Sunday, November 4, 2012

A Zombie's Endorsement

What follows will be almost one hundred and thirty-five degree turn from everything previous. For a time, let us set aside the cynic and embrace the geek, but keep the social motif.
Everyone, at some point or another, wonders about their contribution to society. Most wish to leave a lasting mark of their existence. Whether it is on the grand scale of creating history, or a modest aspiration to be remembered fondly and carried in the hearts of those we touched. Even a minor impact such as that will leave lasting impressions. Bypassing the clichéd metaphor of ripples in a pond, look at the world around us. A college student creates a social media site and it blossoms into a power house. The digital age has wrought havoc on legacy news media, and the weekend yard sale and classified ads have evolved into Craigslist and EBay. An Alaskan singer/songwriter arranges, and coordinates an all state tour of the United States, plus some Canada, via Twitter and Facebook.
This entry is part review, part show of appreciation, part celebratory and all congratulatory of the music styling and showmanship of Marian Call. An independent musician, home based out of Alaska, that has shown us the worth of an old typewriter as a percussion instrument, the dulcet tones of a kazoo, and even her Cat zippy joined in the fun. I have had the pleasure of attending four of her concerts, two of them in person (disclaimer: Caught the Thinkgeek HQ and 50-State Victory concerts as they streamed). Each show enjoys its own nuance, and at each event I watched as she endeavored to speak to everyone. From hello to goodbye, she speaks with sincerity and kindness, succeeding in getting a smile from even the most socially awkward, like myself. The greatest part is that you aren’t there to watch the show, but to be a part of it. As the opening notes of the folk version of We’re Out for Blood (back story shortly), expect her smiling face to offer words of encouragement to join the chorus of this stress erasing song. “It’s Good To Have Jayne on Your Side” begs for the dark wood of an Irish Pub, pints of liquid courage, and twenty or so of your newest friends for a rambunctious sing along.
The joy and sense of community gives the memory of every concert a warm radiance, but that is simply the benefit of meeting Marian Call. For background, consider the origins of We’re Out for Blood, (hoping to do it justice). Marian Call was approached by the Creator of Zombie Cheerleader Camp, who hoped she could provide a punk rock theme song to help make the movie. Baffled at his request, she pointed to her stock of folk songs, and asked why her, given the conflict of the styles. His response, “I heard you would do it for free.” That aside, the situation was resolved, and the punk version is now available on in the Songs of the Month and Singles.
That is the nature of her personality. As she stated, while introducing the folk version of We’re Out for Blood, “How do you say no to making a song for a zombie movie?” That adventurous side step has set the tone for the strongest portion of her fan base, her Zombie Cheerleaders. It is that same geeky passion that provided the impetus for the newest rendition of humor and spunk, her Shark Week Song, a bubbly upbeat ditty celebrating the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. Rhymes, exclamation points, and guest appearances of TV personalities followed, each another note in the anthem of awesome produced by Marian Call.
Now, she is touring Europe, taking her music across the pond, and working the triumphant rerelease of her new album, Something Fierce. From the first through the thirteenth of November, she has invited her fans, among which I number (guess that’s a given), to join in the adventure, tasking out word games to incite interest and buzz. The title is the embodiment of the wonderfully jazzy number, Dear Mr. Darcy, a tale of love that wasn’t, or rather a confession of confidence and self assurance. The latter a banner that Marian has continuously to wave with authority. A female celebrity in geek culture, standing as a role model for the future generations of geek girls; a personification of the “Forget Barbie, buy your daughter a ray gun” philosophy (not a knock on Barbie, but on gender type casting). Her entrepreneurial spirit, drive to succeed, and passion for the art, serve as sterling examples for us all.
So, take a lesson from this artist’s labors of love. Strive for greater achievements; act to leave a lasting impression on the world, even if it is only your little corner of it. Show the world that you too have Something Fierce Inside. I wish all of you happiness and everything short of contentment, so you will always have something to strive for.

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