting. So when I walk down a mildly busy road just near my house to walk to the train station, sometimes cars beep and men stick their heads out of their car windows to wolf-whistle and yell. There's a part of me that wants to be flattered but I'm not flattered in any way whatsoever. I'm a 15 year old girl and being honked at by men possibly more than 10 years older than me makes me feel like I'm nothing but something to be looked at. I feel as though as soon as these men see a female you better honk because apparently their approval is all that matters.

Being a female drummer there's an idea that I won't be as good enough as the boy next to me with bigger muscles. Yes, he may be better than me but when I think about it's just horrible that women are seen as the weaker species. I can thank Kurt Cobain for saying "I like the comfort in knowing that women are the only future of rock & roll" and I eternally thank him through listen to his great tunes for being such a damn great feminist! Note to boys: you can be a feminist too and join us in reaching equal rights for both sexes.

I was online only a short while before writing this and came across those annoying 'news' articles and one article was entitled '7 celebrities who look better healthier'. The whole idea of women never looking 'perfect' has really affected the way I think about myself and my body. Through the ways of the media, you can't be too thin because then you're anorexic and you can't be too 'curvy' because then your fat and unattractive. Going to an all girls school I've witnessed several girls grabbing at their legs and calling them fat, and girls on year 8 reminding themselves they're on diets and need to stop eating. I'm not saying these girls are being ridiculous because unfortunately the way we think about our bodies derives from the media and the idea of perfection. 

Sinead O'Conner, Beyonce, Ellen Page, Zooey Deschanel and Hillary Clinton are just some of the many women who have come out and announced they are feminists. And as Ellen Page stated "why are people so reluctant to say they're feminists?" and unfortunately I think her question will haunt mankind for a long time to come. 

But I AM a feminist and always will be. 

Friends... & Twin Peaks

Friends are complicated, and I sure have a lot of experience. I am currently wearing an oversized Qantas shirt from years past, listening to the hum of my Dad's music and desperately trying to remember what happened in the last Twin Peaks episode. But trust me, friendship can be dodgy and shitty at the best of times. 

Now ok, I do have friends but I'm at a point in my life where I have decided to do things for myself and not for the so called 'friends' in the world of high school. Being a human is hard but saying "hi" to someone in the corridors isn't. Friendship is a game in high school.People prance around clinging onto people they don't want anything to do with on weekends or even seconds after school. And I have come to a point where I feel as though I am a much happier person to know I have a few friends I know I can tell the most embarrassing stories. And although they may not want to hear about the scariest part in 'The Shining' for the third time, they listen because hey, they're my friend. 

I almost feel like there should be some sort of handbook written by Laura Palmer or Dale Cooper on how to decipher your true friends and the ones that just linger in the background and then pounce on an opportunity when it's a fine time to be your friend (it's always beneficial for them).

I do spend numerous moments wishing I was surrounded by a population of perfect, honest and just darn kind people but who am I kidding? I mean I can't even stand outside a classroom without feeling awkward and surrounded by people I honestly don't want to hear from. I now feel as though the term 'acquaintances' is a more appropriate term for half the people I associate myself with at school. 

But as I close on this message about ugh, friendship; I am safe in the knowledge that I do have a group of people that are really my friends and do take some general interest in discovering what I ate for dinner. Telling them what I ate for dinner could possibly be one of the most boring subjects but at least I'm safe in the knowledge that some people really do care. And for those who are curious, I had meatballs for dinner (trust me they were better than just the dead boring stuff). 

I really don't want to end on some cheesy quote about friendship that will make your eyes roll back into your head. So, I think in the end I feel safe to say that I am proud to take a stand against the fake foes and whether my decisions will have detrimental effects, I shall see. But in the end I will just imagine I'm Audrey (yep, from Twin Peaks) and maybe I can use my charm to make me feel better. 

As a side note; I apologise for all the Twin Peaks references and the constant reference to the term 'friends' or 'friendship' but as you did discover, this post is about friendship. 

Now I shall dream of coffee as black as midnight and cherry pie.

Lily x

school, copycats and the game of friendship

So sadly the holidays are over, school has once again begun and I find myself trapped between concrete walls of 'copycats' and dodgy friends. 

They've always said imitation is the best form of flattery but I can't help but feel a little irritated when I discover a new band, new pair of shoes, or a new something special-to-me-thing-in-life only to discover that once posted on my Instagram account it's soon blatantly and shamelessly mimicked. 

Going back to school has always been one of those awkward moments for me and I felt as though I was met by my mirror image once I had stepped into the school hall.

Yes, I understand no one is completely original. We are all inspired by others but it's important to acknowledge your fangirling and your style icons too. And I guess the point I'm trying to make is there is a huge difference between style 'inspiration' and cloning. I now feel as though I'm not as individual and unique as I once was as someone is constantly watching and taking note of every minuscule thing I take interest in. 

So, should we be flattered or annoyed that someone is copying us? It definitely depends on whether they are a close friend or an acquaintance. Close friends should know better or know to at least acknowledge where they got their ideas from. On the other hand, acquaintances are always the first to say they find you inspiring and that's utterly rad!

Hopefully school is treating you all well.

Lilyx

Teenage Tears

A playlist which fulfils my needs as an angsty teen. Maybe it will do the same for you.  

The bands that complete me

After you have read the title to this post I'm sure you will be wondering how music can complete someone, but it's pretty simple. Any band I can listen to everyday non-stop completes me and I have rather a few to admit to for better or worse. 

For starters, it would probably be a good time to admit to my overwhelming addiction to Arctic Monkeys. I am currently taking on a project- making an Alex Turner shrine which will sort of sum up my love for him. I mean which teenage girl doesn't love a singer who uses smooth lyrics and has the best quiff on the entire planet? My obsession with the band from Sheffield, UK first began when I was around 7 or 8. I have to credit my parent's music taste because otherwise I may not have been so utterly in love with this band. When I came into contact with Alex Turner words couldn't describe my emotions. He was right in front of me getting into a car and much to everyone's disgust, he didn't even acknowledge all the fans waiting for him. But it's ok, he can make up for it with Arctic Monkey's new album because I'm pretty sure all the lyrics are handwritten for me. Yeah, that's probably not true but I can only hope. It's almost impossible for me to list my favourite songs but I can say a few:

-Wanna be yours
-When the sun goes down
-Suck it and see
-Arabella
-and every other song on their six albums
Arctic Monkeys complete me because their early lyrics about teenage years and life in Sheffield are quite relatable (even though I don't live in Sheffield). And according to 'Wanna Be Yours' Alex Turner quotes 'I wanna be your vacuum cleaner, breathing in your dust' brilliant!

Moving on to another one of the bands that complete me- Kings of Leon. Despite receiving disproving stares for liking them, Kings of Leon have always been one of the most amazing bands to me. Their first album is what puts them on my list. I'm sorry to say it, but they were so much cooler when they had beards, long hair, tight t-shirts and had very limited fans. Like all bands, they get popular and change their musical style but I still love them! I was a fan from a very young age and used to recite the lyrics in the back of the car while dreaming of marrying Jared Followill. 



Another band and solo artist which make the list is the White Stripes which sadly broke up leading Jack White to be a solo artist. I can also admit to knowing all lyrics off the earlier albums and wishing I was Meg White. If I'm going to focus on my early childhood music taste I'd have to mention Fallout Boy, Elvis Costello, Hole, Nirvana, REM, Coldplay and Foo Fighters. It must have been pretty funny for my parents to see me yelling out lyrics to Foo Fighters songs and attempting to scream like Dave Grohl.

My new favourite bands which have added to the extensive list are The Kooks, Alex Turner's solo work, Miles Kane, The Wombats, First Aid Kit, Black Keys and I've probably forgotten plenty more. Oh, and if you were to browse through my Guvera playlist you'll find my 'oldies but goodies' with songs from Elton John, Hot Chocolate, Hole, The Police and Dolly Parton. Can I sense some cringing through your side of the screen? Well I've always been a sucker for old bands.

So now you've basically scrolled through my playlist and maybe discovered that we're into the same music (if so let me know) or you may be slightly shocked by my musical taste. Now I'm in a band I feel obliged to share music tastes and if you would like to, share your musical tastes with me too!

Lilyx