Obsessed with Conformity

Answer to Yourself - The Soft Pack

Everything about this song reminds me of being twenty. Drink in its awesomeness. The Soft Pack. 

Jim Mitchem is a father, husband, writer and started smashcommunications, llc. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - Quiet Little Voices

With a name like We Were Promised Jetpacks, they were destined to be a fave on this blog. Hailing from the motherland (Scotland), this is "Quiet Little Voices." Look out for these guys in 2010.

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of the virtual ad agency smashcommunications  You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

What Iron Maiden Taught Me About Life

My mother is in town for Thanksgiving. I was fully prepared to wax nostalgic here about how she influenced my childhood and how my own children are forming memories with her now. But that's a bit cliche. And I hate that. 

So in seeing my mom today for the first time in a year, I got to thinking about how it was at the end of my time with her as a teenager and how I had other influences that helped shape the man I am today. Most of these came from music, history, the movies and literature. And yes, Playboy too - but mostly music. And mostly British metal bands. Sure, I liked the Aussies (AC/DC) and tolerated the Americans (Van Halen), but nothing compared to the Brits. 

I first saw Iron Maiden as an opening act for Judas Priest in Houston in 1981. I was 16. I saw them a few more times over the years and eventually moved away from metal toward grunge in the 90s. However, I recently saw part of an amazing documentary called Flight 666 that got me thinking about how Iron Maiden (the band and the brand) had its claws deep in my psyche as a young man. And while at the time it seemed like pure folly that I listened so intently to their music, a few of the things I learned from this little ol' band from England that I still apply in my life today include the following: 

1) Story Matters - Aces High, Revelations, Flight of Icarus, Run to the Hills, Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner (and so on) proves that Iron Maiden clearly understands the sticking power of solid storytelling in terms of developing concepts for their music. I first heard Churchill's speech via Maiden and still get chill bumps every time I hear it. 

2) Brand Matters - Another Englishman once said, "To thy own self be true." Over the years, Maiden's had a few different players but one thing that's remained consistent has been their sci-fi horror aesthetic (particularly Eddie) along with a tight, trigger-quick baseline. This loyalty to their brand over the past 20-something years is one of the main reasons they still pack soccer stadiums around the world with an army of brand loyalists. 

3) Passion Matters (aka Bring It) - Looking back I can say now that I am grateful for Maiden providing me with a place to put my teen angst. But more than anything I'm grateful for the passion that explodes through their music. In seeing the song below played live on Palladia the other night, I realized that the hammer they threw down on me as a teenager is still pounding away inside me today through different channels. 

4) Earplugs Matter (a gentle reminder, courtesy of @apollosfyre)

Up the irons! 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter, founder of the virtual ad agency smashcommunications, and a recovering metalhead. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - 7 Deadly Sins

No, this isn't new. But it sure will put you on a different planet. 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of the virtual ad agency smashcommunications  You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - Mountain Man

I'm sorry, but this song just rocks. Crash Kings, Mountain Man

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications  You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - Hate To Say I Told You So

If you don't like The Hives you're just stupid. ;) 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - The Way You Wear Your Head

My wife says that she can tell if a song is 'me' or not. She says this is me. Is it you? 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week - Lions

They've been called "the best modern pop band you've never heard of." Lions, by The Features. Oh, and is that Peter Jackson playing the bass? 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Band of the Month

When you love what you do, it shows. I took my wife and daughters to see The Avett Brothers on August 8th in Charlotte. They're local musicians, and I've grown quite fond of their music and songwriting. And this is coming from a guy who doesn't ordinarily gravitate to Bluegrass (if you look through the other music on this blog you'll understand). Check them out online and on Twitter, and once you get past the idea that maybe Bluegrass isn't cool enough - let the lyrics sink in. 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Song of the Week

 

This song has grown on me - Percussion Gun, by the White Rabbits

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications.com. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Sink Into Me - Song of the Week

Music is as much a part of creative thinking as any of my muses. In fact, constant new music is one of the things that keeps me thinking - period. This is Taking Back Sunday. I like their energy and soul. Viva el nuevo. 

Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications.com. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv

Some Songs Move You - Spinnerette

Music is as important to creativity as any visual. And this song moves me. Around the room.

The more I listen to Beck - the more I hear Bowie.

One Shot. Amazing.