VENTING

Well, I am in a foul mood.  And since I am sitting in my room alone, and have no one to vent to, I figured that I would vent my frustrations here:

Money is the devil...  And my day job is a demon.

Let's see, I worked my day job today.  I have heard that the word JOB stands for Just Over Broke.  But in my case, I have a job, and I am still Just Under Broke.  It's a JUB.  I am a waitress (ha ha, me and every other young, aspiring female in LA without a taste for prostitution) and by the end of my shift, I had a grand total of 10 tables.  That's it.  AND of course, the electricity bill was due, and the tips from 10 tables did no cut it.  I ended up having to resort to selling a bunch of my clothes out of the back of my car in the parking lot outside after my shift.  Perhaps I shouldn't complain.  I did end up selling enough clothing to pay the bill, and have 4 dirty dollar bills left over (which are now gone, because Scobra and I had to eat).  Glorious... Bullsh*t.  Now I can't make a meeting tonight that could give RTB a lot of new opportunities because there's a $10 cover for the place we're meeting at.  Even cooler... NOT!

The day even started on a tragic note: watching my neighbor get his car towed because even though he paid the outstanding tickets on it, the city didn't have it processed in time for it to count.  OH! And did I mention that I actually SHOULD have a few dollars in my bank account, but apparently when I deposit a check, that takes a lot of "processing" time too.

RAAR!

There's more that I could complain about, like how many times a day I get sexually harassed at work... But what's the point?

I'll just keep chuggin' along, like the little engine that hopes to high heaven that she can.  And as for all of my complaints, while I feel trampled, I'm not done yet.  This little lady has developed a decent pain threshold over the few years that she has existed thus far.  I even feel a little silly now, for being such a baby about this.  Don't think that I don't know how lucky I am in so many ways.  Ah well, I guess that I just needed to vent.

Sorry to whoever read this and thought that I was going to say something more interesting.

El Fin,

-Dion

ABSTRACTION

I came to the conclusion today that I have taken on the role of explorer of the human experience and emotions.  So perhaps that is why life can seem so intense feeling at times.  Although, realistically, I'm sure that everyone feels that their life is intense (and justifiably so too) in some way.  At least that's what I think anyway...

I have had a lot to think about lately.  And part of me has gotten frustrated with myself for not being more 'time efficient' and spending too much time just thinking.  But then at the same time, a large part of who I am, and what I make from my point of view, comes from processing a lot of information and forming opinions about it.  And in a certain sense, I feel as though all that I really do in life is go in and out of fazes of acceptance.  I go from a state of accepting what has been bothering or confusing me.  As in: processing a lot of information and coming to some sort of conclusion as to how I feel about it.  And then discovering some new thing (or things) that have completely exploded my beliefs and shattered what I thought I knew.  Which is again, troubles to me.  So then I begin the process all over again towards acceptance.  

On one hand, I believe that this is a wonderful way to live.  It certainly keeps my rate of growth and expansion up.  It keeps me from getting stagnant as a person.  It means that I am constantly in a state of learning new things.  But on the other hand, from strictly a struggling-living-being-point-of-view: it can be taxing.  It's as if, like muscles, without the proper nutrients even the soul can experience growing pains.

And I would be remise if I didn't at least recognize in myself that the last bit above may very well just be my own weakness towards creature-comforts.  I've ranted previously about my feelings towards the concept of 'comfort as a value'.  And I still think that comfort tends to lead to stagnation.  And yet at the end of the day, I am still just a creature.  I can't spend my life thinking that it's all about a struggling fight against our own fabric.  And I don't.  But it's still an interesting thread to follow...

I remember my freshmen year of english. It was then that I then concluded while arguing with many of my more privileged peers, that I don't think it's wrong to want something other than what you find yourself given when you are born.  The mother of invention after all is necessity.  And while I also think that it is equally possible to live one's life being perfectly content with what you are given... Well, given that us humans were blessed with an imagination, a large part of me likes to stick it out and see what sorts of wild dreams can be accomplished.  Who says there are limits?  I haven't seen any concrete ones yet.  In short, I wonder at the absolute phenomenon of the human imagination, and the power that it lends to us.

As I mentioned before, I think that, at least at this point in my life, I am an explorer of the human experience.  But the thing is, I don't find it necessary to do so in such a literal way.  To me, the best way that I have found thus far in experiencing humanity in all walks of life has been just that: imagination.  In many respects, I think that imagination has been our creator and our salvation (words to be taken more figuratively than literally).  It is to me, what gives us our past / history, our view of the present, and our expectations and goals for the future.  But it remains a tool that isn't connected to the rigidness of time.  It isn't literal.  And I am excited in many ways because I see such a potential in us leaving the information age, and entering into the conceptual age.  And what better tool is there in such an age than the imagination?  Or, I guess that I didn't phrase that quite right.  What I meant to say, is that I think that imagination has probably always been the most powerful tool in any given "age" or situation.  But I think that on the broad-scale of things, in the past it has always been used within the confines of the literal.  I guess what I'm saying is that I am just excited for the potential, on the broader-scale scale of things, to at least become more open to the use of this tool beyond the "grid".  But then... who quite knows what I'm scribbling about, and maybe it's all just me.  Either way, even if just in myself, I look forward to the house of the literal falling away.  No more doors and windows, opening and closing.  Just the open sky, and freedom.

Signing off-

Dion Vox

Keepin' on

     AH!!, sometimes I wonder why I have such a hard time posting more often.  But then, when I really think about it, I know exactly why.  When I have a lot on my mind, I tend to be very internal about how I weigh and process it.  And to be quite frank: I have had a lot on my mind.  I'm not saying that it's a good excuse, or that I should even be making any... I'm just saying-.

     See, and now I find myself in the same spot: I have self depreciated, and now what the hell do I write?  Money? Never had enough, still don't, maybe someday though...  Opportunities? Tons of them! Too many to really even keep a running list of.  I'm a lucky duck.  Music?  We recently posted two new songs, Bend, and Phenomenon Jubilee.  They were both recorded some time ago, and then got put in the "vault".  RTB can be quite a force, and within the last year and a half or so, we have scratched out at least 140 songs.  Often times, I will record the vocals, and then we will just move on to the next song without even playing it back.  So there's a healthy bunch of songs that we have laid down, that I have never even heard yet.  That was kind of the case with Bend.  Then, Phenomenon Jubilee was a song we recorded back in the earlier days (as in the winter before last).  I always liked it, longed to hear it again, and sang what I could remember of it to myself in the car...  So it was really fun for me to be able to share it finally!

     Ah, and then I suppose, if nothing else, I can run through a few cool new updates.  As I mentioned before, we got this great 'sponsored song' deal with Microsoft Windows through our ReverbNation site.  We get to give away free downloads of our song Catalyst, and then Windows pays us 50 cents per download.  Totally cool right?  Right.  And it was also rather flattering to see who our "competition" is.  They have some great other bands that they chose along with us.  And thanks to Scobra's tech-know-how and all of his cool friends, we have been steadily making our way up the charts both with the Windows sponsored songs, and ReverbNation.  I'll be honest, we've been on the charts (towards or at the top) for a while now.  And while I couldn't tell you what any of the literal or tangible benefits are of this, or even what it really means, it still strikes me as very cool to know that normal people who just work too hard, can actually accomplish things like that.  

     Well, I think I'm chatted out.  I will return and write something more artistic or poignant soon.  I'm very distracted right now because what with the fourth of July coming up, I keep hearing fireworks going off.  Only I live in the middle of Hollywood, so I am not used to the fireworks sound, and I keep thinking that there are raging gun battles going on down the block... so yeah, distracted.

     COOL! 

check out our ReverbNation site, there's a green banner with a sad-girl in the corner, and a bright yellow button to the right that you can click on to get Catalyst for free :)

http://www.reverbnation.com/ramonatheband

Over and Out

-Dion

 

RADIO!

     Howdy, so I just wanted to write about what an interesting and great day it has been so far.  This is really just me being excited and wanting to share some of it with any interested parties.  

     First off, it is Scobra's birthday today.  That in and of itself is cause to celebrate.  On top of that, DJ Hail, our band mate came by today and took us all out to lunch and dessert to celebrate.  As someone who is still in the starving artist faze of the game (although we're really starting to come up by leaps and bounds!) going out to eat is like how other people feel about national holidays.  Pizza, salad, and frozen yogurts of different flavors with different toppings... is it truly christmas in June?  So I am beyond feeling full and content.  Then I get home and check all of the missed calls and texts, and who sent me a line? Why my dear friend Marissa Meryl.  And she hooked me up with an audition/reading this weekend for a thriller film that she is working on.  Soundtrack?... Role?....  (Oh yeah, for those of you that don't know, I have spent my whole life working on performing.  So that includes a LOT of acting training and technique.  And as a further side note, I actually met Marissa through a school that we both attended and graduated from on the Meisner Technique).  But to top it off even further, as I'm getting off of the phone with Marissa, Scobra yells from the studio for me to come in quick.  I go in, and our song Catalyst is playing live on LA Talk Radio's Music Highway, Sheena Metal Experience.  I have been lucky enough by now to have heard other people say that they heard us (RTB) on the radio, I have even heard recordings of it.  But not until now have I experienced it live.  I can't exactly say that this means the world to me, or that I think that I feel more valid in any way.  But we just launched a big promo through Mircosoft Windows, where they place their advertising on our "product" (or should I say our song Catalyst)  and then they pay us to give it away free.  Yeah, it's like a dream come true for me as an artist.  Not in the corporate branding sense, but in the sense that I get to give away something that I love, and think is great; to a bunch of people that I think would like it, and whom I think are great.  And then at the end of the day, instead of losing money like I usually would, I'm MAKING MONEY! 

     The point of the last bit of that tangent was really just that a LOT of things are starting to happen at a much more rapid pace than before.  It makes for a little more stress, and a LOT more work.  But then there are those magical moments like I had today when I heard Catalyst on the radio.  It's in those few moments that I get to step outside of myself, and all of the work that I am doing, and all of the thoughts and worries that I am thinking, and just let myself experience what I'm doing for a moment.  It's a fun breath of fresh air when you remember, 'oh yeah, this stuff that I'm doing is kinda cool, huh? And I'm really doing something with it'.  

     In all honesty, I would be a bold-faced liar if I told you that I "know" what I'm doing.  I think at the very best, I have an ant's-eye-view of a general direction that I am taking.  But I have at least actually committed to a direction, and struck out on the adventure of it all, and.... well, I guess it's just mostly nice to know that the direction I have chosen hasn't lead me to the lava pit or the wasteland (yet).

    So here it is: Yipee!!!!!

I so rarely have a moment to celebrate, that I am taking this one now to do so.  And at the risk of sounding "preachy", for no reason at all, you should just go out and do something fun or cool, or happy.  Rock out with yourself to the superlative level!

xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxox
Although, if you would be so kind as to celebrate with camp RTB for a sec., you should click on this link and download our song catalyst for free! You'll get a fly freebie with no strings attached, and we'll get 50 cents :)
http://www.myspace.com/windows?homepage=ramonatheband 

xoxo

-DION VOX

Too Late

Live goodness comin' atcha

this is just a little video that our dear friends Nadia and Niklas shot on their digital camera at one of our gigs in Hollywood a while back.  I just wanted to put it up here because I think it's cool, and I just spent a bunch of time joining Viddler (not sure why yet, but hopefully some sort of reason will come to me) so I wanted an excuse to feel like it was worth it.

:)

-Dion Vox

Sha-Website

So here's a moment where I can write not about how hard I'm working, or some crazy lyrics or opinions.  But I get to feel triumphant for at least an hour or two.  I just finished the RTB website.  That's right baby, ramonatheband.com comin' atcha!  Maybe this is not a big deal for most folks. 'Oh, a website, I made two yesterday while I was washing the car.'  But for me, someone who didn't even have a computer until High school (and I'm only 21, so for my generation, that's called being LATE for the boat) this was a big deal for me.  Not that I'm trying to toot my own horn too much or anything.  To be honest, it wasn't that difficult, because I didn't have to do any code, or anything complicated really. I found a site that would do all that jazz for me (some may call it cheating, I'll call it tactical sense).  

Long story short, I'm happy with this little victory, and so if you're curious, and want to check out what I've been babbling about for the last paragraph, here's a link to it:

http://www.ramonatheband.com

Sooper cool  

:)

xox

-Dion

Have Mercy?

     Oh Lordy... well, I feel a little overwhelmed.  First off, I am going to have to detract my previous post's statement about this becoming a Dion Vox blog.  First off, the damn url code says Ramona The Band, so I'm not even sure where the logic was there.  I think honestly, I had a moment of discouragement due to the fact that thus far, I have been the only RTB member posting anything on here.  And while that still obviously remains the case, I will take a moment to now be optimistic, and imagine that that will change in the future.

     Next on the list, I am now a little over 2 weeks into an online course for musicians that I won a scholarship to called Musicians Mastermind 2.0.  Thank God I won a scholarship, because otherwise, I would never have been able to be a part of this.  And also, I am hoping that through this course, I will gain the skills to really start monetizing this RTB action so that I can quit my DAY JOB!!!!  But as far as overwhelmed is concerned, adding SEVERAL hours of work to my already teetering load has not been entirely easy.  But for my "glass half full" segment for this paragraph: If I can keep this up and get this work done, and this knowledge gained now, hopefully it will be of great benefit to me in the future and allow me to work on what I really want to be working on: ART.

     I'm so overwhelmed that I don't even know what to write about now, too many things.... too many things...

     But while I sound scattered and a little lost, I guess I am partially giving a bad and false impression here.  I am keeping my "shit" together.  I'm not stressing out over any of the millions of details.  I do have a clear vision of where I am trying to go.  And thus far, I am not falling off of that map.  I guess the truth of this post is really that it's now going into hour 18 of my day today, and it has been work-non-stop.  So I'm just getting to the end of my "productive" rope for the day.

     Must keep on it though.  Still a few more things to do before I catch a few precious moments of shut-eye.

Over and out-

     Dion Vox 

EverythingElse

     So, aside from the fact that I am honestly thinking about just starting a new Dion Vox blog, and as lovely as this one is, scrapping it; here are some thoughts:

     My coworker Kim (yes, I will fully admit that at this point, I still have a day job) is wonderfull and a terribly literate writer.  From time to time, she'll leave me these great quotes about art and the artist, said by the likes of Plato, to present day musicians.  So yesterday when I was working with her, she gave me this great quote that I thought would be interesting to write about.  

     

     "The reason normal people get wives, kids, hobbies, whatever... That's because they ain't got that ONE thing that hits 'em that hard and that true... I've got music.  You've got... "this".  The thing you think about all the time; the thing that keeps you just south of normal - Yeah... makes us great.  Makes us the best... All we miss out on is... Everything else."

     -American Blues singer (wish I knew his name... but I don't)

     The whole concept of this conversation started about a weeek ago when we were both discussing the pressures of maintaining a "normal" social life.  It sounds kind of silly, but when you have friends, family, and loved ones, it can be hard to explain to them why you can't always, or almost ever, spend time with them.  From their point of view, it would seem that you do not care enough about the relationship to make them a priority.  Which is a sad way to feel.  But from the artists perspective, I find myself caring so deeply, that it promts me to care on a more universal level.  In a sense, those whom I love, can act almost as a muse of inspiriation for my larger vision of what and whom I love.  This "love" is a big part of what pushes me forward in my creativity.  Because to me, art without opinion is imitation.  And the opinion comes from a sense of honest feeling.  And in order to honestly feel, and KNOW what it is that you're feeling, you need to be open to it.  

     Now just being open to this can be quite alienating and hard.  Imagine really feeling all of the gritty emotions that you would normally just suppress, or slough off.  Now imagine taking those emotions, forming opinions about how they make you feel, and why you feel them, and then purging it all into art.  Suddenly, things like just trying to go grocery shopping become significantly more intense, and potentially even painful.  Of course, being open also lends itself quite nicely to the purest feelings of joy and happiness too.  So I can't exactly knock it by any means.  It is just a more intense way of experiencing.

     Then there's the other aspect of what Kim and I were really talking about, and that's that ONE thing that you may or may not have smoldering inside you.  If you haven't got it, then congradulations, you will probably lead a relatively painless life, and that's wonderful.  Because to hold that ONE thing inside of you means nothing less than leading a life with a lot of pain and sarifice.  If you have got it, but you're satisfied with leading a life of supression and quiet frustration, well... that's your call.  Just know that those things usually have a breaking point, and it often leaves victims.  And then there are the people like myself, who have a sort of passion burning so heavily inside of me, that if I don't appease it by letting it loose in the form of art and creativity, well then I start having emotional problems and I become filled with a lot of frustration and rage.  This all sounds quite dramatic, and to me, it kind of is.  That is not the sort of existence that I want to live my life leading.  

     There was a period of a few years where I was in school (we're talkin' middle and early high school) and I wanted to be finished with it so badly (and I had very few friends) that I threw myself headlong into my school work so that I could get it out of it, and also so that I wouldn't have to think about anything else.  I thought that by replacing my dreams, passions, and longings with science, math, and spanish, I could subdue my true feelings until I was able to pursue them unfettered by age.  But what I got instead, was a feeling like I was dying inside, and even though the cure for this illness lay right in front of me, I could not yet reach it.  These years were the years where I deprived myself of writing, acting, singing, just creating in general.  And now that I look backo them, I feel like it was a terrible thing to do.  I was deeply, desparately unhappy because I decided to try and do what was the social norm, and praised thing to do in that community.  And at that time, I saw that as to be a highly programmed robot who can spit out facts, and acomplish tasks that all of the big colleges require of them.  So then, this robot can go to college for further programming, leave college, get a job in which they accomplish the tasks that they have been programmed to, and all is well in the status quo.  

     Now perhapse it now sounds like I am looking down on that whole academic scene.  I just want to clarify that I am not.  What I just stated above was how all of that made ME feel.  I imagine that others probably feel honestly and rightly different.  And I applaud that just as loud.

     But for myself: I have an unquenchable fire inside of me.  I don't even know why, or how, or when.  I couldn't even tell you if there's a purpose behind it, or if it is fair.  All that I know is how I feel, what my opinion is about that feeling, and how to let it flow from me.  Everything else is beautiful to me, wanted even. But without my art, I don't think that I can have anything else.  My art may consume me, but without it, I would consume myself.  So for the sake of keeping myself around to see what some of those Everything's are...

     I'll a keep on chuggin' along on the tracks that I've got.

-Dion Vox

     

I'm not sorry

     Here's the truth: up until now, this blog was used to represent my band, RTB.  And because of that, I kept it pretty "straight" so to speak.  Therefor, I kept my real opinions and life mostly to myself.  Not that I don't think that sharing my lyrics, other writings, etc. isn't important as well.  I still plan on keeping that front nice and healthy.  But I feel like I haven't shared any of my own opinions or personality beyond the abstract.  

     Of course, it would be easy for me to just blame not opening up much on the fact that this was a band blog, that represents all of the members (which it is now not.  From this point on, this is the Dion Vox blog!!).  But what is probably more truthful in the equation is that I think of myself as a nice person, and I don't want to "hurt" anyones feelings.  

But FUCK THAT.  

I have a lot of thoughts in my head that I never get to ponder aloud because of that fear.  But the more that I look around, I find that the biggest roadblock to growth, or anything interesting for that matter, is this horrible concept that everyone seems so damn attached to:

     COMFORT

As an artist, I am constantly looking to explode my current belief system.   This is just my rad way of saying that I am constantly looking to learn new things that change how I think.  Straight up: THERE IS NOTHING COMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS as an objective in life.  And that's the way I like it.  I'm all for a nice bed to sleep in, good food, a roof over my head and all those lovely comforts.  But they're not the end all be all, and furthermore, beyond those comforts I see very little of importance.  In short, comfort is nice and all, but it seems to me that to base one's life around comfort is to base one's life around stagnation and stupidity.  And hey, it makes me uncomfortable to say such things.  But like I said, comfort for comfort-sake just ain't my thang.

     What really prompted me to think on this whole concept of comfort is that between reading Studs Turkel's book Hard Times which was an oral history of the American "great" depression, and listening to the conversations that go on around me, I concluded that ever since the end of our last economic collapse the American folks have become obsessed with safety and comfort.  This is completely understandable to me on a human level.  If you spend so much of your life just trying to survive with nothing, it seems natural that you would never want to go back to that.  Even on a personal note: I have spent time trying to survive on next to nothing, and there is indeed a great deal that I would sacrifice just to never have to return to that level.  BUT  FURTHERMORE, survivors of the last depression never ever wanted their children to even know that such depravity exists.  Well, just look where the baby-boomers bathed in comfort have gotten us.  And look even further down the line to the yuppie scum that has been created in their wake.  Somewhere along the line, someone must have said, "Hey, you guys can keep your trinkets, but you have to turn your brains off.  Or better yet, why don't you just think what I tell you to think.  Don't worry, you won't even have to read anything if you don't want to.  You'll get my messages from everywhere you look and listen.  So it's all good now, you've got your accessories, and I'll just keep your minds."

     This is where I think the comfort generations have landed us.  And I'm no special case or exception.  I feel like I bear the same responsibility as everyone else in this mess.  The only difference between myself, and a lot of the people that I see around me is that I'm not attached to this comfort.  I'm not even attracted to it.  Memorized facts, paper money, paper degrees, or any of the other "feel-superior" bullshit trappings left to us seem like a sad waste of time to me.  What I'm interested in, and attached to is the truth, what ever it may be.  I don't even think I have a clue what it is yet.  But until I figure it out, I'll let everyone else squabble over what a politicians favorite food or color is, or what kind of car you drive, or how many people you've slept with, or with just about everything put out by the media in general.

     So, I guess that that was my little rant.  I thought about apologizing for it, but that would make it seem like I don't believe what I just wrote.  And truth be told, I do, with no apologies or disclaimers attached.  Even if a month from now I decide that I was wrong about it all, I'm not sorry, and I take back nothing.  I'm down to claim responsibility for myself, so where's everyone else at on that level? 

Cubase Undone

     So Scobra recently helped me to set up (or should I say, he set up)Cubase on a computer for me.  And so I have just started getting into tracking vocals on my own.  Not too advanced, I know.  I'm not exactly "cutting fresh beats" on it yet by any means.  Actually, for those of you that are familiar with programs like that, I'm still just trying to beatmap and snap the damn songs to a grid.  I am primitive as of yet.  But on Friday, I had a good round at it and recorded something that I'm calling UNDONE for now (that's the title).  And since a lot of my posts have been scattered updates and excuses, I thought that I should post something creative.  So here are the lyrics for the new song:

UNDONE

Starin' out into space

Lookin' for your pretty face

Said some things I can't erase

Broke some things I can't replace

You've touched me here, touched me there

Touched me everywhere

Held my heart, in your hand

Since I put it there

Always thought, we were friends

I was unaware

Of what cannot, be mended

That you destroyed my dear

I'm, comin' undone

Life on the run

It's not any fun

Hey

Doomed, to repeat mistakes

Keep raisin' the stakes

Yet I love what I taste

Hey

Time number two was a bitter pill

Got me soft then got their fill

Time number two almost got me killed

Drank a lot and fought my will

There's some things, I forget

There's some I regret

Broken wings, empty threats

Always so upset

Wild nights, empty days

Trying to erase

Never right, losing face

Trying to escape

I'm, coming undone

Life on the run

It's not any fun

Hey

Doomed, to repeat mistakes

Keep raisin' the stakes

Yet I love what I taste

Hey

Try number three ought to be a charm

Thought at least it could do no harm

Cry for a feast when you're starved and torn

Desperation be forewarned

I've held back, I admit

Never did see fit

To voice these things, as I should 

When they could be writ

Did I see, with you and me

A future feelin' free

I did not get imagery

Could not love completely

I'm, comin' undone

Life on the run

It's not any fun

Hey

Doomed, to repeat mistakes

Keep raisin' the stakes

Yet I love what I taste

Hey

-DION VOX 

FIRST REVIEW

Tee-hee-hee.  I'm smitten (perhaps because flattery feels rewarding) to announce that we, RTB, have just received our first review.  

Y'all should check it out:

http://theneave.com/blog/2009/04/17/ramona-the-band/

DV

Like Lightning

     I wish that I could post some poetic story, or some lyrics, but I haven't had much of a chance to write these last few weeks.  Death in the family, family that lives far away.  Had to go to far away, had to come back.  Closure was good.  Exhaustion.  I have been working 16-20 hour days non-stop for two and a half weeks now.  Business. Business. Business.  So many opportunities, which means so much follow-up and Business.  But it's exciting too.  The air is crackling with it.  So I really shouldn't complain.  The destruction of my sleep cycle in the beautiful name of opportunity.  Nothing's free, right? So I guess while I'm broke, I'll be paying for it with the minutes, hours, days of my life.  Seems worth it though.  So now maybe you know why I haven't had a chance to write properly, and hopefully you won't hold it against me.  It'll come back around again. Cycles.  I'm telling you everything is just a cycle.

-Bleary/starry eyed: Dion Vox

FENCES

     So, for a little literal update, Scobra and I have been working around the clock on Ramona The Band (now lovingly nick-named by us as RTB) business.  I have been pulling 20 hour days all week long, and lord knows when it'll stop.  Maybe never, except on vacations....Ah...Vacations..if we ever get any.  But that's not the point, what I'm really trying to say here, is that we are generating some heat, some momentum from all of this; and so we don't want to let it go to waste.  A million and one details are coming together to form the coolest dream-catcher that any camper or hippy ever made.  So all on that front is terribly exciting.  I'd list them all out for you, but a few nights ago, Scobra and I sat down and wrote out all of the opportunities that we knew of that needed follow-up and/or thankless hours of footwork, and the damn list went on for 3 1/2 pages.  So I won't bore you.

     On the purely artistic/creative front, we have continued to record new songs (I was looking at our catalogue of songs and we have handfuls that I can't even remember recording.  The whole catalogue is in the triple digits baby!) and so I figured that on the other hand, it would be cool to put some newer lyrics up here, so here they are:

     FENCES  (recorded on March 24th,2009)

Drip-drop letters falling down

Drip-drop, letters falling down 

Wash, my dirty dirty soul

Wash, me so I can be whole

Drop-drop, letters falling down

Drip-drop, on the lonely ground

Acid, watch it fade away

Passive, on that fateful day

Fences, fences, cross my jagged heart

Cut up from the start you know I always played my part

Fences, fences, crumble in the rain

Make me free again 'cause love's not something to attain

Rock-slide, mountain's comin' down

Lock-my, memories in town

Save me, from this wicked waste

Take me, from this toxic place

Sun-light, save your pretty face

Sun-light, come another day

Rinse, me clean oh one again

Like, the children of Eden

Fences, fences, cross my jagged heart

Cut up from the start you know I always played my part

Fences, fences, crumble in the rain

Make me free again 'cause love's not something to attain

Save scraps, for the children 

Lessons learned are quick to die with age

I have, always listened

Now I think I've got something to say

Fences, fences, cross my jagged heart

Cut up from the start you know I always played my part

Fences, fences, crumble in the rain

Make me free again 'cause love's not something to attain

Wild-flowers, mend this broken grave

Stitch-it, back to yesterday

Life, take your heavy hold

Teach, us how to become bold

Stories, let them tumble out

Words, like raindrops from the clouds

Bathe us, in your breathy snow

Brave us, when it's time to go

Fences, fences, cross my jagged heart

Cut up from the start you know I always played my part

Fences, fences, crumble in the rain

Make me free again 'cause love's not something to attain.

     OVER AND OUT - DION VOX

OH MAN...

Things are still quite the squeeze, but I feel like I'm making some sort of headway.  It doesn't feel too tangible yet, but hopefully it's a step towards the tangible.  We'll just see if I manage to keep all the utilities paid... oh yeah, and I suppose the rent too...

BUT I did get to spend the whole day grappling with technology, which is not my strong point by any means.  Yet I managed to post the video of our most recent show in Hollywood up on all our sites.  So between that, and having really scrubbed the bathtub and shower clean today, I feel accomplished.  Now I need to learn the lyrics to a song I wrote so I can perform it tomorrow night at The Microphone Sessions.  A whole law class  (okay, i'm a bastard from out of state, so i can't remember if it's UCLA or USC) is going to be attending tomorrow, as the theme for the night is "Judgement".  So wish me broken legs, luck, or merde.

xox

-DION VOX

i know... i know

     Okay, I know that I published a whole little rant (pretty much just to myself) about how I was gonna write more, and post more, and so on.  And for the first few days after I got back from Mexico, I had enough stability and serenity to be idealistic.  But the frank truth is that the "stability and serenity" went the hell out the window a while ago.  No money, starving artist life, all bills overdue, most incoming calls from collection agencies... It goes on.  So aside from working my ass off being a waitress, I've taken to standing on sidewalks selling the band's EP to try and come up with rent (which is still not entirely paid as I type!!)So one lovely Sunday afternoon (last sunday to be exact) I was out in Franklin Village, selling the soul for the rent, and some guy sitting inside a coffee shop saw me out of the window, and wrote a poem about me and gave it to me.  So while I might currently be a bastard without 2 min. to be calm, and write for myself, at least I can post something interesting.  Here's the poem:

On the other side of the Glass

As the cars motored by

And the sun beams ran into her eyes

Hearts floated in the sky

Above and behind

A prisoner to glass cases

Her hair was strands of christmas lights

And somewhere a breeze blew in the night

Across the plain and into sight

Pass the people who were racers

To the corner where she sold her sound from cases

The spot I saw her spirit soar

As I sat inside that coffee shop

And for just a moment had to stop

So that I could smell the roses.

-Follow your bliss, and learn how to operate

 within the system that controls it

By: Erik Arsenti

     makes me sound majestic n' stuff, huh?

-DION VOX

GETTING OLDER???

     I can't say that I'm quite sure what to make of this.  But tomorrow morning, I am performing at a high school assembly.  I am now A PART of something that as a high school student, I used to always ditch.  This is just another frightening realization, along with many others that include things like I make the same facial expressions as my mother.   Or the fact that I find myself treasuring a quiet Saturday night at home.  The only question that remains is...

     Am I getting older???

-dion vox

lyrics to MEGALON

I sing hip-hop electric blues, like

'Lectric currents through my shoes

I breath so soft that Romeo, is sure

To undergo a rouse

Fearful history of a bar room brawler

Never had a fight that I didn't run from

Tearful history a dread filled scholar

Never had a thought that I didn't suffer from

Sea anemones, climb up to me

I dream of seas, I dream in breeze

Please an enemy, I can't succeed

Don't want my life, lived on my knees

Please

Love me

In ways I've dreamed it to be

Heaven knows which way the answers lie

Heaven knows which way your heart breaks when you die

Heaven knows of ways to compromise

Heaven knows it rains when the sky cries

I'm feelin' wiccan in this wicked world

I'm feelin' pagan pegged as a girl

I'm feelin' sickened in this quickened world

I'm feelin' for the wisdom of a pearl

Mother, save me, help me, raise me, teach me to be free

Brother, shield me, guide me, healing, teach me what I see

Father, praise me, show me, knavery, teach me what I need

Lover, crave me, duly, daze me, love me 'cause I'm me

Please

Love me

In ways I've dreamed it to be

Please 

Give me

The key 

To be the person I need.

DION VOX

REJECTION LETTER

Dear valued customer,

   One of our representatives recently spent a pissed off 10 minutes before his cigarette break reviewing you case.  His girlfriend had just dumped him, and he found your case to be uncompelling. We appreciate how many nights you have lay awake on a tear-soaked pillow dreaming of a better future.  These payments mean a lot to us, and we hope that as our valued customer, you will continue to make such payments.  However, upon review of you case, we find that as of yet, your loneliness cannot be helped.  We suggest you refer to our sister company FeelNot LLC for diagnosis and subsequent pharmaceutical treatment until further notice.

    We thank you for your time stolen, 

SINcerely,

 

                 Your Dreams

a trademark corporation of Your Future.

DION VOX

OLDGROWTH

Sab-cat critters, tumbleweed under brush

Fire screaming like sirens full of wrath

Too late, men's souls needed for the crush

Like a fine wine to sticky toes,

Much too much.

And the stiffs stomp in, one by one

lined up pretty, like a dozen smoking guns

Waiting for salvation from the One

Saliva thick on sweaty gums.

But who can pay the half-pence

For the pleasure of a story

Over forty, and still nothing

Came like it does in the stories.

Your days are sordid and dull

Like a dumb fighter with rope burns

Like a tap on the back

From a floozy who calls herself Destiny

Incredible how her neck

Never gets stuck in the noose

She's so loose like she's juiced

On oil and chartreuse.

But then ether's coming too

In the hands of winsome Serenity.

No blemishes there, just

Porcelain and paint

Steel and sutures lead the way

Into her pent-house of Pleasure.

Break it and buy it

Carry it and console it

Let the jagged edges of sorrow bite your nimble limbs

Lick up the profits

On kitten tongues that tickle

In the softest places.

            

                                             Menage trois

They love you

They need you

They taste you

And They want more.

-DION VOX