“Never think you are as good as you are going to get, you can always be better. Be true to your own vision and be prepared for rejection. It has happened to us all at one point or another, only the most dedicated will survive.” 
– sas christian –

.out streamed your words.

be my baby :: dm stith [demo, 2004]
two kinds :: film school [hideout, 2007]
what’s missing :: bedhead [beheaded, 1996]
to the east :: electrelane [no shouts, no calls, 2006]
people are strange :: the doors [strange days, 1967]

artwork by sas christian

[my cousin stephanie was kind enough to create a reflection of a certain song and its special memory. it seemed rather fitting to share her contribution for thanksgiving, as my family including this sweet lil boy below, mean the world to me. every year comes another reminder of how lucky we are to have one another and for that, for all of you, im absolutely grateful. happy thanksgiving!]

Song: Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World
by Johnny Clegg and Savuka

The first time I heard this song I was 19 or 20 years old, staying in Francestown, New Hampshire at my then boyfriend’s parent’s home. It was a small house party, and the people there were a laid-back, pot-smoking, micro-beer drinking kind of crowd. I remember our host taking out his guitar and someone brought out the bongo drums, and we all just danced around wildly. The music of Johnny Clegg played and he was singing to his young son, “When I hold your small body close to mine, I feel weak and strong at the same time, so few years to give you wings to fly, show you the stars to guide your ship by!” I remember thinking; one day, if I have a child, I would like to sing this song to him or her, and dance wildly around the room together…

Sixteen years later, I am a single mom of a beautiful young boy. Shortly after I brought him home from the hospital, I started playing this song for him, and he loves it! We dance together; I sing at the top of my lungs, he runs in circles until he’s so dizzy he falls to the floor. For me, this song has many special meanings. It brings me back to that time in my life when everything was possible, and not knowing what the future would hold. The song captures the spirit of a parent who understands that the world has beauty and ugliness, and that the world created for a child is the parent’s world to give, and at some point the parent has to let go. (But not yet!) As a parent, I want the best for my son. To do that I need to give him the best that I can, and pray that life will be kind.

“Every day you wake up,
I hope it’s under the blue sky.”

words by stephanie barnes
photography by melissa barnes

[recently, i started a lil feature of asking some very inspirational friends to personally write something simple regarding music thats very meaningful to them.  its always been genuinely important to make MIA more open to the community, as i welcome and know you all have very special thoughts and relations too.  with no further introduction, im quite honored to share ashley jackson-pierce's contribution.  not only am i often in awe of her kindness, intelligence and taste but she is also one of my favorite writers.]

Song: Let Go
by Frou Frou [Details, 2002]

I was completely in love with my best friend. Because he was already in a relationship (albeit a complicated and fruitless one), I knew better than to reveal my feelings. After a few miserable months of keeping my secret, I forced myself to move to another state and try to live without him. I hadn’t been gone two weeks before I cracked and confessed my love. The feelings were mutual, but we both knew it was the absolute worst time to pursue a relationship. For him, choosing me essentially meant abandoning all else.

On a particularly difficult day, a friend dragged me with her to see Garden State. It was a major emotional trigger, and I was frozen in my seat from the first scene. The last few minutes of the film, when those strings start in and Largeman abandons all reason and runs back to Sam, nearly killed me. 

As the song urged, I really did let go. I had my breakdown. I’m sure the people filing out of the theatre thought I was insane, but I have not since been able to replicate that kind of release. I felt like ten thousand pounds of guilt and uncertainly had been lifted off my shoulders with that one scene, that one song. We’ve been married for two years now, and I still get chills when I watch it.

photography & words by ashley jackson-pierce