MY BLOG ABOUT LIFE IN LA (Part 2)

February 14th, 2012 | By Aoife

Hi everyone.

Along with the Moth Complex shows, the album release and a video to come, I’ve been doing loads and loads of other singing and songwriting (more about that over the next couple of months) and some other cool stuff too… I blogged about this a few months ago (click HERE to read that blog) and here is some more  stuff I’ve been up to lately…

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Natural History Museum here in LA… I don’t think I ever saw dinosaur fossils before so I was like an excited child! Here is a Tyrannosaurus Rex! They assembled this fella from 3 or 4 different skeletons…

I also went to an Antiquarian Book Fair (I LOVE books!) and came across a 1969 first edition of my favourite book, “Slaughterhouse Five” by Kurt Vonnegut. Signed by the author in his wonderfully characterful and unique way. It cost a mere $6,500 (I didn’t buy it!)

There were also first editions of “Winnie The Pooh” from 1926 and lots more great stuff!

There was also a Nirvana setlist for 1991 written in Kurt’s Cobain’s handwriting! I don’t have a photo of that, though. I also saw handwritten letters from a then 17 year old Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Doherty at the time). The owner wouldn’t let me take a photo, but it was so cool to see! 

Another place I went to is the Petersen Automotive Museum… lots of really old cars, including the first steam car from around 1900, the Ford Model T cars and an exhibition of “Supercars” (super expensive, super fast). Also, there was an exhibition of cars from movies and here in this picture is the actual Batmobile that was used in the Tim Burton directed “Batman” and “Batman Returns” movies.

And last of all for now, I went to the Aquarium of the Pacific, where I learned that there exist in the world such things as Pot Bellied Sea Horses and Leafy Sea Dragons! It’s true!! See them in my picture… The Pot Bellied Sea Horse is on the left and Leafy Sea Dragon is on the right. Where I come from, pot bellies involve a lot of beer!

And finally… here I am on my way home after one of my wanderings…

Thank you for reading!!!

Aoife xx

STORY BEHIND THE SONG “CUT”

February 14th, 2012 | By Aoife

“Cut” is probably the loudest, heaviest song on the album.

One of my favourite quotes is from Eleanor Roosevelt. She said ” No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” and “Cut” is basically about this.

Some life experiences can shake and challenge you to your core. Yet, if you choose for them to be, these very experiences can be life changing in a positive way and can hold within them the seeds of the person you want to become and the future you want to have.

**

I’m screaming
And you know
It shows
I know you watch me

I’m breathing
Full of hope
No control
You got me

I see you so clearly now
There’s no fear left in me
In some way
I needed you so I could know how strong I can be

I feel like I’m waking up
And I need to cut this from my heart

All my years
And long dried tears
I need to cut this from my heart

You may as well be stone
Inanimate and cold
A burden I have known
I need to cut this from my heart

Crush me
Bruise my skin
Break my bones but
It will not be enough

Be there to kick me when I’m down
But I’m already free now

I see you so clearly now
There’s no fear left in me
In some way
I needed you so I could know how strong I can be

STORY BEHIND THE SONG “HARDER”

February 7th, 2012 | By Aoife

G. Owens wrote “Harder”. He wrote it about a time he felt stifled artistically and felt stuck. The chorus lyrics “I’m losing so much time. I’m not achieving anything. I keep trying everything but it just gets harder.” – that’s pretty much how I had been feeling too at a stage, so the words spoke to me. And of course musically, it’s really great!

This is the only song on the album I haven’t had any part in writing and I BEGGED Gerry for this song. I knew long before he did that it was meant for me!

One Saturday night, we met up in Dublin and I was convincing him to hand it over!! I told him how much I loved the song and that although I knew he intended to use it for himself at the time, that I wanted to record it as a Moth Complex song. And so on and so on… until he eventually agreed. I also may have bought him a few drinks as an additional payment/bribery!! But it worked out really well. I LOVE this song!

**

Tried changing everything
Move far from all I’ve been
To carry out your sentence on me

Please
Just tell me what to do
So I can still continue
Cause I’m just stuck here I can’t move on

I’ve got to get away
I need to forget everything
I want to feel I’m strong
But it just gets harder

Just tell me what to do
So I can still continue
Cause it’s just wearing down my patience here

I’ve got to get away
I need to forget everything
I want to feel I’m strong
But it just gets harder

I’m losing so much time
I’m not achieving anything
I keep trying everything
But it just gets harder

I’ve got to get away
I need to forget everything
I want to feel I’m strong
But it just gets harder

I’m losing so much time
I’m not achieving anything
I keep trying everything
But it just gets harder

And my systems are failing
All my chances are fading
But it just gets harder
But it just gets harder

And my reasons are crashing
My resolve is eroding
But it just gets harder

STORY BEHIND THE SONG “LEARNED MY LESSON”

February 3rd, 2012 | By Aoife

“Learned My Lesson” was one of the very first songs written for Moth Complex (and had the working title “One More Mistake”). I had been feeling stuck and frustrated in life as I had been living it up to then and “I’ve had it. I’ve had enough” summed up how I felt when I was writing the song. As soon as I had actually written it, though, I felt much better and the mood had passed, and I felt all the “fight” come back in me. Funny how life can work that way!

**

Gone to ground
All my purpose caught
Seems like I’ve lost myself again
The more I try
Cannot count this cost
And I’m left stuck here in this place

I’ve learned my lesson well
I won’t trust again
I’m left to live this out
Deserving is nothing

I’ve had it
I’ve had enough

Gone to ground
All my purpose caught
Seems like I’ve lost myself again
The more I try
Cannot count this cost
And I’m left stuck here in this place

I’ve learned my lesson well
I won’t trust again
I’m left to live this out
Deserving is nothing

I’ve had it
I’ve had enough
I’ve had it
I’ve had enough

Too much to keep so close
The way you let me down
I can’t seem to escape
So I bury one more mistake

I’ve had it
I’ve had enough
I’ve had it
I’ve had enough