October 2 - Giftland

Today is another important day - it is the birthday of my farfar (father's father), Trygve Skogseth. He was born in 1912 and lived to be 78, almost 79 years old. He is a man to truly be proud of. He never talked much about World War II, but I always suspected that he was part of the underground resistance undermining the German occupation of Norway, knowing that he after the war had been a representative on the city council of Trondheim as a member of the communist party. When I finally started talking to my farmor (father's mother) about this, she told me that he had been distributing underground newspapers, but that they had burned them when they thought the Germans were getting a little too close. It would have been quite the risk, especially with two young children at home, but it was one they were willing to take under dire circumstances.

My farfar was a gruff and bigger man who sounded meaner than he was. I think that is a curse that has been passed down through generations, as I know both my father and I have inherited the very same trait. But he had a big heart. Not only was this clear when it came to his family, but also when it came to the people he worked with. In the postwar years, farfar started working on the developments of an apartment building for the people working on the streetcars in Trondheim. The building was strategically placed next to the "streetcar stable" at one of the terminal stations for the streetcars at Elgeseter. The building became reality and provided affordable housing for the streetcar employees and their families, including my grandparents and their three boys. It is one of many reasons to be proud of my grandfather - and if this is his legacy, it is indeed one that still stands.

Before I get to the song of the day, I do want to take a brief detour to mention one that wasn't featured on his birthday, but since he is celebrating it today, I think it is well worth mentioning him a couple of days late. 10 years ago, I was able to travel to Trondheim with Emma, who then was 6 years old, to be a part of my sister Elin's wedding to Will Capell. I had met him before, on an earlier visit home, but this was the first time I had a chance to really spend a little time with him, and I really started realizing that Elin had found a keeper. When I went back home again two years ago, the time spent with them was far more relaxed, as there was no stress of an impending wedding, just family time, and I was gradually getting to know him better. I am so happy he is in the family - and I wish we lived closer so we could spend some more time with one another. He turned 42 on Wednesday, and I really want to wish him a belated happy birthday as well.

Will was not yet in the family and farfar had passed away when I, in 1993, on farfar's birthday, got to see Motorpsycho for the very first time. It was an experience that changed me musically forever, as I got a chance to witness how they first got the audience in the palm of their hand only to open up the hand with not just one but two excursions into controlled noise experiments on both Mountain and Demon Box. I completely ate it up - and really started to appreciate the use of noise and dissonance in music. They also played a new song that hadn't been released yet (actually two - but I prefer this song to The Golden Core) - and Giftland became one of my favorite songs from Timothy's Monster.