Cutting Back Costs in Hard Times By...Not Singing?

With the economy the way it is these days, you're probably trying to find all kinds of ways to cut costs and make your hard earned dollar stretch a little further. Like me, you may be clipping coupons, buying generic brands, not eating out, only driving when necessary, turning down the heat, not indulging in impulse shopping, or maybe even selling your plasma. ($25 for laying down and watching t.v. for an hour, you can't beat it.)

You may also be looking at all your bills and seeing where you can cut back. In doing this, again, like me, you might have noticed some ridiculous spikes in spending on certain bills. In my case my gas and water bills. In my little town home we have a gas powered furnace and hot water heater and we are supplied water by the great city of Lawrence, Kansas.

So, I say to myself, "These bills have been inconsistent. There must be a reason for it and there must be some way I can save a significant amount of money every month by figuring it out." I thought, have we been running the dishwasher too much? Have we been washing our clothes in too much hot water? Could we turn down the heat a little more or turn off the fireplace pilot and could it make that much of a difference? Could it be a combo of all of this? I couldn't figure it out. After a month of paying attention to all these factors, nothing seemed to be out of the norm. That is when I thought about the shower.

One morning I was taking a normal shower, basking in the hot water and singing away with the poppy radio single that I currently had stuck in my head. I finished up the song, turned off the shower, got out and realized how long my concert/shower actually had been; almost a half hour!

I'm a guy, I have short hair and I didn't even so much as sweat in 3 days, a rinse was basically all I needed yet I ran that steaming water for the length of one of my favorite Monday sitcoms! If this wasn't my gas and water problem, the mystery might as well be in the ranks of Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance and Area 51.

Our problem had been solved and it came down to a case of shower singing. That overwhelming urge to belt out any tune, for however long, like no in the world even exists but in your mind. This is on par with the singing/nose picking habit that most people can't help but take part in on a long drive home in an empty car thinking no one can see them through the 6 windows surrounding them. (Oh, come on, you know you've done it.)

When it comes to singing in the shower it seems like it's insanely easy to get carried away, lose track of time, and before you know it you've sung half a full album of tunes and you haven't even washed your hair.

So, what is it about the shower that turns even the most non-musical person into a rock star? Is it the hot water and steam opening up the airways and letting you belt out ranges you normally wouldn't be able to hit? Is it the amazing reverb and echo that makes your voice sound better than it ever could? Or is it simply the feeling of privacy that you can't get anywhere else?

For me, being the rock star that I am out of the shower, (I'm exaggerating a bit here) singing while washing away is great for the sound, but also because I can close my eyes and hash out ideas that might not come otherwise. This can tend to be a problem like I mentioned in my earlier post "Right Idea; Wrong Time, Wrong Place". Like any other situation, apparently I get carried away and that quick rinse turns into time I could have used to perfect one of Rachael Ray's famous meals.

So, if you're trying to ease back on the spending like I am, pay attention when you hop in the shower. It's perfectly normal to float away to the lyrics of "I Kissed A Girl" while soaking up the hot water but make sure to multitask and limit it to just that, put down your microphone/bottle of shampoo, and dry off before the bills go through the roof and you're stuck singing in the rain instead of the shower.

Under The Cover of Rock

Are you ever scanning through the radio while driving along the highway and you can't help but stop and listen to the atrocity that is considered pop music these days? You're sucked in because you can't help but imagine how some of this stuff makes it onto the radio and into the brains of millions of impressionable teenagers.

No? Ok, maybe it's just me. So, now you're probably thinking, "Hey Eric, why don't you tell us how your really feel? And leave my Britney alone!"

But as much at it seems from that first paragraph, I'm really not that much of a prude. Yeah, some of the subject matter when it comes to pop music today is just gross. Somehow it went from the classic days of pop music when it was like "gee willickers, it would be right dandy if you'd let me hold your hand" to numerous unnecessary analogies about milkshakes and lollipops; some slightly steeped in innuendo, others plain out straight forward.

But I like a clever line as much as anyone else, regardless of what the subject matter may be. As a songwriter I can't help but have respect for all forms of music because of the sheer fact that it's music, which is truly an art form no matter how you look at it.

(By the way, click the links to hear and see the songs I mention in action. I spent a whole 5 minutes researching on YouTube, have some respect and click! I'm just kidding of course, but seriously, click the links. And don't forget to hit the back button.)

I think my major problem is my deep roots in rock that just can't fathom how this kind of music can be popular. I know there is what is called pop-rock, bands likes Nickelback and 3 Doors Down (whom I both love by the way) but I'm talking the rap, r&b kind of stuff that I just can't seem to stomach.

I mean, it's not like I don't listen to Hinder or Theory of a Deadman, with their songs like "Get Stoned" and "Bad Girlfriend". I'm sorry, but they both just rock and I can't help but like it. (They both play a decent live show as well.) These songs are probably as dirty as it can get and still be on radio but I can't resist the the slamming guitars and the screaming lyrics.

So, as disgusted as I am with most of today's pop music, what if you were to take it and turn it into my most beloved rock? You'd get gold in my eyes. (Or my ears..I don't know.)

Plenty of bands have made a name for themselves covering other musicians songs. It's hard to forget The Ataris with their cover of Don Henley's "Boys of Summer". That was on the radio every like 5 seconds back in 2006. I can't say I minded too much. There was also the roughed up version of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm in 2001 that I can't help but like especially because of the Michael fun-poking they do in the video.

But these tunes were already classics and great examples of songwriting. (In my opinion of course. But seriously, quit ripping on Michael, he was good in his time.) However, as of late, it's been a common trend for bands to cover more recent hits, especially ones that are very far from rock based and actually make me want to listen to the song.

One that's huge right now on alternative rock stations is the song "Lollipop" as done my Framing Hanley. (This video ain't for the kiddies.) I still can't say I'm a fan of the Lil' Wayne lyrics, they are disgusting as it gets. (Lollipops are for kids, man. Just don't go there!) But as I wrote before, when you add on a couple cranked guitars, a bellowing bass, a slamming drum set, and belting vocals that make you want to scream along, it's really hard to resist. It makes me feel awful that I get those lyrics that I so loathe stuck in my head.

There's also a new song that I discovered that actually inspired this post. The video is embedded below. I just had to share it. It's a cover by All-American Rejects of "Womanizer" by Britney Spears. I can't say that this version is really rockin' but it's done to perfection by a rockin' band. This video actually makes me think an old country band with a glam band lead singer . You'll see what I mean when you see the overalls, bowler hat and tight pants. How the toy accordian fits in, I have no idea, it's just awesome, plain and simple. I've watched it at least 10 times today and I'm sure they'll be more. (UPDATE: 1/16/09 - I've watched it about 15 times now.)

Overall, I can't say I'll ever be a fan of pop music as a genre or for the contrived lyrics that you tend to find, but I'll love it for the fact that it gives the rock bands that I love to crank the opportunity to turn up the volume and rock the hell out of those poppy pieces of crap.

Enjoy the video, be prepared to giggle.