"Hope", what I feel right now about this meaningful song...

"Hope

I feel the hope running low

We never found our way home

There is no more world

The land is gone

Water is all that survived that one

There are no escapes

Gone are the days of mistakes

Our mistakes

And did you see

The night wore on

And became the days that never begun

The disappearing days

You know where I'm from

Is the only place that forever stays young

Lost at sea

We're lost at sea

I Wouldn't know my face if you all were me

All we have is all we see

There is no more hope

There are no dreams"

To me, right now, this song has a special meaning. I'm conscious that it won't obviously mean the same thing at all for everybody, but, anyway, I'm going to explain what this song means to me.

To me, this song is about the decadence of something you really trust in.

You know, not as there were a "simply" (if we can say that !) lost of hope...

It's deeper... As if all in what you believed before had gone, that's why there's no more hope.

When you spent a big of your life believing there's something better somewhere in the world, in some special place and that you suddenly realize that this place doesn't exist, except in your mind... Our mind can do a lot of things... As a place where you could be finally happy...

But when all is falling appart in your life, even if you've done everything to be in this place, you realize that this place wasn't as "beautiful" as you thought. I don't know if you see the point of what I want to mean...

We're always searching for a better situation, whatsoever it's the city you live in, your job, your relationship... You're always searching for the "perfect" thing. And in a way, it is a good thing, because it allows us to think (at least for a moment), that our life can be better, and that is hope to me. But, at a point in your life, when you've done everything you thought could be better, (even sacrified a lot of things), and realize that your life isn't better, and is even worse than before, you lose all your confidence in life...

I mean, it's kinda "What the fuck ?", "what the point of trying if nothing can make me happy ?"...

And you realize that it wasn't people or places or anything that was bad elsewhere, where you lived before, but that it was yourself, that was bad...

So, in these moments, you think "There's no more hope"...

And these lyrics : "We never found our way home
There is no more world
The land is gone
Water is all that survived that one
There are no escapes
Gone are the days of mistakes
Our mistakes",

to me it's metaphorical. The "world" and "the land" is the place you've created in your mind, a kind of "paradize". "Water" is yourself... When all your dreams are falling appart, the only thing which stays is yourself...

And when He says "Gone are the days of mistakes, our mistakes", it really emphasizes the fact that it's all by your fault. The situation you are now, and the lost hope. But now, there's no point in feeling sorry for yourself... there's no point in being sad or whatever, because you know that this "place" had never existed, it was all in your mind.

And all you can feel in those moments is emptiness, a wide emptiness that fills yourself, that's what "water" also means to me, water is wide and undefined, as emptiness...

A reading of "Dying Song" by me...

I've finally manage to find how to express what this song means for me !!!! After 3 years after I first heard it, and now I've understood why it made me feel so good when I heard it first in 2006... I just couldn't express it, but now....





Here is a kind of commentary by me about this wonderful song :

"Dying Song

I'm going away forever

I'm going away forever

Never coming back this way

Never coming back to this place

What I need is a heaven

What I really need is a heaven

A place to go where I can really be

A place to go where

I can really be

Where I can really be

Dreaming my life away counts for nothing

Dreaming my life away counts for nothing

But nothing ever is the end

No nothing ever is the end

It's sure been a full life for me baby

It's sure been a full life for me yeh

It's sure been a full life for me baby

It's sure been a full life for me

It's sure been a full life for me baby

It's sure been a full life for me yeh

It's sure been a full life for me baby

It's sure been a full life for me

It's sure been a full life for me baby

It's sure been a full life for me yeh

It's sure been a full life for me yeeaah

It's sure been a full life for me..."

To me, this is a kind of hymn to the life that you've lead before your death.

That you musn't regret anything that happened in your life, and that you musn't be affraid to die, now that you've reviewed all your life...

It's a little like in the song "Ascension" to me, even if it's not the same ending, as in Ascension there's a kind of rebirth... Here it's a human being confronted to his own death and reviewing all that He lived in his life...

I love so much this song... Even if it may sound strange, it's so sad and optmistic at the same time... you know ?

I'd really like to die with this state of mind... Not being affraid of dying, not regreting anything in my life... Be happy to enter the last phase of your life... Be at peace with yourself...I think it needs a lot of work to achieve this point of your life... It's not the same thing as a suicide, it's compeletely different to me, it's the idea of accepting your own death, thinking about all you achieved in your life... And that "Nothing Ever is the End" because you've left something behind yourself, artistically or humanly, anyway, that you've left your trace behind yourself...

It's really weird, because I'm sure most of people see this song as a sad song or a suicide hymn, but, maybe because of what I was living at the time I first heard it, I prefer to see this wonderful song as optimistic...

And yes, it is possible to write songs about death that are optimistic... and that's the best songs ever, because they go beyond the only sad and depressing image of death that all the world has...

Death is not so bad when you know that it's the good time for it and that you've at least achieved something in your life...

Something really personal about "I'm Around"

I'll warn you before you read: this won't be about John Frusciante, but about the effect one of his song, "I'm Around" had on me the first time I heard it, listening carefully to the lyrics, and why it is now engraved in my memory... It's more about personal view than John Frusciante only...

So if you still want to read it, I'll thank you from all my heart, because this is something that really counts for me, and that I've not been able to tell anyone else....

Thank you for your attention...

"I'm Around

You know I'm around you

I woundn't be if I didn't love you

I'm going to run through you

You know you're quite a character

It goes that I haven't got a care

When we float down the river

I wonder will I lose you

When we roam through a blizzard

We'll joke and have another cry

I hope I'm not the other guy

We'll never scale those heights again

We've lost our daugther

Let's plan to hide from all our friends

In silent watersBe careful of what you are

What you see is just a small part

You must look for yourself in others

And all the places that you go

You see that they are part of you

I want to again be holding hands

With you underwater

And couldn't we get a second chance

To go back and start over

I was thinking before

That it was all my fault

We Dropped the baton

Sunday waves and makes faces at us all the time

And I'm wondering what I call mine

Sunday waves and makes faces all the time

And I'm wondering what I call mine..."

Well, How shall I begin ? There's so much to tell, you know ?

First, I think this song has become my favorite John Frusciante's song... Because it's so wonderful, sensitive, and it means so much to me now...

Actually, I discovered it back in October 2007, a really strange, weird and moving period when I think back to these days, compare to now where everyting seems to be all written for my future... I discovered it from a French Blog (and yes, sorry everyone, I'm French...), where there were some translations of John's lyrics. Here is the Blog:

http://frusciante76.skyrock.com/8.html

I think there's still a comment that I put on the article with 'I'm Around" translation !!! I was "Caronebraska" at the time... But I no longer have this blog for personal reasons...

Well... Now comes the emotive part...

Well.. I really don't know how to tell all that I feel... But I'm gonna try...
This was late at night at think, around 12 P.M., even if I was still going to High School at the time... This was a really beautiful time where I didn't care if I went to sleep at 2 A.M knowing that I'll wake up only 4 hours later and will sleep in Philosophy lesson in the afternoon... I thought there were more interessant things to do in life than High School...

Well... My mom, whom I adore, had just begun a divorce procedure a month ago I think, and all that I wanted for her (like i always have wanted in my life) was happiness... I saw during all these years, how much she was miserable with my father who insulted her and mentally hurted her.. You know, I just wanted her to be happy...

And on that very special day that I discover this song, something happened which I'll never forget... She had met, only few weeks before, a man, with whom she seemed to come back to life, to born again... Me, having seen her so miserable before was totally fulfill.. Well.. almost...

As it was only few weeks that they met, I was still affraid that it didn't work and that my mum couldn't cope with this second heartache...

But, on this very October night... it was just as if I knew that it was going to work...

I was listening to this wonderful song reading it's meaningful lyrics, when my mom arrived from an evening at the Restaurant with the man she had met a few weeks ago...

And she was so happy... And me, listening to the song, reeding the lyrics... It was really as if it was a sign... When I read again the lyrics today, I realise that it applies exactly to my mother's story, even if i didn't realize it at the time... But, you know, these two people on the songs, who seems to want to begin something again, in spite of the drama which upset their lives... and the lyrics, it applies so much to my mother and my step-father !!!

I definitely think it was a sign... How much I would tell her all that I fell about this song and how that I'm happy for her...

That's why I share this with you, because I want so much that someone else know how I feel about this wonderful song...

Ascension

I just wanted to talk about this amazing song: Ascension
I've been listening to this song around ten times today, and the day is not finished yet...

The lyrics of are so wonderful, sincere and transcendental.
I love this way of going beyond death.
This picture of ascending endlessly, to reach another level of existence…

Here are the lyrics:

Ascension

Coming up to the end

These feelings weren't always pretend

Review your whole life and you don't even have to die

Life would never leave me alone

A choice which way I wanted to go

And everything I've seen is wrong to make me what I'll be

All men

You don't need anyone

Just hold on to the end

And you don't even have to look good

Woman

You do fine on you own

You're free to cry and you don't even have to wipe your eyes

You once saved me and now I'm where you want me to be

Ascending endlessly and I don't even have to try

John Frusciante’s gear (guitar, amps, effects…)

Here’s a list of John Frusciante’s gear, that I’ve made myself, thanks to all the interviews that I've read, and to all the videos and pictures that I've watched.
I've been able to put almost one picture for each guitar.

If you want to use this list, please credit me, Thanks ;)
And if you have any remark or question, don't hesitate to contact me here mailto:shadowscollidewithpeople@msn.com)

P.S: This is only the list of the gear that John Frusciante has now, it does not contain the guitars he used to have before (like the fender Jaguar that he uses in Under The Bridge videoclip). I also haven't put the guitars he borrowed for some occasions, as the Taylor 314 CE he had in the BBC show (click here to see it)

Thanks for your comprehension ;)

* Guitars:

-Electric guitars:

.Fender:

-1962's Stratocaster (3 colors "sunburst", offered by Anthony Kiedis for his return in the band)

-Stratocaster maple-necked '55 ("sunburst" 2 colors)

-Stratocaster 1961 (olympic white)

-Stratocaster 1961 (fiesta red)

-Jaguar Red Fiesta 1962

-Telecaster 1963 Custom Sunburst 3 colors (which have the F of Fender engraved on the pickguard )

-Mustang 1969 dakota Red (It's the first at John's right on the picture, otherwise simply because I love guitars... he is holding a Fender Jaguar, the first at the left is his famous '62 Stratocaster, the 2nd at the left is his '55 Strat, the last at the left is his 0-18 acoustic Martin and the last at his right is a Rickenbaker ;)

-Jaguar White

-Precision Bass Olympic White (rosewood fretboard)(On this picture this is the third from the right, just next to his wonderful Gibson ES 335 Dot ^^. Still on this picture, we can notice an electric Mosrite St George Gold 12 string, the 1st on the left, next to the Gibson ES 335...)

.Gibson:

-Les Paul 1969 Custom Black Beauty 2 pickup

-ES-335 Dot 1961 Sunburst (one of my favorite with the '62 Strat & the '63 Tele )
This is also the one that had for the San Fransisco's Performance with Michael Rother and Josh Klinghoffer

- SG 1961 Custom Cherry Red (the one that he has in the Fortune Faded video, and also the same as Robby Krieger of The Doors ;)

- SG 1961 sunburst (Used for the Joy Division's tribute show)

-ES-175 1950s vintage (it almost looks like his Gibson ES 335 Dot, but we can notice that this one is only cutaway, whereas his ES 335 Dot is double cutaway (yes, I 'am maybe a little bit crazy...)

.Gretsch:

-White Falcon 1955 (found by his friend Vincent Gallo)

He very often uses it for Californication and Otherside in live, and we can also see it in the Californication's video. I'd say this is one of the most wonderful guitar of the world, in fact it's completely normal: the most wonderful guitar of the world for the most talented and amazing guitarist of the world !!!!!!

.Rickenbaker:

I don't exactly know the model, but with my knowledge of guitars, I'd say it's 12 strings 360/12 model. (It's the one that he uses in the Dani California's video, as you can see in the picture below)

.AMPEG

-Dan Armstrong

-Acoustic Guitars:

.Martin:

-0-15 Small bodied from the ‘40s (he's got two)
He very often uses it in live and in his solo shows, as well as in "The Past Recedes" & "Road Trippin'" videos.

-Martin 12 strings

-0-18 small bodied blond

.Australian Maton:

-Messiah EM100c

*Amps:

(By the way, the picture is mine… I’ve taken it myself on June, 6th, 2006 in Lyon, and I’m quite prood of it ;)

.Marshall:

-Major 200W with KT88 Tubes
-Silver Jubilee 2550
-JTM 45

.Fender:

-Blackface Fender Showman

*Mediators:

.Jim Dunlop:

- Orange Tortex, 0.60 mm (the sames as me... ^^)

* Strings:

In general it's 0.010 gauge strings, but he uses an 0.011 on the high E string and 0.012s if he's playing the White Falcon


.D’Addario:

-XL 0.10-0.46

(an ad for D'addario XL strings with John Frusciante ;)

* Effects/Pedalboards :

.BOSS:

-CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
-CE-5 Chorus Ensemble
-DS-2 Turbo Distortion
-FV-50 H volume pedal
-MT-2 Metal Zone
-Master Swich

.Digitech:

-PDS-8000 (x2)

.Electro-Harmonix:

-English Muff’n
-Holy Grail Reverb
-Electric Mistress Flanger & Filter Matrix
-Big Muff Pi
-Frequency analyzer
-Graphic Fuzz
-Tube Zipper
-Freedom amp
-16 Second Digital Delay
-Micro Synth

.Ibanez:

-WH10 Wah


.Line 6:

-FM4 Filter Modeler
-DL4 Delay Modeler



.Moog:

-MF-105 MuRF
-MF-105B Bass MuRF
-MF-101 Low-Pass Filter (x 3)
-MF-103 6/12-Stage Phaser
-MF-102 Ring Modulator -Controll Processor (x 2)
-Expression Pedal (x3)


.Mosrite:

-FUZZrite


.Guyatone:

-VT-X Tube Tremolo

.MXR:

-Micro Amp-Phase 90 reissue
-Zachary


.Vex:

-Fuzz Factory


.Dunlop:

-Uni-Vibe Stereo Chorus

*Others :

-KORG DTR-2000 Digital Rack Tuner

(another ad with John...)

- Studer A-800 machine (x2)
- Vintage API console
- Doepfer modular analog synth
- Effects rack with a Fairchild 670, Pultecs, 1176s and a vintage Neve and UA modules
- EMT plate
- EMT digital reverb
- Grand Piano
- Organs
- Keyboards
- Mellotron
- ARP 2500
- Yukulele

* Tone:

. Amp:

Channel: Overdrive

Gain: 4

Trebbble: 8

Mid: 2

Bass: 6

Reverb: 7

Amp master volume: 5

. Guitar:

Tone: full

Volume: full

*For more informations about John Frusciante's sound, read this interview : Total Guitar Hero Worship Explosion

And I thinks it's all.... ;)

...a little review... from a show I wish I had gone to...

...Yes, it was in 2001, on February, 3rd.
Of course I'm speaking about the concert that John Frusciante gave at "La Scène", in Paris, in my own country...
...But I was too young, and I alas didn't know his wonderful music...
Sometimes I'm just wondering why am I too dumb, and why do I take such long time to discover real things, you know the only things on this earth which can make you life beautiful...

...but that's typically me...

Anyway, let's stop speaking of me !

I managed to find on a website (http://rhcprock.free.fr/frame.html), a review from this show, made by a real admirator (you just have to read it to realize that !), which allowed me to go back to this show, exactly as if I were there !
I know it's quite weird, but reading this, I could imagined all the show, even the minor details, it was as if John played in front of me...That's why I decided to put this review on my Blog, to share with all of you this experience of being, even in your immagination, for some moment in this show; to be completely absorbed and just let your thoughts wander, letting yourself esccape the reality...

********

Paris, France, 3.2.01 La Scéne - John Solo
by Mehrnaz#1439Cologne, Feb 5 2001

I am still not fully aware of what I could be part of the past Saturday night. It was like a dream that I never even thought would come true.That morning I took the train from Germany to Paris to see John Frusciante playing at La Scene. Me and my friends arrived at the club at about 7.30pm and the gig was supposed to start at 8. It was raining and we were all standing and waiting to get in. There were not many people there and we thought it's great because this way, the concert would be much more personal and intimate. There didn't seem to be a backdoor at that place, so John would have to use the main entrance , passing all of us. And finally - at about 8pm- a black van with darkened windows arrived and stopped right in front of us. We went to the other side to see if it is really him and we just saw him getting out of the car really fast, almost running towards the entrance -his eyes fixed on the ground. Everything seemed to be really silent at that moment - it was weird. His bodyguards followed him in with the equipment and finally after some minutes, we were let in, too. It was a pretty small but very nice club with dim light and a very warm atmosphere and some really nice music playing. Everyone was already standing close to the stage talking and laughing and waiting for John but it still took a little while 'til he came. Finally, the lights onstage were dimmed and he came. Everyone started screaming and clapping their hands. His manager handed him his acoustic guitar and he sat down on a stool. He seemed a bit nervous and hectic at first as if he wanted to get it done really fast. But throughout his performance he got more and more relaxed and you could see that he is really enjoying the fans and himself playing music for us. When he started playing his first song, I was just so overwhelmed that I almost started crying and so were some others. From that moment on, everyone was hypnotized by John and his performance. I was sitting on the stage and I was so close to him that I could have touched him. And I just couldn't believe that I was so close to the person that has had such a great influence on my personality and my attitude towards music since so many years. It was the most wonderful and moving moment of my life. He went on playing some of his old songs and a lot of cover songs like: 'Modern Love' by David Bowie, a Joy Division song and also 2 songs from his new album including 'Going Inside'(which is my favourite song). He was really giving everything he had and one time he stopped in the middle of a song and his manager handed him some pill. He told us that he had just thrown up in his mouth and that he is sick. And he was like:'Hey, actually I am playing pretty good for a sick guy'. But we didn't care that he had to interrupt some songs. His performance and just his whole being are so natural. We felt like we are some really close friends- almost like a huge family - meeting up with another great friend who was playing songs for us. It was a really personal concert. And his guitar playing and his voice were just awesome. I must say, I actually like him a lot more live than on his records. Because at that concert, there were no effects- it was just him, his voice and his acoustic guitar and nothing else and it was great. I really don't remember the exact order of the songs he played or the exact titles. By times, I just kept looking at his hands and how he played the guitar and I forgot everything around me. I think I was in the 4th dimension he mentioned in Funky Monks . It was just pure energy and vibrations and emotions. It was beautiful.He was done like after an hour already and when he went offstage, we kept on shouting for him to come back and clapping our hands. And of course he came back. I think he did 4 or 5 encores , it was really cool. So , the whole gig lasted for like one and a half hours or even almost 2. In the encores, he said something personal before each of his songs. He played this R.E.M song and he told us that he used to listen to that song over and over again in his girl friend's car at the time when he had reached the lowest point of his life and when he felt really bad- that was a very emotional moment. He also played 'Lucky' by Radiohead and I really liked his version of that song. Another song , he dedicated to one if his friends who had died (guess he meant River Phoenix), a song for his best friend Tori (I think that was her name). And also a song he had written before he rejoined the Peppers that has not been published and he said that that song had been written by fame for him cuz it describes what fame did to him and his life. In the end, he was asking us what songs to play and this one girl shouted: 'Smiles from the streets!' and he was like 'I don't remember how it starts' and he wanted the girl to come onstage and show him. That was such a funny moment and we all started laughing. He actually tried to play that song like 3 times and messed it up. But we didn't care andit was a funny show !! But finally, he managed to play it and when he started playing 'Your pussy….', everyone started screaming - it was just hilarious !! He was so overwhelmed himself and was playing really hard that he broke a string one time. It was just a very natural show. I have never been to a gig like this. It was the best concert I have ever attended ! After he left the stage, most people waited , hoping he would come and give us autographs and we would get a chance to talk to him and of course he came after a while. He is such a lovely person and I can't say it enough: he is really so natural - even more natural than most 'normal' people. He really came up to us and started talking to us, smiling and hugging everyone and making pictures. And when you talk to him, he really looks into your eyes and really recognizes you. He was really patient and so nice ! He signed my BSSM cover and we made a picture and I also got to talk to him. But worthwhile, so many fans were all standing around him and wanting to make pics with him that sometimes he didn't know which camera to look in and he was like:' Which camera is it?' It made me laugh so bad.So, after a while, he had to go but me and my friends still met him again outside accidentally where he was waiting for his car. And I got to talk to him again but he seemed to be pretty tired already. He asked me if I had been at the Hamburg gig and he also told me, that him and the Peppers will probably come to this festival in UK this summer. My friend asked him if he would like to come have dinner with us and he got so excited and started asking how to get there and all. He really wanted to come and got so happy but someone reminded him that he had an interview later that night, so it didn't work out. It would have been so awesome !When his car arrived, he thanked us all and said bye and drove of. I really must say: It was the greatest night ever for me. John has played such an important part in my life since so many years and I still can't believe that I had this great opportunity to get to see him and enjoy his wonderful music. He is a true artist and genius and a great inspiration to me. But the best thing is, that he is such a kind and warm person and that he doesn't act like a rock star. He is just himself and treats his fans with respect. When I talked to him, I felt like I am talking to an old friend whom I have been knowing my whole life. I didn't feel shy or anything. It was just…there really is no word to describe what I felt at that moment. That night, my friend said something great:' that we live everyday like it doesn't mean anything, the days just pass- but this day, we will never ever forget'. It will be the best memory I have ever had and I thank all the people who made it possible for me. I had such a great time in Paris. Thanx for everything to Lina, Darya and J.T. ! It was wonderful to share this experience with all of you ! And I think, I found friends for life that night ! And most of all, I want to thank John for sharing his beautiful music with us. Nothing can ever make me feel better than watching you making music ! I can't wait to see you again !Love to you all !

Mehrnaz (Cologne/Germany)#1439

!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN !!!

Today is the birthday of one of the most talented guitarist of the world.

Of course, if you are on this website, you must know who !
Yes, it's John Frusciante's birthday.

I know it's quite weird to wish "Happy Birthday" to my favorite artist on internet, and I know that John Frusciante himself won't read this article, I'm not so silly !

But my reason to do this article, and to wish him an happy birthday through my Blog, is that John Frusciante is an artist whom I really admire and who is really important to me (you must know it if you know me !), and I only want to celebrate this day as the birth of an exceptional artist.
I don't want to make myself as an obsessive fan, I really hope that people coming to my Blog don't compare me to that, it would really hurt me, because as I often say, I'm really respectful toward artists I admire, and I don't want to seem like a fool who doesn't even pay attention to the artist himself. I'm not that kind of people !
I'm, anyway, not like an obsessive fan who absolutely want autographs !

I prefer to be an admirer of him as an artist and as a human.
I think that the best thing an artist can offer to his admirers is his art itself. It's the most wonderful thing you can have from an artist that you admire.
Don't look for other superficial things, just enjoy the artist's craft.

I know that a lot of people underestimate the influence that artists, either musicians, actors or all kind of artists, can have on your life; most of the time they laugh at you, not understanding what you're feeling. But there's a real influence from a real artist.
And I definitely don't think it's stupid to have a lot of admiration toward an artist. It's something which guide you through your life, through pleasant and dark moments, it's always here, and you can't denie this energy, even if nobody understand you, at least you understand yourself...

...So, I'm going to stop to move further away from the topic and I'll go to the aim of my entry:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN !

And thanks so much for being here, creating such intense music and inspiring me for each minute of my life. Thanks for all.