Personal depression usually finds me listening to the Cure, Sarah McLachlan, the Sisters of Mercy, or any industrial I
have on hand.
When I’m in one of those “I’m so tired of who I am” type moods I usually listen to punk. Specifically the Offspring’s
“Ixnay on the Hombre,” mainly Meaning of Life and All I Want.
I picked up the new Pennywise last night, it should come in handy when I’m feeling egotistical [don’t ask me what THAT’s
supposed to mean].
Weezer is also good for sorrowful depression/angst.
When I really feel close to my friends, Belly is good.
When I had to say goodbye to my job late last year – or go completely nutzoid, and probably into suicide – I listened to Andrea Bocelli’s Sogno album. I needed a bitter-sweet soundtrack to my heart and soul breaking into a million little pieces, and that was it.
The song Better Thing by Dar Williams always made me feel better. It helped me realize that life moves on and has its ups and downs and if I waited long enough, the ups would come back.
It also helped me realize that there are friends out there that can help me through the rough times.
I used to have this part-time flatmate (long story) and she always knew when it was a bad time to come and stay the night at my place, because she could hear Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall from halfway down the block.
Nowadays it’s more likely to be Henryk Gorecki’s “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” or his “Miserere”. Both are absolutely stunning pieces of music, sonic cathedrals that mourn for what is gone, without being sentimental or syrupy in the slightest. Pure emotion turned to music.
And I am incredibly grateful you took that outlet rather than the other. (As well as using me to vent). Jagged Little Pill helped me out through a lot of the rough times with my ex… as did The Dance by Garth Brooks. (My last relationship may have been more bad than good, but I don’t think I would ever have traded the experiences for anything. I learned and I grew.)
When I’m just in general down, though, I listen to Queensryche’s Operation: MindCrime. I don’t conciously think about anything when I listen to it, but it seems to pick me up none-the-less.
The Smiths had a prfound impact on me. I spent a four year “blue” period wallowing in my own self pity. During that time I filled volumes of poetry and listened to groups like The Smiths, The Cure, Therapy?, Sonic Youth, Public Enemy, and, for whatever reason, Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”. The latter played every night on my cd player for four years.
The Smiths (WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE)
Oh the devil will find work for idle hands to do
I stole and I lied just because you asked me to
but now you know the truth about me
you won’t see me anymore
well, I’m still fond of you
but no more apologies
no more, no more apologies
I’m too tired, I’m so sick and tired
and I’m feeling very sick and ill today
but I’m still fond of you
The three albums that deserve the most credit for helping preserve my sanity: We Sold Our Souls for Rock & Roll by Black Sabbath, Animals by Pink Floyd, and The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. For most of 1994, you couldn’t go near my room without hearing one of these albums playing at head-splitting volume.
