dancing days are here again, as the summer evenings grow

Sometimes I think the air that I breathe is laced with a chemical called "luck", or something along those lines. I just can't think of a human being alive more naturally fortunate than I. I'll start at the beginning.
Yesterday was my birthday, which in itself was great. I'm the type of person who feels so special for every minute of my birthday. I was woken up at 8:30 by Nicola and Michele coming into my room, where we proceeded to lie in bed, listening to Led Zeppelin. Then we went for a bike ride and got some nice, greasy breakfast at an all-day breakfast joint (aren't the best breakfasts always from an all-day breakfast place?). We did a little thrifting and I found an LP by a band I'd never heard of called The Love Machine. I bought it just because it was called Electric Music to Blow Your Mind By. Then I went home to be showered in presents by my family. I got Black Mountain's double LP In the Future, which Nicola and I listened to in its entirity today and absolutely worshipped. The sleeve alone was worth the price (even though I didn't buy it myself).
My sister got me Fat Albert on DVD, which was amazing.
I got various other lovely trinkets and then I happened upon my final birthday present, two sheets of paper, wrapped in a bow.
I unrolled them and looked at them for a moment. My mind really comprehend what the paper was trying to tell me, so I simply said, "No." And then I burst into tears and bawled for ten minutes.
Luckily, they were tears of joy, for you see, my friends, what the papers were were two tickets to see George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.
Yes, I'm not joking. I am going to see George Clinton, a.k.a. God, and his band of Merry Funkateers in less than one month. It still hasn't fully hit me. I don't know if there is a God (besides George Clinton) but if there is, I suspect he's a little sweet on me.
Now's for the bad news. I am going away for most of the summer, so my postings will be sporadic at best and nonexistant at worst. I'm not stoked about it, but I'm seeing Parliament-Funkadelic, so I've got nothing to complain about.
Have a fantastic summer, kittens, I know I will.
I hope you were comforted by me calling you by a pet name.
Good day.

nobody knows you when you're down and out

let the sun beat down upon my face with stars to fill my dream

Cate from Retro Life Style has tagged me to reveal seven songs I've been listening to a lot lately. Obviously, I'm 100% down for this type of tag. If my overenthusiastic bubbling about a song piques your interest, I've provided a link for where you can go hear it.

Alicia Keys - Teenaged Love Affair

I've always been an Alicia Keys fan and she rarely disappoints me. I love her voice, and I think the longing in her voice when she sings "It's a matter of extreme importance" is just perfect for the song.

Outkast - Prototype

For years, I actually didn't really like this song at all until, when researching for a certain blog post, I found the video. Simply put, it was one of the best videos I'd ever seen, and I proceeded to fall madly in love with the song. Now I listen to this song daily and worship at the altar of its genius. All hail my future husband, Andre 3000.

Fleetwood Mac - Before the Beginning
I talk about Nicola so much on this blog that you probably think she's the voice inside my head or something. You're be 90% right. Nicola is the source of most of what it is good in my life and one of the many examples of that is this song. She introduced me to it and since then, I like to curl up and enjoy it's beauty. I have to stress that this is not the Fleetwood Mac of Stevie Nicks fame, and this song doesn't sound like "Don't Stop". This is the early, British, bluesy Fleetwood Mac, which I prefer.

Black Sabbath - War Pigs
I'm not surprised if you're surprised about this choice. Frankly, I'm surprised. I've never thought of Black Sabbath as a group I would like, but this is the second song of theirs that I've heard ("Planet Caravan" being the first) and the second that I've really liked.

Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
Marvin Gaye...where do I even begin? His music never fails to make me feel great and his voice is just so soothing. Lately, I've been craving this song to no end.

Parliament - (You're a Fish and I'm a) Water Sign

I found myself in the record store with Black Mountain's In the Future in hand, about to buy it. "Hmm," I thought to myself, "maybe I should just check the Parliament section to see if they've gotten anything new in..." Lo and behold, they'd just had a shipment of a number of Parliament albums. I flipped through the albums, nearly crying with joy over the excitement of the covers. But I was already holding In the Future, I really should just stick with that. Then, I noticed that one of the albums had a song called "(You're a Fish and I'm a) Water Sign". Bye, bye, Black Mountain.
Nobody else seems to think this title is as great as I do. I feel a spiritual connection to it on a couple levels: the astrology reference was fantastic for someone as obsessed with astrology as I am; I actually am a water sign (and so is George Clinton...Cancers, hollaaaa!), and the wit of it just killed me. I was so pleased that the song itself, a stirring piece about the difficulties of being in love with a mermaid (and one of Parliament's few ballads!) lived up to the title.

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

I've always liked the Robert Plant quote "'Stairway to Heaven' isn't the definitive Zeppelin song...'Kashmir' is!" (I might be paraphrasing) because I hate that "Stairway" often is the song most associated with Led Zeppelin. "Kashmir" captures their dark mystique. It's also on one of the few Zeppelin albums I don't own (yet!) so it teases me with the fact that I really only listen to it at Nicola's. You've heard it, but if you want to revisit, here you go.

If you're in the mood for posting your seven songs du jour, then I declare "Go for it." If not, hey, that's cool, too.

she's giving me a heart attack, but it's the kind i like

Well the Kayla Hyne Chant train keeps on a-rollin'. Jess submitted her own solo contribution.


Jess runs the blog Tres Fly, and she really lives up to the name. Her blog is mostly an outfit blog, and I really admire how much she takes chances. Here are some of my favourite outfits of hers.



I have to say, I'm so thrilled and overwhelmed with the Kayla Hyne Chant videos submitted thus far.
Just to review, there's the original (by Nicola and myself), the first response (lovingly crafted by the amazing Libby), the second response (by the fantastic Sophia) and this latest solo effort, by Jess.
I'm so stoked about these videos, guys, they're really awesome, and I know Kayla is just elated. I just can't express how much I appreciate you making these videos and I really hope each of your posts made it worth it to you. Because there's been such a great response, I want to lay down some guidelines about future Kayla Hyne Chant videos (I've got my fingers crossed that there are some!)
-Chants really are best with a group...if you can't find a group, that's cool, but it really is ideal...parties are perfect because drunk people will just fall right in, though I completely understand that it's a bit of an awkward thing to get going because none of your friends know Kayla Hyne
-I totally understand why you guys want to protect your anonymity, it is the Internet after all. That being said, some visuals would be awesome, even if it's not people or anything.
Anyway, I'm just so blown away by how much response there is for this. You guys are like winged monkeys, or something equally exciting.

she's touring the facility and picking up slack

Everyday we pick up the newspapers or turn on the news...actually, probably not, but everyday we are constantly reminded that humanity pretty much sucks.
But no!! This week, it was brought to my attention that human nature is basically good. Especially Sophia. Her fantastic friends and her submitted to me this video, nearly singlehandedly restoring my faith in the universe.

The Kayla Hyne Chant lives on!! And I can't tell you how perfect the timing was, as it was Kayla Hyne's 18th birthday yesterday. She was so thrilled with the new video that she proceeded to get way too drunk, but who says that's a bad thing?
But this point isn't (totally) about Kayla Hyne. This is about Sophia, who runs the blog The Banana is IN, a blog with a title that I must admit makes no sense to me, therefore I can appreciate its greatness from the outside.

Frankly, I'm not shocked that Sophia is so cool. She's from my favourite American city and I have no doubt that her hometown has been part of the path that led her to her current excellence.
What makes Sophia so great? Well, for one, from what I gather, she's only thirteen and yet she's already great! When I was thirteen, I was obsessed with Michael Jackson! At such a young age, she already knows exactly what she wants from life. Her goal? "to be able to put on my lipstick a la The Breakfast Club."
She also has great taste.

This dress is so far beyond perfect for a good time that I can't imagine spending a split second not enjoying life while wearing it.
She's also an extra in the upcoming movie Milk, so keep your eyes peeled for a girl radiating the awesomeness that comes with performing the Kayla Hyne Chant during the crowd scenes.
Sophia enjoys "escapades of hilarity" and I ask, who among us doesn't love such escapades?
In short, Sophia is all of us. Already great, the Kayla Hyne Chant has taken her to the next level of rad-ness. Read Sophia's blog and, for Lord's sake, take the challenge yourself.

you used to love it, to ride my broom, honey

I know I've been advising you for over a year to buy your vintage from my friend Nicola (BUY YOUR VINTAGE FROM NICOLA, and while you're at it, add her store on Myspace) but, as you might be aware, there are other places to buy vintage clothes. One such store I feel deserves a mention is Nasty Gal Vintage.

Hmm, catchy name, where did they get it?

Oh, yes, I think I've mentioned a certain Betty Davis before. So, there was obviously an immediate attraction there.
Though her shop is mostly 80's and I'm more of a 60's type of person, I still found items I really liked. Here are some of my favourites:

I'd wear this when I was in a Cory Kennedy mood.
Oh, how my groupie heart weeps for these boots.
Maybe this amazing dress could teach me to slouch as nicely as this model.
Nicola sent me this picture saying it was something the GTO's would wear and she's so right.
I STILL NEED A LEATHER JACKET.
This is Nicola's favourite item.

You can find Nasty Gal Vintage at their official website, or on Myspace.

P.S. Oh, and just for the record, I hate it when people comment me saying "oh, hey, let's link up" and then don't. I rarely use my blogroll, but whenever people ask to link up, I always make an effort to add them, so enough with the empty link invitations.
P.P.S. And if you're going to link me, please get it right. I understand for some of you, "psychedelic" is a tricky word to spell, but there's Ctrl+C for a reason right? (/bitchiness)

it's all happening

"They don't even know what it is to be a fan. You know, to truly love some silly little piece of music or some band so much that it hurts." -Sapphire, Almost Famous

Anyone who knows me knows I have long been in love with groupies. Some may see groupies as pathetic sluts, but I don't see it that way. Some definitely are, but the ones I love (hint: not the Rock of Love bitches, no matter how awesome that show is) are awesome, empowered individuals. Yes, Almost Famous is my favourite movie and I've read Pamela des Barres' books. I think I've found my future career path.
Polexia, Sapphire and Estrella from Almost Famous
Cynthia Plaster Caster
(Jimmy Page and) Lori Maddox, alias "Lori Lightning"
The goddess and my favourite fictional person ever, Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson, but you knew that)

Cynthia Plaster Caster
Cynthia Plaster Caster and Pamela Des Barres
Miss Christine of the GTO's
Miss Christine and Miss Pamela of the GTO's
The GTO's

"I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends." -Penny Lane, Almost Famous