On Tuesday morning my husband came into the bedroom, where I was comfortably sleeping and proclaimed “road trip”. We got in the car and drove to a destination that was a surprise to me. We ended up at the California Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley.

Along the way, we listened to music non-stop and documented the day with photos and video. In a sense, this is a mix-tape of our trip. All the car shots have music in the background.

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See Michael Zampelli’s photo gallery on Flickr.
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We listened to Q-tip, Gary Numan, drum and bass and The Fall. We traveled from the 710 in Long Beach to the 5 freeway at Castaic Lake. Then, we took mountain roads all the way to the poppy fields. I hope this video inspires you to get out on the road or out in nature. I think we all truly need this type of rejuvenation for our sanity.

Get your Spring garden checks

hello,

adam yauch

P.S. Another great way to shield yourself from cancer cells is laughter. Here’s a YouTube link to one of the funniest Beastie Boys songs there is : Netty’s Girl. Enjoy and don’t forget to meditate.

Buy tunes from The Beastie Boys on iTunes.

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Need help visualizing? Download the free Create the Life You Want MP3 at icreatehabits.com

Do Anything You Wanna Do Lyrics

I’m gonna break out of the city
Leave the people here behind
Searching for adventure
It’s the kind of life to find
Tired of doing day jobs
With no thanks for what I do
I know I must be someone
Now I’m gonna find out who

Why don’t you ask them what they expect from you ?
Why don’t you tell them what you’re gonna do
You’ll get so lonely, maybe it’s better that way
It ain’t you only, you got something to say
Do anything you wanna do
Do anything you wanna do

I don’t need no politicians to tell me things I shouldn’t be
Neither no opticians to tell me what I oughta see
No-one tells you nothing even when you know they know
They tell you what you should be
They don’t like to see you grow

Why don’t you ask them what they expect from you ?
Why don’t you tell them what you’re gonna do
You’ll get so lonely, maybe it’s better that way
It ain’t you only, you got something to say
Do anything you wanna do
Do anything you wanna do

I’m gonna break out of the city
Leave the people here behind
Searching for adventure
It’s the kind of life to find
Tired of doing day jobs
With no thanks for what I do
I know I must be someone
Now I’m gonna find out who

Why don’t you ask them what they expect from you ?
Why don’t you tell them what you’re gonna do
You’ll get so lonely, maybe it’s better that way
It ain’t you only, you got something to say
Do anything you wanna do
Do anything you wanna do
Do anything you wanna do

Watch the video on YouTube

Get Do Anything You Wanna Do by Eddie and the Subtitles on iTunes

Check out more on their MySpace page.

The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.

Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.

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Support Get Galvanized, Visit our Sponsor page.

Words and environment impact your life. In this speech from the Toastmasters manual, The Entertaining Speaker, I outline a musical anthology of my life starting in childhood with weekly immersion in Soul Train, moving to age 11 and the purchase of Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder.

(All song links go to iTunes)

In 1979 it was Rapper’s Delight by Sugar Hill Gang then in the 90’s it was People’s Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm by A Tribe Called Quest.

In between was a lot of fun in the punk rock scene. Songs mentioned and sung in this speech: California Uberalles and Police Truck by The Dead Kennedys and New Dreams by Naked Raygun. I finished up with my theme song: Galvanize by The Chemical Brothers with Q-Tip on vocals.

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If you like music that pumps you up and makes you feel strong, get the free Songs to Galvanize Your Mind PDF.
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Use your mind to Create the Life You Want with my free hypnosis audio at icreatehabits.com

I needed to get off my butt and get my Endorphins pumping so I could tap into my inner warrior.

So, I got out my bike, put some air in my tires, turned on my iPod (set on shuffle) and took off.

Here is what I heard. A perfect selection of songs to get me in the Gal Vanized mood once again:

(All links go to iTunes unless otherwise noted)

Guerillas In The Mist by Consolidated (this link goes to the MP3 download of a very rare, controversial piece of music speaking out against white supremacy)
The Captain Kangroo Theme song (good for tapping into childlike spirit if you were a kid in the 70’s)
Stomp by Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation
Something’s Got to Give by The Beastie Boys

She’s a Woman by The Beatles (Listen on YouTube)
Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine by James Brown

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If you like music that pumps you up and makes you feel strong, get the free Songs to Galvanize Your Mind PDF.
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Use your mind to Create the Life You Want with my free hypnosis audio at icreatehabits.com

I plan to sing a few lyrics through out the speech to capture a bit of the punk rock spirit and, I will (um, “rap”?) vocalize the lyrics of Galvanize by the Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip.

Here are the songs I plan to “sing”/rap in my speech. I’m going to put them here so I can come to this page for practice. Hope you enjoy a little walk down memory lane. I will post a video of the speech on April 10 so come back and see the finished product later.

Viva La Revolution and Joker in the Pack by The Adicts

California Uberalles by the Dead Kennedys

Police Truck by Dead Kennedys

New Dreams by Naked Raygun (Even though you can’t hear the song so great here, I love how this video captures the pure mayhem that takes place at every Naked Raygun show, large or small. Being in that “crowd” energy for so many years of my life, it is difficult to be content with long periods of sitting still.

Galvanize by Chemical Brothers (Party Ben Galvanize the Empire Remix)

Here’s a video of The White Stripes performing Catch Hell Blues for a huge audience at Germany’s Rock am Ring. Check it out. The feeling I get when I watch this is similar to the feeling I get when watching The Song Remains the Same movie about Led Zeppelin. This crowd is something else. Very hypnotic.

Watch the video on YouTube

Get Catch Hell Blues by The White Stripes on iTunes

Check out more on their MySpace page.

The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.

Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.

:
:
Support Get Galvanized, Visit our Sponsor page.

Check out this cool old-school, musical-style video. It’s like Grease meets Frank Sinatra. Guys and Dolls. Fun stuff. They classify themselves as Surf, Pop, Gospel on their MySpace page.

Lyrics for When I’m With You by Best Coast

The world is lazy
but you and me
we’re just crazy

So when I’m with you, I have fun
Yeah when I’m with you, I have fun

The world is lazy
but you and me
We’re just crazy

So when I’m with you, I have fun
Yeah when I’m with you, I have fun

Ever since I was a little girl
My mama always told me
there’d be boys like you

So when I’m with you, I have fun
Yeah when I’m with you, I have fun

I hate sleeping alone (4x)
Alone (5x)

Watch the video on YouTube

Get When I’m With You by Best Coast on iTunes

Check out more on their MySpace page.

The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.

Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.

:
:
Support Get Galvanized, Visit our Sponsor page.

This week’s song is 5 Years Time by Noah and the Whale. See the video and you’ll have fun, fun, fun!

Lyrics for 5 Years Time by Noah and the Whale

Oh well in five years time we could be walking round a zoo
With the sun shining down over me and you
And there’ll be love in the bodies of the elephants too
And I’ll put my hands over your eyes, but you’ll peep through

And there’ll be sun sun sun all over our bodies
And sun sun sun all down our necks
And sun sun sun all over our faces
And sun sun sun -so what the heck!

Cos I’ll be laughing at all your silly little jokes
And we’ll be laughing about how we used to smoke
All those stupid little cigarettes and drink stupid wine
Cos it’s what we needed to have a good time

And it was fun fun fun when we were drinking
It was fun fun fun when we were drunk
And it was fun fun fun when we were laughing
It was fun fun fun, oh it was fun

Oh well I look at you and say
It’s the happiest that I’ve ever been
And I’ll say I no longer feel I have to be James Dean
And she’ll say
“Yah well I feel all pretty happy too”
And I’m always pretty happy when I’m just kicking back with you

And it’ll be love love love all through our bodies
And love love love all through our minds
And it be Love love love all over her face
And Love love love all over mine

Although maybe all these moments are just in my head
I’ll be thinking ’bout them as I’m lying in bed
And all that I believe, it might not become true
But in my mind I’m havin’ a pretty good time with you

In five years time I might not know you
In five years time we might not speak
In five years time we might not get along
In five years time you might just prove me wrong

Oh there’ll be love love love
Wherever you go
There’ll be love

Watch the video on YouTube

Get Five Years Time by Noah and the Whale on iTunes

Check out more on their MySpace page.

The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.

Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.

:
:
Support Get Galvanized, Visit our Sponsor page.

In the 80’s I was a teen and a punk rocker. I was basically on my own after the age of 16 so I went to every gig I could, some times going to live shows 2-3 times in one week. Little did I know, this constant barrage of punk and alternative music was shaping my opinions, passions and politics on a deep level. Punk rock actually gave me wings. I admired the dedication and bravery of the musicians I went to see. I realized that I wasn’t the only one who noticed that some things are not right in the world.

I don’t have to tell you, no one wanted to hear what the punkers had to say in the 80’s. Most of the shows I went to had less than 100 people in attendance. When things got too big or too crazy, the cops were always there to break it up and take people off to jail. In some cases the riot squad greeted you as you entered the concert hall, just to let you know who’s in charge. Now, here we are, 25-30 years later seeing the teens of today listening to the music of the 80’s as if its something new and revolutionary.

May I interject here that the punk artists kids are listening to today aren’t just entertainers, some aren’t even technically musicians. Many punkers had no idea how to play their instruments when they first started. Many of them created hand-made fliers and had them photocopied free of charge on someone else’s photocopy machine. Most punks didn’t have contracts or agents. It was sheer grit, determination and persistence that kept the bands that you know about today alive. There are many, many other punk bands, some just as good or better than the ones you know about. The main difference is that some gave up and some didn’t. Punk legends like Mike Ness of Social Distortion exist solely due to determination.

Heres my beef: if the kids of today are listening to the music of 20 years ago, where are they getting the lesson of sheer grit, determination and persistence? Who is going to carry the torch and speak about today’s issues, most of which are the same as the issues of the 80’s, only worse. Why are the youth of today listening to anti-Reagan songs and not anti-Bush songs?

But I digress. I still haven’t explained how lack of music almost killed me. You see, when I was about 18 it was clear that my drug addiction was serious and I needed to do something about it. By the age of 21, I had been in several recovery programs and was beginning a process of wanting to change my life. For me, that meant I had to stay away from the old people and the old places. Gradually I began to slip away from my punk past and tried to be more “socially acceptable.”

The compelling need to “fit in” accelerated drastically when I entered college and eventually University. I found myself completely forgetting all about punk rock and gradually went to fewer and fewer live shows and even stopped listening to most of my records and tapes. I was proud of myself for a while, maybe too proud. I was reaching my goals and moving up in the world. I got a degree, then another degree, then another. In the process, I completely disconnected with my punk past.

I tried to fit in, get the jobs and connections I wanted. I was not connected with punk in anyway. I never had the opportunity to talk to anyone about seeing GBH at the Olympic Auditorium two times in one week or seeing the Ramones every year at the Paladium. I couldn’t listen to punk rock on the job and frankly, I found punk rock to be distracting to me and my goals.

Eventually music even began to annoy me. I was mad at the neighbors when they played it too loud. I saw myself turning into the cranky old drag that I encountered in most adults I met. I began running on auto-pilot. I listened to rap and hip-hop, maybe just because it was there and everyone else was listening. I was becoming noticeably depressed. I was training to be a therapist and sitting in meetings talking about “clients” who have “problems”. All the clients and problems were familiar to me, a part of my past.

I believed that each client I saw had potential to overcome whatever they wanted. I believed they could be whoever they wanted to be. Yet none of the ‘professionals’ agreed. I was shunned, not taken seriously and basically told “you’re just an intern, what do you know?”

On the one hand I was offended by the callous and careless way professionals talked about the people we were supposed to be helping but often I kept my mouth shut. When I did open my mouth, there was always a consequence. I was dismissed from more than one position for having an opinion. I tried to keep my mouth shut. I became more and more depressed. I chastised myself and thought to myself “why cant you just be like everyone else? Why can’t you just fit in and shut up?”

So, there I was, training to be a therapist and for the first time in my life, I found it completely necessary to take anti-depressants. I literally felt like I was going crazy and that was especially disturbing in light of the fact that I was supposed to be helping people!

Ironically, it was when I was “cleansing” my negative past that I found my soul mate and reconnected with music in a new and positive way. My husband, former owner of Zed Records in Long Beach was in the store when I brought in a stack of vinyl to sell. In the process of sorting, scanning and observing my records for their suitable re-sale potential, I sparked up a conversation with the man who would become my husband within about a year. He liked hockey, I liked hockey. He liked punk, I liked punk. We enjoyed each others company. But it would be almost 10 years before I began to realize the significance of our match and the importance of music in drawing us together.

In 1998 I experienced small reminders and nudges of who I was and who I could be but I wrote most of them off as the “idealistic, unrealistic, drug-induced fantasies” of the past. I would hear the nudging call to action in songs by Black Eyed Peas and A Tribe Called Quest but I mostly hid my love of hip-hop because fears like “what will people think, I should grow out of this, I’m just some old person trying to be cool.” Hip Hop and Punk were like guilty indulgences I hid from the ‘professional’ people in my life.

Once I got an iPod, things really began to change. Once I was able to easily carry the soundtrack of my life in my purse, able to listen to the Buzzcocks followed by Snoop Dogg and chased by Social Distortion anytime, anywhere; I began to transform. My dreams re-awakened. Lyrics of power, being yourself and letting go of concern for what others think lifted my soul.

I began to tell people, “I used to be a punk rocker.” I described my spiky blue hair and my shaved head. Some people laughed, some people said “cool”, others were entirely speechless, still others said “no way” as they stood there with their eyes bugged out.

The familiar lyrics and sounds of the underground began to stir something within my soul. I began to remember who I really was. I stopped caring about what everyone thought. I started to think about what I want for my life rather than what society wants for my life. I began to realize the traps I build around myself and how the mainstream society reinforced the validity and ‘rightness’ of those traps. Sometimes I was pissed off. Other times I was shocked. Sometimes I was sad but mostly I was determined. I was determined to revive the 16-year-old punker in me. I was determined to take her out of the closet and say look world, here I am so $*& you!

I would have to say, the purchase of Has Been by William Shatner and seeing Yeah Yeah Yeah’s live on satellite pushed me out of the envelope even more.

I could go on and on but mainly I have a deep, nagging fear and this is why I’m writing this long post. If the youth of today have no role models to show them how to be independent, to start their own businesses, to live free of corporate oppression, what on earth does the future hold in store for us? Will it be a rehash and reinforcement of the same old, same old? Will George Orwell’s 1984 be a reality?

Remember, most of the popular anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications on the market didn’t even exist in the 1980’s and now they are being passed out like candy to many people as a cure-all for the ‘problem of depression’. Rates of depression increase in society and pharmecuetical companies become more powerful. What if the depression is from oppression? If so, all the pills in the world aren’t gonna help.

Listening to music that’s 10, 20 or 30 years old makes about as much sense as reading newspaper articles from 30 years ago and claiming that you are informed and educated. The time is now, with the advent of instant information for all of us to step out of our boxes a bit and look at what’s new while continuing to enjoy whats old. I think we need to listen to the message under the message.

Punk is more than just a bunch of rebellious, belligerent youth with a lack of classical music training. Punk is a movement and a statement about deciding to be who YOU are not what society determines you should be. Right this moment new music is being created by new people. Some of them will be huge one day, others will fade away but if youre sitting at home listening to the same stuff your parents listened to, you’re missing out on the real-time experience of history in the making.

(Me and the Black Eyed Peas in 1998. They played at a record store inside Universal Studio Walk, about 30 people were there to see them….if that. Truthfully, most people were there to see Kobe, a well-known soccer player, BEP just happened to be the “opening act.” If you were paying attention to alternative radio (KCRW.com/Chocolate City) you could have been there. I will tell you this: NOBODY except me asked for their autograph and to take a picture with them. I have the Behind the Front album signed by the entire band.)

I’m so grateful that I had all the experiences I had in life and Im grateful for the opportunity to experience first-hand how plain, ordinary (and sometimes downright untalented) people say “I don’t care” and go for it anyway. And guess what, it ends up that it doesn’t matter if someone is good or not. As long as you are clear about who you are and don’t give up, you will make it. That’s the message under the message. Do you hear it?

If you need help building courage or confidence to follow your passion, get my free Create the Life You Want hypnosis MP3 at icreatehabits.com.

(This article was originally written in 2006)