First post.

Welcome to That One Pop! Gem (which may also be known as T1p!G), my first attempt at an mp3/music blog.

Because, clearly, the world needs another music blog.

I've been meaning to start one of these things for a while, although I the only music cred I feel I really have is having interned for one of my favourite indie labels over the summer. But I like music a lot, and I like blogging a lot, so the product is this.

I'm going to write about what I like. What I like is indie rock, powerpop, a good helping of Brit bands, and guilty pleasures. I'll write about new stuff and I'll write about stuff that's been around for a while. I'll probably attempt to write reviews, though goodness knows how that will work out.

I make mixlists by season. They sort of define my life at a certain moment. Eventually, I'll post those. I'll probably make other mixlists, too.

I go to as many concerts as I can (afford/get to), and I (like everyone else it seems) take pictures, so I'll probably share those, too.

I may get sidetracked about and write about general pop culture or whatever the hell I feel like from time to time, although that's what I've got my LiveJournal for.

Music has always played an important role in my life (read: I've been a band geek since the 4th grade), but as someone who really only developed a love for popular and independent music and concert-going three or four years ago, in the aftermath of a break-up, I'm still discovering music that I probably should have been listening to years ago, so bear with me. I'm not the bastion of indie coolness or newness, and I don't pretend to be. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I more or less want to share what I love and voice my opinions, not determine what's cool or in.

I'm partial to music from New York and Paris. I've lived close to New York my entire life. I consider myself extremely lucky in that respect. New York is filled with this crazy energy and too many acts. It's almost overwhelming. I lived in Paris for a year. I consider myself extremely lucky in that respect as well. The music scene is different. It's warm and inviting and fun. It took me a while to find that (and I only scratched the surface), but it's there, waiting.

Credit where credit is due: Blog title comes from the song of the same name by We Are Scientists, from one of their earlier records, In Action. It's totally appropriate blog title, I think, though the actual song itself appears to be about a funeral:

I've been wasting my vacation
Flipping through these hundred stations
And my body's fine
But my head's seen better days
Well your wake was pretty boring
Too much drinking, too much mourning
And your uncle broke my ribs and made me cry
I don't wanna take another bow
I don't wanna stay and hang around
And I don't wanna tell anyone else about my life
I don't wanna be the one who choked
Or be the butt of all your little jokes
I don't want you to leave me here alone, all right
Well I pulled out all my teeth and
Then I brought them to the beach and
Then I threw them one by one into the sea
And watched them sail
I don't wanna take another bow
I don't wanna stay and hang around
And I don't wanna tell anyone else about my life
I don't wanna be the one who choked
Or be the butt of all your little jokes
I don't want you to leave me here alone, all right
Well I was having much more fun
When I thought we were alive

(It was either T1p!G or "Heaven Runs on Dunkin'," after a comment that Brandon Reilly of Nightmare of You once made, but 1) I couldn't work out a logo that I liked, and 2) I didn't want to deal with the possible copyright infringement or what-not.)

WAS are one of my favourite bands and I have a weird relationship with their music. By all rights, With Love and Squalor should be totally ruined, and yet, it's not. You'll find out more about this in the future, probably.

And that's about all I have to say for now. Hopefully you'll enjoy.