Thursday 8 October 2009

Thermopylae

Ok I'm being silly, the title is because this is my 300th post, and there were (supposedly, but not actually) 300 Spartans up on the mountain pass of the same name fighting a spirited but doomed fight in the face of overwhelming odds. Etc. Don't correct me if I'm getting mixed up already*.

Anyway, could somebody tell me how you pronounce Thermopylae? It's one of those words I've never said out loud, as far as I remember - mainly because it's not often it tends to crop up in conversation -

Going on holiday?

Yes, heading off to Thermopylae for a stag weekend at the end of the month.

Really? Oh, and I never thought you pronounced Thermopylae like that: sounds odd.

Oh just fuck off.

Anyway to go off on a tangent, I'm looking forward to playing a support slot for one of my favourite bands in a few weeks' time (use the Spartan analogy here too if you wish, but I won't necessarily endorse it), it's pretty thrilling in fact. Not that I'm going to say which band it is - on the off-chance you may have even heard of them - what with wanting to keep my anonymity and all that. I may find a way of posting an indirect, sneaky kind of link at some point.

An acquaintance of mine asked me the other day how the music was going - this was before I had the exciting news of the aforementioned support slot - and then asked what kind of music I do.

Never an easy question to answer, but another friend who was with me interjected at this point, and said, stressful. He makes very stressful music.

I quite like that description.



*I recommend, by the way, Persian Fire by Tom Holland, for a highly readable and engaging account of the Greco-Persian wars.

12 comments:

Fire Byrd said...

Wow 300 that must mean I've done that to,but I'll have to share in your celebration as I've been re-invented too often.
And even bigger wow about the music. Looking forward to hearing all about it over our curry.
xx

trousers said...

You may well have done more than 300, FB - re-inventions or not, you've been prolific each time.

You'll probably hear more about it over drinks actually, since curry takes priority over conversation ;0)

Zhoen said...

Therm MOP uh Lee.

It's like you have this secret life, only it's here and you keep it isolated from the real one.

Rosaria Williams said...

300 is a monumental number. Congratulations! Now, tell us more about your music.

trousers said...

Thanks Zhoen. I'd thought it most likely that it would be pronounced along those lines, but really I didn't have a clue.

As regards your second point, yes, absolutely. The powers of compartmentalisation - or at least of avoiding synthesis...

lakeviewer, thank you! I've written a smattering of previous posts about such things, but there's every chance there'll be more about the music over the next few weeks - I feel I definitely have to up the ante in terms of writing/arranging/practicing...

Anonymous said...

Well done on 300 posts, I hit the same milestone recently but wasn't clever enough to envoke spartans and what have you.

trousers said...

Yes I remember you hitting 300, Zhisou. I don't know if "clever" is really the word though - more like "tangential" or "random" in my case :)

I sense that I've been missing out on some podcasts...

zola a social thing said...

Damit I still look for the thesis.

Yet how is it that like your stuff?

I do.

Carry On Trousers.

tattytiara said...

Stressful music? Guess that leaves you right out of the elevator and supermarket demographic.

Stressful music... oh the fiending curiosity of what that sounds like.

trousers said...

Bless you, zola, is all I can say :)

tattytiara, hello and welcome! Love the name and the pic.
Well, although I like the fact that someone thinks my music is stressful - I love it, in fact - I don't necessarily think it's true for myself: I don't set out to make stressful music, at least not the vast majority of the time.

If you did want to hear what could be termed stressful music though, check out The Sightings. I love them!

Alexandra MacVean said...

Wow...300?!? Kudos to you. SO sorry I have not been by. No excuse...forgive me. =/

trousers said...

Thanks Sophia - and no worries about not stopping by, I wouldn't want anyone to feel obliged to do so. Nice to see you all the same :)