Ash D. Nowak, Trial and Error

2012-01-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

brooch

2012-01-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

you/me

2012-01-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

not funny

2012-01-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

H2D

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001-08:00

PD

2012-01-23T08:59:00.001-08:00

Aura

2012-01-23T08:58:00.001-08:00

Painted Detroit Preview

2011-09-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Whatever Forever

2011-09-08T14:15:00.001-07:00

diamonds!

2011-08-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

In addition to my auto glass mirror ball, I've also been creating a line of brooches! Available in both "Standard" and "Privacy" tints, I've set broken glass into 1" brooches. These limited edition pieces will be part of my line for H2D's nightlife brand. I should have them up on Etsy by the end of the week, but here are some progress shots for now:

if nothing else-

2011-05-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah! Even though I am bummed about the portrait hiatus I need to take in order to let "the frosting dry," I am VERY happy about the edition of H2D mini posters I finished screening last week:

hand-screened black and metallic gold Speedball ink on pearl grey card stock from Detroit's own Millcraft Paper!
5.25 x 8, edition of 25

It's really not a problem, Chuck.

2011-05-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

"I found myself applying first aid to paintings and saving little precious areas that I loved, but couldn't be ruthless enough to paint out anything so that when the whole painting was full of precious areas that I couldn't afford to paint out, I was done. The problem was the painting wasn't conceived as a whole; it never came together; it was just a series of fractured elements that I happened to like."

-Chuck Close

out forever

2011-05-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

School is over! But I'm still working. I figure if I can keep using my studio and whatever other facilities, why shouldn't I? After a wildly unsuccessful semester of screen printing, I'm finally getting better at it-

These are images of the Temple Bar from the (I think) forties and sixties. The two men behind the bar are George's father and his uncle. The young man in front of the bar is George when he was 6. You can see the originals here

Janine, in progress 2

2011-04-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Mary, in progress 2

2011-04-23T16:12:00.001-07:00

Janine, in progress

2011-04-19T15:09:00.001-07:00

Mary, in progress

2011-04-19T15:08:00.001-07:00

print print

2011-04-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

Only 4 more weeks of school! Really exciting, but really stressful. I'm usually stressed about everything anyway though, so not really sure what difference it makes. I should be graduating in December, but the selections on the fall schedule are comparable to a bag of dicks... It's moments like this I regret skipping semesters at a time to "do my own thing." Whatever.

I'm working on this poster for screen/H2D. I've never really screened anything before this year, and a process where I make a whole bunch of something so I can only use a select few is kind of hard for me get behind. Anyway, I'm making something that looks like this:

Different color scheme though, black and gold on kraft brown. Just a limited run to release in addition to the monthly ones Jon puts together. I should be done with all of them by Friday (hopefully.) Maybe I'll put them on Etsy. Oh yeah, Haute to Death has an Etsy now with nothing on it. I made it to sell vintage clothes and records, and some special prints of stuff we do, other little things we want to make. You'll see!

Whitest Diamond

2011-03-25T12:30:00.003-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor passed this week, here's a sketch I did of her as Andy's girl-

space

2011-01-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

blog life

2011-01-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

Just shot the lovely Mary Sucaet for a new series of portraits! Editing now, sketching later, hopefully painting by Thursday. Also, I finally got my studio space, but for some reason I'm not working in it? Taking over an unclaimed classroom is so much more fulfilling.

One of my resolutions is to be more proactive with my artistic presence, online and in reality. (Even though online is easier because obviously I hate talking to everyone.) Anyway, expect more activity here.

you you you miss me sometimes you do

2010-11-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Detroit Disco. Work in progress.

Stay Free

2010-11-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

Sketches for my Sweetheart.

Welcome to my party, handsome.

2010-11-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

2 days previous to a due date is actually an awful time to realize you've underestimated the time-sensitive nature of caulking 1/8 pieces of class to a giant sphere.

learning=

2010-11-04T18:27:00.001-07:00

"We take the viewpoint that all people are gay until otherwise notified by Jesus"

All I do at school is make disco balls out of garbage and watch Ryan Trecartin films.

(Disco Song)

2010-11-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

day 1

2010-10-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

I love you.

It's not a tumor!

2010-10-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of positive energy and good ideas lately, trying to properly harness everything so I don't have an aneurysm.

BORING!

2010-10-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes boys listen to shitty music and girls don't. I can't explain how many times I've been invited to group rummage sales with "vinyl for the fellas and vintage clothes for the ladies!" (I like both, actually.) Or been told by record store owners "I get so many bored girlfriends in here!" or been asked if I was Jon's "helper" while carrying crates of records. FUCK OFF.

I once had a boyfriend (...or I guess more accurately a guy I was fucking and watching Project Runway with) smugly tell me "I like music that actually sounds like something." I've never seen someone so satisfied with themselves and their genuine interest in the dude from Deathcab for Cutie's "solo work." We didn't last long.

Look, as far as music goes I either want to be dancing or catching an elbow with my face. I don't have time for shit so luke warm you could wash a baby in it.

Revelations:

2010-10-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Whenever I consider this blog, I consider it to be a documentation of studio work (school and personal.) But really, it's just turned into a documentation of me bitching about studio work (school and personal,) and occasionally me trying to justify art-related neurosis. Maybe I should stop trying to divide my life up like one of those weirdos who can't stand when the different foods on their plate touch. Maybe I should just mix it all together, "because it all ends up the same, anyway."

Ready?

2010-09-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

"It doesn't matter how much time I give you guys for a project! You're like me! You're going to wait until the night before regardless."

After convincing myself that I HAD to prove this notion wrong, I am suddenly realizing that I've gone from having a week and a half left to work to 3 days. Way to prove a point, self.

Wanting, needing, waiting, for you to justify my love.

Beyond Thunderdome.

2010-09-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm a total bitch who values most of my peers opinions significantly less than my own,* good critiques still make me feel... Good. Weird, right? (*In all fairness, these feelings are often justified. I really am making an effort to be less of a snot this year, though...) School is a really exciting place for me right now. Even the boring parts, even the parts that make me resent not being able to spend that time making things.

I'm not painting at all this semester (in school, anyway) and it's sort of great. I'm at a place where I have my own procedures, and instead of producing a bunch of practice canvases (also important... kind of?) it'll be nice to have a catalogue of places and faces of my choosing that will actually mean something to me and my portfolio.

So, yeah, a lot of soft sculpture (can I just make shoulder pads and head pieces? Because I'm going too.) Also, a lot of audio/video work. Not totally into the idea of performance pieces, even though M thinks Haute To Death is performance. Yes, if you get down into the work J and I put behind the design of it, technically he's right. M is also concerned with me bridging the gap between my work at H2D. I tend to keep them completely separate, and never really considered why.

I'm thinking about this headpiece/wig thing as body extension. Sort of French Revolution meets Mad Max, sturdy yet delicate. Probably a lot of nylon, caulk, upholstery thread... I have this endless amount of ideas lately, but what I really need is endless amounts of time. I'm trying really hard to use up my material reserves in my studio before I buy anything else. I have so much shit! I am challenging myself to use all of it, save money, be less wasteful. Letting the medium be as challenging as the message/idea.

Notes.

2010-09-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

While editing various recordings for Time & Digital, I came across a 3 year old audio clip of myself bragging about an alleged "Marc by Marc Jacobs Roach Clip," followed by a brief lecture regarding the issue of "dressing like you have something important to say."

What? What does that mean? I miss my friends.

Where's Andre?

2010-09-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

You know when you go back to school and the first week is always really special and you are amped for everything? I'm going to see if I can't maintain that energy at least until midterms.

So far I've only been to my studio courses, both of which concentrate on subjects I'm relatively unfamiliar with; soft sculpture, and time and digital media. These will both be great reasons to execute some projects I've been thinking about but unsure of how to handle.

I wasn't sure what to expect with soft sculpture, but I guess it's exactly what the name implies. Soft sculptures, lots of sewing, constructing... I guess we're supposed to get kind of free and just have fun. Oh, and it's all girls, apparently dudes never ever sign up for it. Total Ladies Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society 4 Life!

Our first assignment is deconstructing (not destroying, but properly deconstructing) a stuffed animal and turning it into something else. While I'm familiar with salvaged material and basing a lot of my work around the practice of alchemy, I've never done anything like this before. I thought I was going to turn him into external shoulder pads, but I might save that idea for a "body extension" project we have a little later in the semester... Anyway, this is my bear. He's am emerald-y teal velvet with a gold bow. His insides are netted bags containing little beads, along with some sort of poly-fill.

This class is probably just going to turn into Project Runway Fantasy Camp, and I'm really, really okay with that.

Thoughts on even skin tone and clean apartments...

2010-09-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

"The more perfect the image, I think, the less people can connect with it." - Danny Roberts (Fashion Illustrator)

My work has always been (more or less) compensatory. I create to replicate what I've lost, I create to actualize what I've never had. For a long time I thought that meant I would never be especially conceptual, but could only be literal to satisfy my desires. This is what I want. This is what it is. However, the more I work, the more I find I am just as interested in satisfying the interests of others who feel the same way (being a Virgo, this is not generally surprising.) Unfortunately, the fewer "mistakes" I make, the smaller my relatable audience becomes.

The main focus, is/was perfection. Any errant mistake or move outside of my original intention would alter my meaning and take the work out of my control. I haven't been working with myself, so much as I've been trying to produce a concrete idea, to be finished as soon as possible and be taken out only for shows (or hopefully) sales. This is insane and completely not the point of why anyone should bother to make anything at all.

This is my final year of school (I think) and I really want to start breaking bad habits like this (and others.) What excites me most in the work of others is details, flaws, inconsistency- the qualities of a great narrative. Why haven't I been applying this to my own work? Why have I been looking at deviations as mistakes or weakness? Actions like this are really just the piece/process shaping me back. I want to try harder to stop fighting everything so much.

what else?

2010-06-14T15:45:00.001-07:00

2010-06-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't know at the time.

2010-06-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

No one should do drugs/be 19 because then they end up with tattoos that read "art is hard" -and while that isn't not true, it's not very encouraging either.

I'm really fond of the WORK gallery. I get their call for submission e-mails but rarely participate because I'm scared my work isn't conceptual enough and that I won't be able to meet the guidelines. I tried once, for "Funny, Not Funny" -as a person who is both, I was sure to be accepted. I wasn't, but it felt good to know I made the effort. Now they have two calls out- one is for "Monsters" which I think I missed the deadline on, or it's really soon approaching... and the other is for "Considering The City" which is more or less looking for works that pertain to solutions for (or maybe just opinions of) Detroit. Everyone dumps on this place but no one gets up and moves (maybe not no one, but the ratio of complaints and actions certainly isn't very even.) Anyway, I've been living downtown for about 7 years now and while I watch things change, and I watch myself change, I still just really love it here no matter what.

I've spent a lot of time not feeling any sort of artistic responsibility toward any particular cause, as I feel my work is entirely aesthetic-based. But it can be both, maybe it has been both and I didn't realize it. It doesn't have to be, though. I don't think everyone needs to make political statements in their work. The value-level doesn't change for me. Anyway, I think it's important I contribute to this show. That's sort of what I'm getting at.

I have two pieces in mind. One abstract and one realistic. Both landscapes. Both inspired by light. Both cosmetic. I don't know if they go together or not. The images came at different times but I re-registered them both into my mind when I thought about this show. I don't know if that part matters or not.

Shaun-tay, you stay.

2010-05-28T13:20:00.001-07:00

McQueen + McLaren

2010-05-22T13:33:00.001-07:00

Two great tastes that taste great together. Here is a beta version of something I'm working on for H2D:

lately.

2010-03-17T12:53:00.002-07:00

Whenever I remember that I have this blog it's like OH YEAH. Then I'm embarrassed because I never update it. However, I would say my updates are at a pretty even ratio with people who actually follow this. Here is some stuff, same as previous, but a little more. I started these things, but I keep telling myself I've been "busy" and thats why they went neglected. Anyway, the circle is new because I am only good at starting, and never completing (but I have higher hopes for this one.) Portrait got some attention... The first four are just detail shots of fun textured canvases that I made for special project. Hopefully getting a start on it this weekend.

colors/kids

2009-11-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Here's what I did this morning:

in progress

2009-11-19T10:24:00.000-08:00

This semester as school is going decidedly well. Here are some images of ideas and materials I have been working with:

Top configuration of a tipi I'm currently working on, with branches gathered from both Taylor and Royal Oak.

Work in progress and experimentation with materials. branches, flourecent lights, gold thread, canvas. I need to cut more branches to fit the shape. This particular model only uses 6. The final will probably use closer to 20.

This is just a sample strip of the drawings I lay out for my Voronoi diagram paintings.

Not a clear image of the drawings, but gives you an idea. I should be applying some color to this tonight.

The base of these paintings, while not particularly difficult, is a bit painstaking... Or, maybe just for me. However, once I am finally done cutting/sanding/drawing/varnishing/scrapping all extraneous material off of the disc- I am very thankful for my Virgo-like precision. I am finally falling into a really nice place with this project, and am excited about moving forward. you should see the disc grave yard in my studio, it's tragic.

Good Morning.

2009-10-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Overheard on the radio at work:

Maintenance 1: What's your location, ___?
Maintenance 2: 809, 3 finger caulk job
Maintenance 1: Can you make it a 2 finger?
Maintenance 2: Yeah, I'll make it look good for you.

free material

2009-09-21T07:01:00.001-07:00

YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR BACK ~~YARD~~ ALLEY.

(I am going to turn this into gold, but for now it looks like this.)

BEATIFIC VISIONS.

2009-09-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Concepts and Images is the class that forces me to come up with bullshit answers to justify my work. The funny thing about bullshit answers though is that they have to come from somewhere, and more often than not, it's a place that is alarmingly honest.

Here's a statement that doesn't get especially deep, but does briefly explain where I am going with this particular body of work I'll be getting into this semester. It's just weird to have an answer other than "because it looks beautiful" -or rather, to find out that the answer "because it looks beautiful" means so much more than wanting to create something aesthetically sublime.

---

Ash D. Nowak

LETTER OF INTENT

Concepts & Images

Fall 2009

Smoke, Mirrors, And Other Arbitrary Decisions

This Fall I am looking to take myself out of one comfort zone in order to explore another. While my past works generally refer to other people in the very literal sense of portraiture, my promotion of others actually goes far beyond the imagery I create. I am often concerned with others over myself, how I can help, improve, and even preserve their lives. Building up others is easy, from their likenesses I reproduce, to the answers that always come without a second thought.

What’s not as easy is showing myself the same maintenance. I often feel that while my human error is quite ostensible, I lack balance in never once having naturally possessed or at least created a semi-presentable version of myself, even if only temporarily. Looking for something less apparent than a series of portraits, I am hoping for a more abstract representation to be achieved through images similar to those created by the mathematical equation called Delaunay Triangulation. The linking of the points created by this equation is referred to as a Voronoi Diagram, which has the appearance of faceted stones. (Apt, as this is an equation often used to measure crystal cell growth, or the growth and change of other molecules.) As with most formulas, they are very precise and very beautiful.

Still, I want to abandon the preconceived ideal of flawlessness. Using common and disordered materials to obtain a clean finish, I can create works that maintain the comfort and reliability of imperfection, but still promote the details of a polished and finalized aesthetic. Not unlike an alchemist, I hope to build gold from dirt, and diamonds from wood in both literal and figurative senses.

"When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." – R. Buckminster Fuller

---

unrelated: taking the printers out of the library was a really good idea. thanks again, ccs.

Currently.

2009-09-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

School started this week, and I'm finding new opportunities both on and off campus that I usually don't notice. I have a lot to consider, but for once, I'm not scared of my options.

Here's some of what I've done today:

Oh, right.

2009-09-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

I forgot that this is supposed to be a studio blog. Ok, well there is this really great part in A Bigger Splash where David Hockney is talking with a gallerist about his lagging productivity. The conversation is something to the effect of Hockney explaining that he started the painting, and it didn't go anywhere for six months, so he scrapped it and completed the new one in two weeks. The gallerist takes this as Hockney can finish a painting in two weeks, which Hockney corrects him and explains, "I couldn't have created the second in two weeks if I didn't spend six months on the first. So really it takes me 6 months and two weeks for a painting." -I love this film because, while I am not David Hockney (yet,) I feel like this often.

Anyway, maybe a couple of years ago I took pictures of Jon after he had gotten his face split open in a fight. They were supposed to be turned into a painting, and I made some pretty decent headway on it for a while. Then I started working on little details of the work to avoid the piece as a whole, as I was really excited about the final product, and just terrified of screwing it up. So, this is about as far as I got on the original:

I think everyone has seen this one, anyway- it's not complete, and won't be, while I haven't trashed it completely, it is face down in the canvas graveyard that I keep in the corner of my studio. Since then, I have restarted this painting FOUR TIMES. Only one of those I can even really call a painting, as the rest were just the lay-out drawings. All were too big, or the composition wasn't right, or the canvas wasnt' gessoed (sp?) right. Any excuse I could use to start over, I guess. So I finally built a new canvas to the preferred dimensions (about half the size of the original) and started painting tonight. This is how far I got before I stopped for a while. This is a diferrent image that I think has better compostion that the first. It is starting out very differently that the first image, super ghostly and underpainted. This didn't take me very long and I feel comfortable with my break point.

I'll keep you updated.

Texts from Anthony.

2009-09-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Sep 1, 2009 3:34:26 PM

Dan is going to try and eat 50 chicken nuggets in one hour. im selling squares at a buck a pop for when hes gonna quit. you want any numbers?

I responded with the number 50, because I feel that Dan is motivated by the urge to never be wrong, no matter what. I don't know if this happend yet, or if I owe Anthony a dollar or what. I should call him.

Spheres of Inluence / Delaunay Triangulation

2009-03-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

At some point I got myself interested in Voronoi Diagrams. These are collections of points (on the same plane) that are divided into their own cells. The Voronoi diagram is formed when you connect the central points that are produced through Delaunay Triangulation, a concept that I am just barely able to figure out. (Let's say I'm not so good with Triganometry... Geometry... Basic Arithmetic. Whatever.) Anyway, Voronoi diagrams can be used to measure crystal cell growth, or to analyse molecules. Needless to say, as with most formulas, they are very precised and beautiful. I am attempting to incorporate them into my work.

This is a portion of what I started up a couple of days ago. Initially I was concerned that laying down each cell would become daunting, but I'm finding the whole process to be very zen. I like the idea of a creative endeavour that relies on mathematics to create the solution.

I am an extremely tense person who faces a lot of concrete walls. This project is supposed to help me transcend. Right?

...Even I don't believe that. Not yet, anyway.

Melrose Place (subtitled: Haute House)

2009-02-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

It's been just about a year since I've taken up residency on Brooklyn street. After it's initial use as a house-warming party gone awry (best kind.) It's slightly more furnished and about to my liking. J lives here now, making it the official studio H2D. If home really is where the heart is, my heart looks like this:

oh no she did not.

2009-02-12T04:05:00.000-08:00

during my second wind this morning, I was building a ground for a new painting and managed to cover half of my sunglasses (half of every pair, not half of the total.) in flat white spray paint. this particular canvas is for my methods of abstraction class, where now I have no option but to use this as motivation to make this the most amazing painting ever so i can sell it for the cost of my self-inflicted damages and replace these glasses.

yes, even the faux Chanel half-tints became a casualty. I am going to try not to kill myself today.

actually, my favorite pair of black and golds were within the safety of my bag.

Can I paint them all totally white and use them for something? Maybe J can use them on models. I don't know. "wish I was dead, ya'll."

fuck ya'll, i'ma do ME.

2009-01-29T05:54:00.000-08:00

man. love going to school, but hate going to class.

can't wait for my senior studio and my body of work and whatever else i want. oh, and business cards!

I do what I want.

2009-01-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

I'm bored and kind of sick. Today I played with colored pencils and glitter (independent of eachother.) This is having fun before doing "serious" hand studies of friends, (not as fun.)

My tonsils are huge, always. It makes me paranoid to swallow, and when I get sick I feel like they're about to fall out of my mouth. Hopefully I can get them removed before my health insurance runs out... I would also like new veneers and my other two wisdom teeth out. If anyone can think of any other cool procedures I can throw on the tab, let me know.

This is what unemployment looks like:

2009-01-05T09:22:00.001-08:00

Swarovski crystals are only sold in grosses, and after their initial use, I had 96 precious gems laying around with out purpose. I am willing to bedazzel any wireless device with pentagrams, upside down crosses, etc, for a nominal fee.

gtg call p-hilts now!

YOU DON'T KNOW ME.

2008-12-25T14:43:00.000-08:00

To say my neighbor "watches" television 24/7 isn't totally correct. There's no way she's watching all that shit, I don't even think she's home half the time. Last night, J claimed that he heard the Harry Potter dvd menu soundtrack for 2 hours before she started the movie. Yesterday I heard her talking on the phone, and she speaks just as loud as she listens. Sometimes I am able to watch entire shows with out even turning on my television. I just base it off what I can hear, and my memory of the particular episode. Today she is "watching" Murray Povich. Does anyone else think it hurts Connie Chungs credibility to be married to him?

Additionally, my neighbor across the hall has a karaoke system. He gently wakes me in the morning, and lulls me to sleep every night. By that I mean he screams the lyrics to that "Too Close" song by Next, the one I remember from Jr. High that I think might be about getting a boner. Somedays he sings Prince, other days it's Britney Spears. He's going to be a star, I can feel it.

I was thinking of making a recording- One side of the lady next door, the other of across the hall. I would play it as loud as my stereo would allow before I left the house for the day. I would probably title it "You have no idea how embarrassing you are."

For Christmas, I painted J (per his accidental request a long time ago) a golden disc of two panthers having sex. here it is:

the pictures aren't so great, but you get the gist. For those interested, it's made of wood, acrylic, krylon, gold leaf, and swarovski crystals.

hold my calls

2008-12-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

I always like finding an empty classroom to work in on my lunch break and pretending it's my private office.

Okay, go-

2008-04-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

According to Google, I created this blog in 2006. Isn't this just a livejournal for adults or young professionals or people too cool (read: embarrassed) to use livejournal? I seem to remember wanting to use this as an online studio, but the following will have to do:

Today I opened what I can only refer to as "the least desirable box."

I moved into my place on February 25th, which is now almost two months ago. I still have a car full of junk that needs to come inside and several boxes waiting to be unpacked. Sarah invited me to participate in her garage sale in May. This is a huge relief, as no one needs this much crap.

But back to the undesirable box.;It's labeled "PAPERWORK" and after slashing through the tape, I should have actually labeled it "photographs, neglected ideas, and death certificates," or maybe even "where the last four years of your life went." I guess "PAPERWORK" is less depressing.

It isn't even kind of organized. I have floppy disks and post-it notes. pictures of what I want my living space to look like, other pictures of faces I can't even put names with anymore. I reached in and blindly pulled out a handful of papers and whatever else. I took the first item off of the stack and scrutinized over what to do with it for 10 minutes. I should just throw the whole box in the dumpster.

Oh, and the first item was a picture of Interpol that I tore out of a magazine 5 or 6 years ago. I opted to keep it.

The only benefit to opening this box was finding my black (flag) Chanel nail polish, which I just used to avoid dealing with T.L.D.B. anymore.

The Factory sent our store a copy of The Teenager's album and some notes about a promotion we'll be running soon... I ripped the disc to my computer and am barely impressed. Also, are they French or just pretentious? Prefrenchious. Whatever, I'll probably still go to their show when they come into town and maybe DJ one or two of their songs.

Is this really my life? Just wondering.