Them Crooked Vultures: Putting the Psychedelic Badass Back in Rock
If you didn’t already hear about the hard rock/alternative/acid rock-influenced supergroup, Them Crooked Vultures, you should go plug your solid self into the electric goodness that will melt you down to quivering, buzzing atoms of delicious divides and resurgence.
If you click-y-ed the linky, then, YES, you did see that this is a Led Zeppelin-QotSA-Foo Fighters lovechild comprised of John Paul Jones, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl. Grohl, having worked with both Homme and Jones, was the perfect quantum glue to help solidify this trio.
The first mention of the formation was in 2005. And why didn’t I hear about this? Where was I? I have no idea, but I should have been paying more attention. Perhaps then I would have known they were touring the USA in October and November, before they released their self-titled album in mid-November of this (soon-to-be-past) year. Man, I would have sold just about anything to get enough dough to see them live.
Hey, for those reading/listening, if you seriously want me to get THE definitive BEST gift EVER, hook me up with front row/pit tickets. And while I’m making my wish-list, let’s add some backstage passes and a personal meet-up with the band. Outrageous? Maybe, but I’ll be continually willing it into manifestation. The first step, is putting it out there. Maybe one of them will be toasted and blissed-out while stumbling upon my blog, and think “let’s support breast cancer research in an unconventional way by making some cancer researcher’s wishes come true by making this happen.” Totally possible. Hey, Josh, my birthday is two days after yours… joint birthday party?
Anyway, give it a listen, buy it, love it, drool all over it, show it to your friends and touch yourself while grooving out. The Zeppelin elements are apparent in many of the songs, illustrating that the heart of Zeppelin’s sound is indeed Jones, though he kept some distance from the limelight compared to the other band members in their heyday. Heavy and melodic arrangements characteristic of both Grohl’s and Homme’s style come out and gel perfectly. The powerful percussion with its impeccable timing and deep movement amp up the energy. Distortion and subversive but sultry ‘creepiness’ inherent in QotSA’s style are interlaced, giving an ethereal feel to the album. Though one may be able to pinpoint “this is Josh’s influence; this is Grohl’s addition; these are Jones’ skills,” the third mind of the band emerges in landscapes of reeling, diverging/merging, abstract sounds, tossing one head-over-heels in an ocean of musical genius. I really can’t think of a more talented and amazing band walking the earth currently.
This is just the beginning of my newly found obsession. Oh, the fun to be had…
2 approaches to consensual reality and the potential pathologies
Layers of the Real.
We all control the environment.
“Out of sight, out of mind” and “If you look hard enough…”
Person A takes the approach of “if you ignore it, it will go away eventually” and prioritizes what will be given attention by A’s individual motivation. A will deny things to set up boundaries. A will draw clear boxes and lines in regards to the self and others; A is comfortable within these self-made boxes so long as it is made by the self and no one else. Person A finds control in the reality by denial, by separation and detachment. A does not seek to control others reality but seeks to control only their own personal reality, and A becomes very upset and defiant when A feels that others have imposed their views on A. A will recognize consensual reality and admit to undeniables in the consensus upon manifestation. However, A is, by nature, a skeptic, and can perceive the difference between an object (or event, etc) that 1. is already a part of the consensual reality 2. naturally develops or evolves within the consensual reality 3. is immediately changed or influenced by an external source, “C” or 4. develops in the consensual reality by virtue of a participant already within the reality that exerts influence to modify the consensus.
Person B takes the approach that “if you look hard enough, you’ll see what I mean…” and that everything must be dealt with immediately upon its recognition, prioritizing the perceived “problem.” B will not just accept the existence of a “problem” immediately, but will push for others to see it as well. B will name things, categorize and explain things to give them shape to the self and others. Person B finds control in reality by acceptance, by imposition and attachment. B needs consensus in a reality and thereby seeks to hone any personal realities to one vision. Since B only has intimate access to their personal reality, naturally the consensual reality that they try to foster generally aligns with the reality B perceives with or without input from other sources. B believes that B has perceived and accepted the consensual reality before all others involved, and B feels that it is B’s duty or mission to make others believe/see. B, by nature, is a producer and can perceive the difference in an object (or event etc) that 1. is currently unrecognized by others in the consensual reality 2. needs to be amplified, prioritized, exaggerated or needs to be repressed, de-emphasized 3. is changed or influenced by a source that is not B. Number 4 is that B knows who is disrupting the consensus.
We all act as A and B at different times. These descriptions are not judgment calls on “right” or “wrong;” neither is inherently any better or worse than the other. Pathologies of one or the other are a problem, and those pathologies WILL change the reality of all involved.
Pathology of A: Person A will ignore all that A finds unfit, unsavory or not conducive to their current view, even if it is part of the consensual reality of all others involved and has physical manifestations in A’s life supporting that certain things “exist” and are exerting influence. A will defy solely to defy rather than take disruptive action based on perseving or exercising higher principles. If defiance is paired with unchecked anger, this can lead to violence (a rabid dog chained). A will isolate the self from others by building a personal reality in A’s own language and constructs such that others cannot reach A on an emotional, intellectual or spiritual level. A’s interpersonal relationships will suffer as others feel they cannot reach A behind The Wall A has built, and so they withdraw to find more fulfilling relationships.
Pathology of B: Person B will push all that B believes onto any B comes in contact with, regardless of what others do or say or the consensual reality shared by many others. B becomes blind to any consensual reality but the one they wish to foster; the push becomes prioritized above all else, including the safety of the self or others, which can amount to violence “for a cause.” If this is paired with ruthless ambition, the scale of violence can increase (fanatic turned tyrant). Person B will seek to midigate or exterminate other “things” (i.e. objects, events, people, ideas) that do not coincide with B’s perception. B becomes isolated as “the purpose” becomes the only thing that matters to B. “The purpose” dictates all B’s actions, causing interpersonal relationships to die and people to withdraw from B for self-preservation.
In conclusion, Person A starts as a strong individual, upholding the virtue of personal realities, encouraging individual thinking and the voice of the individual. Person B starts as a potential community-builder, seeking to merge personal realities to one consensual one, encouraging group thinking and the joining of voices into one. Pathologies can lead Person A down several roads where A may the self as the perceived victim, the violent rebel, the schizophrenic whereas B may find the self as the perceived victim, the violent dictator, the sociopath. They can become some of what they dislike the most by allowing their pathologies to grab hld and form the reality rather than their Higher Selves.
We keep the World in Hands
Humans are animals are spirits are consciousness are space-jelly are aliens are amorphous unknowns are etc etc etc
Words are actions are substance are matter are drugs are hallucinations are dreams are reality are choices are perception are concepts are thoughts are expression etc etc etc
Things happen/We do things. We are, act, choose, do (or not) all that is stated above.
We all do as we Will. Can some things be undone? No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. (See how code can develop… yes/no, black/white, 1/0… binaries.) We (as a race and a kind) should have been taught much earlier of the limitations and seductions of binaries.
One does what one chooses to do. Does it immediately, directly effect me? Does “your” action in your physical reality cause something or create something in my physical reality? I think we both know the answer is yes as we both know the answer is no. You and I choose which it is.
I am shifting. I have shifted.(Perhaps a mantra…)
Mathematical wave functions (as one way to “explain it”) that hover and interact with other wave functions or spheres, or hyperbolas, etc.
We speak in Voices. There is a distinct difference between the Speech of Knowing verses the Speech of the Unsure. You know the Speech of Knowing when you hear it. You do. (that’s a statement.) Both are contagious.
We just need to CHOOSE (65) or not. What is your Destiny? What is your Self? (The answer is 42.)
——————————————————————————————–
No.
dreams … dreams …is…
(The dreams Humans be when are. Does Unsure. Are or it has to choose or something. Some directly are, are of something,… are undone? In the “are,” matter cause are We. [explain] Am it? Reality? verses something binary.)
Self? things.
When “are,” (See verses) (or We, Yes. Unknowns: much can be both “it”) is in between functions: Will.
Cause binaries.
One. What? (and that all are it. hallucinations reality (65). “I”/my difference undone?
We have 1/0… and things: Destiny? …is when it’s substance.
Hallucinations are the We.
(is just reality substance are with matter directly kind) both/other direct and just distinction. (or think, as choices are or not)
Animals: We of one, your No. We physical-other is in and are; we know things.
Amorphous verses The Answer, etc, IT. (have?) “explain, do, be, do. no. just physically shifted. (Perhaps you hear your wave, been consciousness much the Other Way all along (that’s expression.)
You’re that Other.
“Explain?”
are concepts to (as are “etc” and Things contagious.) We are choices; seductions choose; hallucinations kind – amorphous or No.
Things.
Way chooses, cause dreams that know seductions, IT and no. (which etc?) Words and hyperbolas, drugs: the all are Unsure. Way is; cause distinct “etc” (as is action – Speech: physical reality, Perception: kind) Binaries.
One Does.
Does know.
Are
(as spheres, choose, are…
CHOOSE are thoughts-animals, much shifted.(Perhaps earlier are, as are thoughts and actions, [the which?] 42.) Yes. of mantra…) Mathematical Will. Knowing are, No.
leave a comment