The Wedding Salon is an upscale bridal show showcasing beautiful wedding displays with top industry vendors in Los Angeles. Brides can come and enjoy some food, cocktails, get their make up done, and see beautiful bridal fashions.

All you have to do to enter: Comment with something interesting about your wedding on this post by September 5, and we will randomly select 3 names out of the ones we receive. Winners will be announced on the blog, who will need to contact us to provide their name, address, phone, and email to be registered for the show.

GOOD LUCK!!

We have included the 12 Wedding Planning tips Below.

Planning a wedding can be very stressful.
Stick to these rules and you'll do fine!

1) Set a date and a budget and stick to it. There is a perfect wedding vendor for every price range.

2) Ask for referrals from vendors you've booked, friends or family.
Check with the BBB about a vendor's history. If names are given to
you by a wedding vendor, ask them how they got on that list. Some
paid hundreds or thousands of dollars to be on that list!

3) Coordinating a friend, their own or their daughter's wedding doesn't
make someone a professional wedding coordinator. Make sure you
hire a professional at some point during the wedding planning process
to make sure that you are on track, spending your money wisely and
tying up all the loose ends properly. A wedding coordinator will save
you hours in chat rooms, on the phone with vendors and attending
unnecessary appointments and let you free your time to do other
things.

4) Set a timeline of tasks that you need to take care of. For example,
you should book your reception hall about 12 months out; your
photographer 9 to 12 months out; etc.

5) The number on the guest list will increase or decrease your budget.
A good rule of thumb is that if you won't be friends with them five
years from now, don't invite them! However, you do want to invite your
boss, appropriate colleagues, close friends and family. There will be
family that your parents will request you invite and you'll need to
accommodate those requests.

6) Invitations should go out six weeks before the wedding. DO NOT
PUT YOUR REGISTRY INFORMATION IN YOUR INVITATION. This is
an etiquette no-no. Instead, direct your guests to view your wedding website
for more information.

7) Take a break from the planning. Have a quality date night with your
fiancé weekly where you don't talk about the wedding at all.

8) The rehearsal dinner should only be the people participating in the
actual ceremony. However, you will have guests arriving a day early
for your wedding and you can feel free to invite them to the rehearsal
dinner if you feel inclined to.

9) Have an emergency kit the day of the wedding. A basic kit should
have a needle and thread, stain remover, glue, nail polish, nylons,
deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, hair pins, hairspray, double
sided tape, comb and safety pins at minimum. A wedding planner will
have a more complete kit to prepare you for anything that will go
wrong. (And something will!)

10) Eat! Eat! Eat! on your wedding day.

11) Relax and enjoy the process and the event. A wedding is not
supposed to be stressful, it's a celebration of the love you and your
fiancé share. This is where a wedding coordinator can come in
handy. You only get married once -- we do this for a living! We know
how to keep you calm, collected, under control and enjoying the
process.

12) IF YOU BOOK A BAND: Get them to add a clause to their
contract which states that they will not drink alcohol at your event.
This can be handwritten and initialed by both parties.

 Also, thought We would give you a preview of the New Frequently Asked Questions Page before it hits the website. Read it here before you see it there=)

          Frequently asked questions

Q: Why should I hire a wedding or event planner?

A: We will relieve any wedding day worries from the bride, her family and the wedding party by keeping everything running smoothly to create the Bride’s dream wedding.

We have also worked with many of the area’s wedding professionals who rely on our referrals for business. It is our job to know all of the low-end, high-end, and medium-end wedding professionals in the area and constantly are updating those lists. We can save the bride time and money by only scheduling vendor appointments with those that fit her style and budget criteria.

Q: Can I afford to hire a wedding or event planner?

A: Absolutely! Special Moments has carefully designed packages that are competitive yet affordable. While hiring another vendor may seem costly, a wedding planner can offer valuable advice to save you time and money.

Q: Only women with extravagant weddings hire wedding planners, right?

A: Wrong! A wedding planner can help on even the most intimate celebrations. Our purpose is to worry about all of those little details that you do not have time it think about and to deal with any problems that may arise throughout the day. We are here to relieve you and your family from the stress of the wedding whether you have 5 guests or 500 guests. With today’s economy, money is getting tight and a wedding planner can help you stretch those dollars further.

Q: Do I need a wedding planner even though my family members or friends offered to help out?

A: Yes. A wedding professional will provide you with the high quality level of service that you deserve. Even though our family members have good intentions, they do not have as much experience as a wedding professional. Your family and friends deserve to enjoy the day as much as you do and not spend it working. Also a wedding professional will not be delayed by long lost family and friends that want to chat with them about old times. We are there to keep the day running smoothly and on track.

Q: My reception venue has a wedding coordinator; do I still need to hire a wedding planner?

A Yes!  If you’re trying to decide whether or not you need a wedding planner since the venue offers an in-house coordinator, there is quite a difference between those two. Here are just a few of the many things that a wedding planner can help with that a venue in-house coordinator can't:

• Attending vendor meetings with you and asking the right questions
• Reviewing all your vendor contracts for errors or potential problems
• Helping you combine all the elements and create an overall wedding style
• Creating extensive time lines for you
• Staying in touch with your vendors and making final confirmations
• Have back-up reputable vendors to contact in case of a problem
• Assist you with invitations and stationary etiquette
• Provide you with custom planning resources

There are many venue in-house coordinators who do a great job managing the venue but it isn't there job to assist you with all the details, etiquette, time lines, etc that go along with planning your wedding. When in doubt, just ask them what services they will be providing for you.

Q: How do I choose which wedding planner to hire?

A: The most important thing when selecting a Wedding planner is to find someone that you trust and feel completely comfortable working with. With all of the decisions to be made in the upcoming year and the amount of time you are going to be spending together this is extremely important. You also want to ensure that the Wedding planner is someone who is keeping up with industry trends and has the education and backing of vendors and other professionals in the wedding industry. Special Moments are members with the Association of Bridal Consultants, We have been educated on all aspects of wedding planning and are required to have continuing education in the wedding industry to keep ourselves and bridal couples informed about the latest trends. We thrive and enjoy planning weddings!

Q:  What will my coordinator wear to my wedding?

A: Special Moments staff prefers to blend in with your wedding. We are there to represent you, not promote our business; therefore we do not wear uniforms. However it isn’t exactly comfortable for us to wear evening gowns while working behind the scenes. Typically our staff will wear dress slacks and a blouse or a simple dress for an afternoon or beach wedding and a pant suit or cocktail dress for an evening reception.

Q: Where are you located?

A: Special Moments is located just outside South Pasadena on your way out to Treasure Island, but we realize our clients have very busy schedules and may not be able to travel to us for appointments or come in during normal business hours. We can make arrangements to meet with you at a time or place that is convenient for you so you don’t have to go out of your way.

A well thought out guest list is the common denominator for any authentic event. Establishing a guest list with only supportive people comes naturally for some, but could prove to be painful for others. Achieving harmony at an event isn't always easy, but can be obtained if you eliminate all toxic (non-supportive) people from your guest list. Toxic people are the poison in the air that ruin celebrations as they spread their toxic thoughts and socialize with like-minded people in the room.

A short list is the key ingredient to establishing an authentic event. Short lists provide you with a greater opportunity to enjoy the company of your guests and to fully engage in celebration with them. If your guest list is long, it becomes virtually impossible for a couple to engage with so many people simultaneously and to truly benefit from the essence of their being. Moreover, true harmony cannot be achieved if your environment looks and feels more like a sporting event and concert.

If a short list looks to be impossible (and I am sure many of you will claim that idea), I suggest having a separate celebration and calling it a “party”. This party should be very casual, simple and lack of formal ceremony.

Start preparing your guest list and keep it short. A well thought out guest list will provide long lasting memories and friendships.

"Start creating your loving family”

Best,

The Harrison Gall Team

But this provides SO MUCH moral balm to my rebellious soul. It's an elimination quiz! Presumptively, if you read this blog, you pass it. However, it could totally get me off the hook for inviting the Creepy Great Uncle and the Husband of Aunt out in CO Who I've Never Met.

And if you want me to really love you, you'll secretly administer it to people and help me see who else makes the cut.

I am going to have a looooong B-List.

This is one of the most difficult situations that will come up when doing your own wedding planning. Unless you are one of the lucky couples with no budget, most of us will really have a budget to watch and the easiest place to cut costs is to reduce the guest list.

For engaged couples dealing with this issue I usually advise the following guidelines:

1. Invite people you want and not the people you don't want. This is key because you are sharing this special moment and you don't want to feel bitter about hosting the obligatory guest list.
2. Don't feel obligated to invite the people you've known the longest, especially if you don't speak to them. These are the elementary school, junior high and high school buddies you were so close to during those years, but only speak every 2-3 years. You aren't that close to this person anymore, otherwise this would be a no brainer to invite them.
3. Do not invite people, just because they know about your wedding. This includes coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintences.
4. Don't give into bullying. When you set the guest list for both sets of parents, be stern and don't give in. Surprisingly, parents become bullies when the guest list topic comes up. Alternatively, you could ask them for more money if they insist on increasing their share of the list, if your venue can accomodate.
5. Don't do A and B lists. It doesn't feel good to be on the B list when you get your invitation shows up really close to the event date.

These are my top tips on handling the guest list situation. You can always email me at blog@typeaplanning.com to ask me about your specific guest list questions.

Also, please note that gifts are not expected at an engagement party.  Those are to be saved until we have a registry setup and a wedding shower.  However, if for some reason you feel that arriving empty handed is a bad thing, the bride and groom love wine (reds for her, whites and blush for him).

Another important piece of information for my guests:  There will be no children, other than the junior bridesmaids, invited to the wedding.  Again, I apologize because I know there are a lot of wee ones in our family.  We just don't have the funds or the space to invite children.  The good news is that the parents will be able to relax and enjoy the evening without keeping an eye on their kids as they dance and drink and make merry in our honor.  Please, don't be offended, it's just a matter of money and room.  There has to be a limit somewhere, and we've well reached it.

Any suggestions for a cheap place that can do a bouquet of herbs and wildflowers would be welcomed.  I should be fine putting together the centerpieces, but bouquets and boutonnieres may be a little difficult to pull off a day before or the day of the wedding.

Wedding stuff is actually way more stressful than house stuff...how unexpected.

Also the accepted abbreviation for Save the Date cards, which are sent out to friends in an attempt to one-up other future brides who may have the gall to plan a wedding on the same day and steal your people. (I joke now, but if that really happens, I may resort to sabotage.)

I decided not to go the standard "magnet" path, and instead dropped by Papyrus yesterday with Laura Jane to find some old-fashioned note cards. I'm sensing this vintage aesthetic as my overarching theme here.

Yes, they are pink and orange, instead of purple and orange, but the inside is solid tangerine, and that's the important part!

But here's the thing --- I am strategically not sending them to some relatives, in hopes that when they get their last-minute invitation, it will be Too Late.

I mean, I want the wedding to be about family and feel like a reunion for some - but I just don't care about some of these people; wouldn't mind if I never saw them again. And the Creepy Great-Uncle...no way. I think my foot may be down about the Creepy Great-Uncle.

Let me tell you a little about her site.  She has free videos that are about 2 mins. long and cover every aspect of poly crafting.  She shows you how to everything from how to condition your clay, how to use foils, make canes, and a lot more.  She also has 39 other videos that she sell that are in more detail.  I have not been able to purchase any but I understand from other people they are really good.  She speaks in an easy laid back way that is real easy to listen to. She teaches  in a way that makes it easy for you to learn. 

Also on her site she has all kinds of posts on every thing subject you can think of.  She gives you color mixing charts, that are really good and different than the ones already out there, she gives you ideas on making and using canes, and different things to use with polymer clay.

But what I really wanted to talk about was her treasure hunt Cindy is one smart lady.  By having this treasure hunt she has had us looking at different posts on her site while searching for the next clue.  Sometimes I didn't have time to read the whole post but still picked up a lot of interesting ideas.  I bookmarked the ones I couldn't read at the time.  I have enjoyed this journey of learning as I was having fun.  WAY TO GO CINDY.

Secondly, I may need a new set of tires soon if I cannot learn how NOT to ram my car into the curb every time I park on the street thus creating the most gosh awful, loud, embarrassing noise for every onlooker on the street to stop and listen to.

Thirdly, the groom now has more guests coming to the wedding than I have.  The wedding is in my hometown, and apparently no one in town can be bothered to drive a few flippin' blocks to come to it.  But his guests can travel hundreds of miles and pay up the Ying-Yang for a hotel room just to see him get married.  Guess who is more loved?  I am now working on my Reception Line Spiel.  It is as follows: "Hi, I'm Sueanne.  No, not Suzanne.  SUE-ANNE.  No, not Susan.  SUE-ANNE.  No, not Joanne... SUE-ANNE.  Like, two separate words.  Like on the Waltons.  You know what?  Just call me Sue.  It's much easier.  Yes, I do know how handsome he looks.  Yes, I'm sure he's your favorite nephew.  Yes, I do know how lucky I am.  Yes, I know he frickin' rocks.  Can we move the line along now?  You're holding things up.  Thanks.  No, I don't mind if you call me Susan if it's easier for you to remember.  Jerks."

Seriously.  I'm practicing my drop-kick in case that happens to me.

Fourthly, I have no idea what this particular post is about.  I think I just feel like whining.  I don't whine much...mostly I just cry.  Lately, it's become like a hobby to me.  Seriously, you could answer with "crying" to any one of the following questions:

"What's Sue up to these days?"

"What does Sue like to do for fun?"

"What is Sue passionate about?"

"How has Sue been keeping herself busy?"

I think Joel is a bit afraid of me.  And rightly so.  There's nothing wrong with instilling a little bit of fear and reverence into your future husband.

I kid, I kid.

Mostly.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go practice parking now.

Speaking of which, I'm dead tired. So tired to the point of just being in zombie mode. I can type around 80 wpm...yeah, I'm reduced to around 30 now. I'm just so strung out. School is what gets to me the most. I made a huge mistake with one of my online classes, basically I thought it was only a month long...like the other 6 online classes I've taken. Yeah, not so much. So I don't log into that particular class for a couple weeks, then I start to wonder why it hasn't turned off on my online class page. I look at it again and it's not over until the end of July. After that discovery I frantically emailed my professor and asked to withdraw from the class. I'm still waiting on his reply.

My other two classes are alright. I'm keeping up with them, but I am going to need to find some time, when I don't know, to just haul ass on a couple papers that they require.

Knowing that I have the rest of my life to look forward to after this next bleak year-and-a-half is very uplifting. Justin's being such a good sport about my zealous wedding obsession. He's even helping with the gust list right now! I have a really amazing man, be jealous ;)

Hercules And Love Affair are touring the US behind their debut CD, which is sure to make every top ten list come year's end. Their show on July 23rd at the ECHO sold out as quick as it went onsale but fret not...

THE FIRST 2 PEOPLE TO EMAIL info@threadtrend.com WILL BE PUT ON THE GUEST LIST FOR AN AFTER PARTY AT A SECRET LOCATION.

Hercules And Love Affair will be djing the event.

Make sure to email your first and last name and you must be 21+ to attend the event.

QUICK!

UPDATE: Okay, stop emailing!!! CONTEST IS NOW OVER.� We got such a huge response, that we pulled some strings and picked 3 winners.� The lucky party-goers are:

Johnny Rodriguez

Cindy Hu

Matthew Lydecker

Congrats!!!

To those of you who didn't win, check back all summer because we have more giveaways in store.

--Mikey

The Hold Steady was born out of some loose talk in my Boreum Hill apartment in 2002. I had moved to Brooklyn about two years earlier. I was thirty-one years old, and the other dudes were about my same age. Our concept was to start a straight rock band, with low aspirations. Just local shows, no touring, and most likely no real records. We practiced for a while and then played our first show in January 2003 at North Six, in Williamsburg. I was surprised at how many people showed up.

The show went well. It reminded us, all veterans of hard luck bands, that music can be fun. We played our second show in Baltimore, and it sort of becomes a blur after that. We quickly broke our rules about no touring and records, and released three records in three years. We lost one member and added two others. The most recent record, 2006’s Boys & Girls in America, was successful enough to get us in a bunch of magazines and take us pretty much around the world. It was, to be honest, pretty ironic- the band that set out to do nothing became a critics favorite and a touring machine. The Hold Steady had become our lives.

Thus, when we began talking about a new record, it became obvious that in order to keep up our schedule of releases, we would have to start writing on the road. We hadn’t done a lot of this previously. Ideas started taking shape in hotel rooms during while we played European festivals in Summer 2007. Laptop demos were recorded and shared. I remember Tad coming up with the title track, “Stay Positive”, backstage at Manchester Academy. The music from “Lord, I’m Discouraged” had its genesis partly in Milan and partly in Hamburg. We couldn’t slow down, but we could get ready.

When the touring wrapped up, we went straight into rehearsals and fleshed out the ideas that were banging around. As with each record, there was a desire to make it more musical than the last one. In this case, more musical meant an attempt at more dynamics, different instrumentation, more complex arrangements, and not always hiding behind raw volume. The songs came together quickly, but were painstakingly rehearsed and reviewed, with many minor changes made along the way.

Finally, in early January 2008, we showed up at Water Music in Hoboken NJ to record our fourth record. We worked with John Agnello again, as we had developed a great sense of trust with him during the Boys & Girls sessions. When John says something sucks, it probably sucks.

We recorded basics for nineteen songs. Everyone was very excited with the progress. Everyone played to their utmost potential. Lyrically, I had an idea of what I was trying to say much earlier in the process than on our previous records. Spirits were high.

We moved on to Wild Arctic Studios in Queens for vocals and overdubs and then to the Magic Shop in Soho for mixing We got some of our most favorite rock musicians to sing and play on it. We had some minor struggles, and a bunch of really good times. Finally, in mid-February, it was done.

Its always interesting how a record reveals itself to you. You can go in with the best-laid plans, but there is always a fair amount of uncertainty. Late night brainstorms become defining moments. Accidents become choruses. You might write the record, but it ends up teaching you something about yourself.

We kick off this record with “Constructive Summer”, a driving song about trying harder. “Navy Sheets” features a guest harmony vocal by Patterson Hood from the Drive-By Truckers, who have been a modern day inspiration to us. “Both Crosses” was a live in the studio experiment that ended up working. The record ends with “Slapped Actress”, which combines a mammoth Tad Kubler riff with a lyric inspired by the John Cassavetes movie Opening Night.

I think this record, musically and lyrically, is about the attempt to age gracefully. This is no easy feat, especially in rock and roll. I am now 36, and will be 37 shortly after this record is released. At the age of 30 I was working in an office, thinking my rock band days were behind me. This last summer we opened for the Rolling Stones in Ireland. We have met many of our musical heroes.

Meanwhile, in the five years since forming, the guys in the band have gone through a bunch of typical thirty something stuff- babies born, family members dying, relationships started, relationships ended, health problems, joy, struggle, life, etc.

But possibly the most exciting aspect of our band is the community of fans that have followed us around the country. In talking to them, we have found that no matter their ages, they are so much like us as people, that they seem at times an extension of the music. A great American philosopher named D. Boon once said “Our band could be your life”. I think that is true. But “Your Life could be Our Band” is also a true statement. I know this because we have lived it.

These are our lives. These are your lives. This is our fourth record. Stay Positive.

Craig Finn

Brooklyn NY

4.21.08

Our hardworking interns and True Crew members snagged up the few coveted guest list spots we had available for this one. To make it up to all our super radical fans we are offering a guest list spot plus one to any other show we have this week. Just be the second person to email MJ@TrueEndeavors.com with "Win (the band you want to see) Tix" in the subject line. I will always respect your info, promise.

Keep checking back to hear our progress on the wedding and what we're doing. Right now, we're in the process of creating "Save-the-Dates" and getting those sent out. Soon after that, we'll be working on sending out invitations. The guest list is getting narrowed down. We can only have a certain number of people at the wedding so if you don't make the cut, we're terribly sorry. We still love you.

We'll keep you posted with all the new developments...

-Eric

Who pays for what?

Traditionally, the bride’s parents assumed financial responsibility for everything except the flowers and liquor, which are paid for by the groom’s parents. However, society has now moved away from that and now just about anything goes. So you may decide to:

• Split the budget equally between families
• Split the budget equally between you and your fiancé
• Have your fiancé parents and your parents pay for guest they invite
• Have your parents and your fiancé make a “contribution” to the “wedding fund”
• List wedding cost and allow parents to choose the expenses they are able and willing to bear.

]]> http://roadsweeper2005.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/parties-are-off-bush-guest-list/ Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:27:37 +0000 Dewayne http://roadsweeper2005.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/parties-are-off-bush-guest-list/ Northern Ireland's political parties are not being invited to the annual St Patrick's Day White House celebrations.

The news was confirmed by Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern, who will be presenting President George W Bush with a bowl of shamrock at the bash.

It had been thought the parties would not be asked, rather than exclude Sinn Fein over Northern Bank raid claims.

"I don't think anyone will be surprised - all I hope is that we will be in a better state next year," Mr Ahern said.

"Because I'm sure the president would like to have it the way it has been, at least since the last administration."

Mr Ahern said that he was not involved in the discussions surrounding the decision, adding that "it was totally a matter for the secretaries involved in the White House who advise the president".

The SDLPs Patricia Lewsley said US goodwill to the peace process was being "recklessly squandered" and blamed Sinn Fein.

"The US administration is deeply angry at the IRA raid of the Northern Bank, and disgusted by the murder of Robert McCartney and at Sinn Fein's failure to face up to the huge damage done by it," she said.

Caoimhghin O Caolain, Sinn Fein's leader in the Irish Parliament, insisted that the decision applied across the board rather than to his party alone.

"This is just one event. It's for the US administration to explain their decision," he said.

The US administration has yet to say who is on the guest list for the 17 March party.
]]> http://lifelovelipstick.wordpress.com/?p=104 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:19:01 +0000 Rhonda Gail http://lifelovelipstick.wordpress.com/?p=104 From the first day Dustin and I discussed getting married over a year ago, the guest list was a source of stress for me. We knew from the beginning that we could not afford to have a wedding with more than 50 or 60 guests. Not only did we want to have a small guest list for budget reasons, but I love intimate weddings.

I have a very large, very close-knit family. The way our family dynamics are, if I invite one of my mom's brothers and his family, then I have to invite all my mom's brothers and their families. This equals out to around 60 people... without even beginning to invite my dad's family, Dustin's family, and friends. I played around with guest lists when I was bored, trying to cut out people and see how small I could get my part of the list. Fast-forward to last week. I decided that to avoid drama and unnecessarily hurt people, there needed to be cut-off criteria. We decided that I would invite immediate family and my very closest friends. Dustin can invite whomever he wants, since he can't even think of 20 or 30 people he would invite. His family is very different than mine. Plus, he doesn't care a thing about hurting people's feelings over something he thinks is silly.

I am very satisfied with my list, and while I know some of my family will not understand (I come from a small Southern town, where weddings are held at the church and fellowship hall, all food is finger food made by family, and it's "the more, the merrier," complete with an invitation in the newspaper and on the church bulletin board), I know I made the right decision for myself. Sure, we don't even have a date yet, so the list is bound to be tweaked a little. But it sure is fun to plug the names into the spreadsheet Dustin made for me! If anybody would like a copy of it, email me. I'm happy to share.

Now, if I could just get Dustin to make his list [you reading this, babe? ;) ]...

True Endeavors and Muzzle of Bees present: DREW GLACKIN MEMORIAL CONCERT featuring THE SILOS with special guest WEINLAN

"...the Silos borrow liberally from both country and classic, blues-based rock, creating a sound that is seemingly less polished but far more energetic than most of what gets played on either mainstream country or classic rock radio." -Popmatters.com

Early show - 6:30 pm @ High Noon Saloon (608) 268-1122 $15 adv $15 dos - 21+

BUY TICKETS NOW!

-------------

Saturday June 7

True Endeavors presents INGRID MICHAELSON with special guest GREG LASWELL

The Way I Am- Ingrid Michaleson

8:00 pm @ Barrymore Theatre 608.241.8864 $15 adv $18 dos

all ages

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Third Person to email MJ@TrueEndeavors.com with the subject line of the show you would like to see will win two guest list spots to the show!

Second, keep the guest list to a minimum.  When my parents got married my mother was given "the book."  The book was a list of people to invite from my father's mother that was at least 500 names long.  Most people my mother had never met and half of them my father didn't either.  Keep the list limited to close friends and family.

And lastly, the dj is the key to a good reception.  At my cousin's wedding he got everyone involved and played music that transitioned from oldies to current hits as the night progressed leaving only the youngest guests still on the floor.  I've been to way too many events when the dj just kills the mood, spend lots of time researching your dj so you can get it right.

I'm sure there's other important topics to discuss when planning a wedding but these three should be a good start for anyone.

1a. Album met de meeste betekenis:
Roen: Jammer genoeg is dat een plaat met een eerder negatieve betekenis. Ik had het er recent op mijn blog nog over. Ik noem het 'mijn vervloekte plaat'. Het is The nightly diseas van Madrugada. Zoals ik op mijn blog al schreef, vind ik het één van de mooiste platen uit mijn collectie, en daarom vind ik het des te jammer dat ik er niet zorgeloos kan van genieten. Maar ik durf de cd nauwelijks op te zetten. Omdat er vlak daarna altijd wel iets negatiefs gebeurt; zowel kleine ergerniswekkende gebeurtenissen als grote rampen. Toen ik de plaat kocht en voor het eerst beluisterde, viel mijn collectieve ontslagbrief in de bus. Vorig jaar nog diende mijn schoonvader onverwacht opgenomen te worden in het ziekenhuis vlak na het draaien van de plaat. En toen ik de plaat laatst op een de vrijdag voor Pinksteren nog eens beluisterde, omdat ik op Pinkstermaandag naar het AB concert van Madrugada wilde gaan, zag ik 's zondagsnachts onze dorpskerk van Galmaarden in vlammen opgaan! En zo kan ik nog wel een aantal voorbeelden van gebeurtenissen opsommen die gebeurden vlak nadat ik de plaat had beluisterd. En ja, ik geloof in dat soort vervloekte dingen; ik had alleen liever gehad dat 'mijn vervloekte plaat' een plaat van Limp Bizkit ofzo geweest was.

1b. Dierbaarste album in mijn collectie:
Roen: Eigenlijk zijn er 2 albums in mijn collectie die me beiden even dierbaar zijn. Ten eerste het titelloze debuut van de hairmetal band (toen heette dat nog 'glam metal') Skid Row uit 1989. Dat was de allereerste LP die ik me in de zomer van 1989 - ik was toen 15 - kocht met eigen verdiend geld. Ik had het gras bij de buren afgemaaid en ik had daarvoor 500 bef gekregen; net genoeg om me die LP in ruil voor dat blauwe briefje aan te schaffen. Nadien heb ik me op die manier nog heel wat LP's aangeschaft, maar Skid Row van Skid Row was de allereerste en is me daarom zeer dierbaar. Een paar jaar geleden kocht ik me zelfs de cd-versie ervan, omdat mijn LP compleet versleten is. Toch kan ik geen afscheid nemen van de LP. Skid Row beluister ik overigens hooguit nog in een nostalgische bui, maar als het nummer 18 and life nog eens voorbijkomt, krijg ik toch nog altijd die kick van toen en komt mijn nekhaar spontaan recht.

Mijn tweede 'dierbare' plaat is de CD Some girls wander by mistake van The Sisters Of Mercy uit 1992, die ik toen in de zomer van 1992 cadeau kreeg van mijn madam voor de eerste verjaardag van onze relatie. Het was de allereerste cd die ik van haar cadeau kreeg. Ik kreeg die cd van haar, omdat ik toen vreemd genoeg, naast Grunge, compleet zot was van de muziek en de sfeer rond The Sisters Of Mercy. Vreemd ook, omdat het de enige new wave groep was waar ik ooit iets mee gehad heb. Andere new wave groepen als Joy Division of The Cure hebben nooit hetzelfde bij me teweeg gebracht. Mijn liefde voor madam is gebleven, maar mijn liefde voor The Sisters Of Mercy is intussen bekoeld. Toch blijven de cd's van de groep (ik kreeg ze nadien allemaal van haar nog) me dierbaar en zullen ze, tenzij door een brand of diefstal, mijn collectie nooit verlaten.

1c. De platen die mijn leven veranderden:
Roen: Er zijn welgeteld 6 cruciale platen geweest die mijn leven hebben veranderd. Het zijn dan ook geen lukrake keuzes, maar wel degelijk peilers in mijn leven.

De eerste plaat die mijn leven veranderde was Thriller van Michael Jackson. Het was de allereerste popplaat die ik na lang zagen kreeg van mijn ouders. Het was 1983; ik was 9 jaar, zat in het derde leerjaar en iedereen van mijn klas was zot van Michael Jackson toen. Dankzij Michael Jackson was mijn interesse in popmuziek, tot grote spijt van mijn ouders wellicht, voorgoed gewekt.

De tweede cruciale plaat in mijn leven volgde in 1989 met The real thing van Faith No More. Toen ik de single Epic voor het eerst hoorde in 1989 kwam dat als een patat in mijn gezicht aan. Ik was even voordien wel al zot geweest van de hardrock van bijvoorbeeld Guns N' Roses, maar Epic en bij uitbreiding het hele The real thing album bezorgde me pas dé kick waardoor mijn interesse in de hitparade begon te slabakken. Bovendien was mijn beste vriend toen op school een echte metalfreak, waardoor ik gedurende een hele periode zowat uitsluitend nog glam metal (kreeg later de hair metal term opgeplakt) en hardrock releases kocht. Andere 'normale' dingen van toen leerde ik kennen via Studio Brussel en ging ik huren in de plaatselijke mediatheek. Maar dat ik toen ook graag Nick Cave, The Waterboys, World Party of Sinéad O'Connor stiekem op mijn zolderkamertje beluisterde, mocht toen niemand geweten hebben J

De derde cruciale plaat kwam er eind 1991 toen de bom Smells like teen spirit werkelijk iederéén met verstomming sloeg. Omdat ik toen nog mijn stoere hairmetal imago hoog te houden had, had ik het aanvankelijk moeilijk om toe te geven dat het hele Nevermind-album ook mij niet onberoerd liet. Maar uiteindelijk gaf ook ik toe aan Nevermind, en de cd werd mijn soundtrack bij de zomer van 1992. Vandaag beschouw ik Nevermind nog steeds als mijn persoonlijke Bijbel, Smells like teen spirit als mijn persoonlijk Gebed en Kurt Cobain als mijn persoonlijke God.

Mijn vierde cruciale plaat kwam letterlijk uit Het Niets aangewaaid in april 2001: ik had een paar weken daarvoor mijn collectieve ontslagbrief gekregen en ik zat daardoor in zak en as, waardoor ik zelfs geen zin meer had om muziek te beluisteren. Ik kocht als troost nog wel de nieuwe releases van toen, maar ik beluisterde ze niet. Ik luisterde zelfs niet naar de radio. Tot mijn platendealer van toen me op een namiddag confronteerde met de Engelenstem van Eva Cassidy. "Wat is dát?!" vroeg ik met verstomming. En de rest is geschiedenis en stond vorig jaar ook al op mijn blog te lezen. Feit is: Dankzij de cd Songbird van de goddelijke, en helaas veel te vroeg overleden Eva Cassidy vond ik mijn passie voor muziek terug en ging ik na enkele muziekloze weken terug volop muziek beluisteren.

Een gelijkaardige situatie volgde een goed jaar later. Na een zware, levensbedreigende val in de Ardennen eind maart 2002, viel ik in een zware depressie: het interesseerde me allemaal niet meer; het leven had geen enkele zin meer. Zelfs de muziek bracht geen troost. Ik kocht nog wel cd's, maar ik heb toen een hele periode meer illegaal muziek gedownload via Kazaa dan dat ik er kocht. Ik schaam me daar nu voor en ik durf het nu pas eindelijk toe te geven, maar ik deed het gewoon omdat het me allemaal niets meer kon schelen. Totdat madam aankondigde dat ze zwanger was van onze dochter! Het besef dat ik papa zou worden gaf me opnieuw levenslust en ik ging ook weer écht genieten van muziek: ik gooide kazaa november 2002 van mijn pc, inclusief alle illegaal gedownloade muziekbestanden. Maar dé klik die me terug van muziek deed genieten vond ik in The rising van Bruce Springsteen. Ik had het album wel al een tijdje, want het was verschenen in de zomer van 2002, maar ik ontdekte pas de levenslust die uitging van die plaat toen ik mijn eigen levenslust herontdekte. Daarom is ook The rising een belangrijke plaat in mijn leven geweest; het was een soort bevestiging voor mijn herontdekte levenslust.

En mijn zesde en voorlopig laatste cruciale plaat in mijn leven is eigenlijk een hele cd reeks; namelijk de hele American Recordings-reeks, inclusief de Unearthed-box van Johnny Cash die ik als één geheel beschouw. Hoewel ik mijn zelfmoordplannen opborg en mijn levenlust terugvond in de herfst van 2002 vanwege het feit dat ik papa zou worden, blijf ik echter nog steeds kampen met de psychische gevolgen van mijn bijna fatale val in maart 2002. Een hevige, uitputtende innerlijke strijd is het, waarbij medicatie helpt doch een onbetrouwbaar wapen is. Maar gelukkig biedt Johnny Cash troost, steun en hulp met zijn American recordings-reeks in mijn moeilijkste momenten. Of zoals ik het laatst op mijn blog schreef: De onverzettelijkheid die Johnny Cash tegen zijn ziekte heeft geboden ondanks de onmenselijke pijn die hij op het einde van zijn leven heeft moeten doorstaan, geeft mij dan ook steeds weer de moed en de kracht om het leven niet op te geven.

2. Favoriete nieuwe band:
Roen: Tja, hiervoor heb ik echt mijn cd aankopen van de laatste jaren moeten bekijken want tot een favoriete 'nieuwe' band kwam ik niet spontaan. Two Gallants misschien, maar die stelden me vorig jaar met hun nieuwe plaat wat teleur na het fenomenale What the toll tells. Favoriete recente groepen als The White Stripes, Drive-By Truckers, Wilco, Willard Grant Conspiracy, The Decemberists, The Gourds en The Shins draaien dan weer al wat langer mee, en zijn dus niet zo 'nieuw' meer. Uiteindelijk kom ik slechts bij 2 namen uit, en dat zijn Band Of Horses en Hyacinth House. En als ik het potentieel van die beiden in detail bekijk, dan verwacht ik in de toekomst nog het meest van Hyacinth House. Nee, hoewel er duizenden jonge groepen zijn vandaag, doen zij me niet veel meer. Ik zoek mijn heil de laatste jaren bij de oude en recente lichting singer songwriters: Ryan Adams en Jack White zijn mijn 'nieuwe helden'; dé ultieme muzikale genieën van deze tijd gewoon. En verder verwacht ik nog veel mooie dingen van beloftevolle nieuwelingen als Sam Baker, Caroline Herring, Eilen Jewell, Justin Townes Earle (zoon van Steve Earle), Justin Rutledge, Thomas Denver Jonsson en Jeffrey Foucault.

3. Beste zaal, club en/of festival:
Roen: Vanwege gezondheidsredenen kom ik de laatste jaren nog zelden buiten voor concerten, laat staan voor festivals. Maar voor de jaarlijkse Hoogmis van Elliott Murphy in de Spirit of 66 in Verviers maak ik een uitzondering en neem ik graag een extra kalmeerpilletje. De Spirit of 66 is dan ook een kleine, gezellige, sfeervolle club waar het inderdaad lijkt alsof de klok er terug gedraaid werd naar het jaar 1966. De talrijke foto's en andere prullaria aan de muren dragen bij tot die retro sfeer, alsook het fraaie houtwerk en de trap naar het balkonnetje. Die trap wordt steevast ingenomen door een deel van het publiek, hetgeen telkens weer beelden uit de jaren '60, die je ooit zag op TV, in herinnering brengt.

Qua festivals probeer ik jaarlijks toch ook naar het lokale Pajot Blues festival te gaan. Bij iedere editie ken ik geen enkele band of artiest van de affiche, maar ik doe er toch altijd weer een ontdekking. Bovendien is de sfeer er fantastisch vanwege de locatie in en rond het prachtige Baljuwhuis in Galmaarden alleen al: er wordt gebarbecued in de tuin, op de binnenkoer staat er een tent waar telkens hetzelfde bandje de pauze tussen de optredens door opvult en er staat een grote stand van een in rootsmuziek gespecialiseerde platenzaak uit Lauwe (de naam ontsnapt me nu). Maar ook het publiek draagt bij tot de unieke, gemoedelijke sfeer: het merendeel bestaat uit stoere bikers die van heinde en verre komen. Het centrum van Galmaarden staat het weekend van Pajot Blues dan ook vol met honderden blinkende Harley Davidsons en andere zware motoren.

4. CD, vinyl of MP3:
Roen: Nieuwe releases koop ik gewoon op CD. Puur voor het gemak, hoewel ik wel liever vinyl heb. Tja, wat wil je; ik ben nog opgegroeid met vinyl. Het is tegenwoordig dan ook een groot misverstand dat het vinyl in de jaren '80 uit de platenwinkels verdween. In de jaren '80 kocht iedereen, in my hometown Halle tenminste, nog vinyl. Je had wel al een CD bak in de Halse platenwinkels, maar die stonden achteraan in een vergeten hoekje. Het vinyl werd zelfs niet op natuurlijke wijze verdrongen door de CD. Maar begin jaren '90 drongen de Halse platenboeren de CD gewoon op, waardoor iedereen wel moést overschakelen op CD. Mochten ze dat niét op zo'n abrupte wijze gedaan hebben, dan zou de evolutie veel en veel trager verlopen zijn. Oudere dingen, die voor het CD tijdperk uitgebracht werden, probeer ik dan ook nog op vinyl te pakken te krijgen. Liefst een originele persing, maar als het niet anders kan, ben ik al tevreden met een latere heruitgave. Het Sundazed-label brengt de laatste jaren veel zeldzame, haast vergeten klassiekers opnieuw op de markt. Zo kocht ik onlangs 69 van Moby Grape en ik heb me onlangs ook East-West van The Butterfield Blues Band besteld.

MP3's, of digitale muziekbestanden tout court, beluister ik weinig: soms eens via een myspace pagina, of als iemand me een MP3 via mail opstuurt. Digitale muziek vind ik dan ook maar voor één ding echt handig, en dat is voor het uitwisselen van bootlegs via de bootleg torrent Dimeadozen. Sinds ik een account heb op Dime ben ik echt verslaafd geraakt aan bootlegs. Voor zoiets vind ik digitale muziekbestanden wél een godsgeschenk. Voordien vroeg de bootleg maffia immers belachelijk hoge prijzen voor hun produkten van doorgaans bedenkelijke kwaliteit. Tegenwoordig kan je via een torrent site als Dime echter zelfs perfect klinkende soundboard opnames downloaden.

5. Favoriete platenwinkel:
Roen: Eddy's Records in Halle! Het is één van die laatste gezellige platenwinkeltjes waar muziekliefhebbers mekaar iedere vrijdag, van oudsher de dag waarop de nieuwe releases verschijnen, ontmoeten. En in Halle is het al helemaal de allerlaatste nog échte platenwinkel. De lokale Free Record Shop zou ik immers geen platenwinkel meer durven noemen. Iedere week tref je er wel dezelfde tooghangers, gaande van arbeiders, bedienden, andere lokale zelfstandigen, lokale politici, huisvrouwen, huismannen, huismussen, gepensioneerden, tot managers of andere hotshots toe. Uitbater Gert Vanderheyden doet dan ook niet aan muziekdiscriminatie of speelt niet voor muziekpolitie. Je vindt er het beste van alle uiteenlopende genres: van de nieuwste Laura Lynn tot de nieuwste Bonnie Prince Billy tot de nieuwste Madonna tot de nieuwste hypes als MGMT tot de nieuwste Neurosis tot de nieuwste Tuning Beats tot K3 en alles daartussen. Wat hij niet in stock heeft, kan je moeiteloos bestellen. Op die manier brengt hij iedereen met de liefde voor muziek samen aan zijn toog. Muziektips worden uitgewisseld, waarna bestellingen meteen en spontaan geplaatst worden. Maar er wordt evengoed een eindje weg gezeurd over de dagelijkse sleur. Sommige mensen ken ik nog van vroeger, toen we nog studeerden en met z'n allen 's vrijdags aan de toog van de inmiddels failliete Doctor Vinyl hingen. Nu zie je echter geen studenten en pubers meer aan de toog van de platenwinkel. Als er dan toch eens een puber of een student de winkel betreedt, valt dat meteen op en wordt hij, tot zijn grote ergernis wellicht, in de gaten gehouden als hij lukraak in de bakken staat te rommelen. Opvallend is dat op zo'n momenten de gesprekken verstommen en er een benauwde stilte valt. Niet omdat er 'dief' op de jonge indringer zijn gezicht geschreven staat, maar gewoon omdat het zo'n curiositeit geworden is in de platenwinkel. Meestal trappen ze het binnen de minuut ook weer af. Zonder iets te kopen, uiteraard.

Daarnaast probeer ik jaarlijks toch ook minstens één keer naar Brussel te gaan, waar ik dan gedurende een hele dag slechts twee winkels bezoek: ik breng dan uren aan een stuk door in de tweedehands winkel Arlequin en de LP speciaalzaak The Collector. Ik vind het dan ook heerlijk om in zo'n ouderwetse platenwinkels mijn vingers over de vele duizenden LP of CD hoezen te laten glijden. Maar je betast en ziet er niet alleen de muziek. Dat soort winkels ademt muziek. Je ruikt en proeft en voelt er haast de muziek. Het is een uniek geworden totaalervaring, die echter wel dodelijk is voor mijn Visa kaart.

On a joué une chanson de PAYZ PLAY à Macadam Tribu sur les ondes de Radio Canada ce soir.
Millionnaires.
Avec Carole Facal.
C est la ''4''.
Le destin fait parfois bien les choses.