I refuse to use the phrase “That Awkward Moment” because it’s an instant idiot litmus test (by which I mean, it’s used exclusively by idiots; FACT.)
But I’d like to talk about that uncomfortable feeling you get at parties, when someone (often someone who you think is cleverer or more attractive or better than you) says something you’ve thought for a while.
Because the secret that nerds like me will never tell you is: While we like believing we’re superior to everyone else for knowing vast amounts of trivial shite, we are regularly bummed out by how isolated that makes us.
Martin Starr, Party Down
Most people don’t care as much about the things we care about, because most people aren’t emotionally depraved. And that leaves us alone in our self-imposed darkrooms.
So when someone says an opinion that we had too/first, a couple of things happen at the same time:
- Righteous indignation that someone has wandered into an area you’ve intellectually pee’d all over
- “So I don’t even have the monopoly on Clever? What’s left to fall back on? Socially Unpleasant?”
- “Oh sweet baby Jesus, thank GOD I’m not alone.”
Regardless, I never know what you’re supposed to say? Are you supposed to go “OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT I WAS JUST SAYING THAT TO THAT GUY OVER THERE! Rob. Rob. ROB. TELL HIM I WAS JUST SAYING THAT.”
Or are you supposed to be like one of those cool people one reads about, and just be all “Mmm, I’ve often thought that myself, as it goes”?
Anyway, as far as the following quote goes, I’ve had nearly this exact conversation with various unfortunate people several times over the years (almost never with anyone who actually asked, or had any interest in the subject).
About metal, and the theatre of it that’s so attractive, and how it can work on grander scales both emotionally and in terms of actual song structure, which you just have to be excited about, even if you aren’t a metal listener.
Anyway, now Ryan Adams has said it. And that makes me feel weird.
“I don’t love all metal, and I don’t think anybody does, but what I do love about it is, I guess I like the thrill of the riffs, and I like the way they [the riffs] make me feel in real time. I think metal can be as organic as any blues music, or pop music, and there is just a different sort of majestic property to metal and a certain fantasy element that just isn’t in any other kind of music.”
OMG RYAN I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT!! I HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR LITERALLY YEARS! THE THING ABOUT HOW METAL IS… Ryan. Ryan? Oh, I guess you’re talking to that guy now.
