Shala Monroque’s Ode to Garages

If you haven’t looked at Shala Monroque’s blog—Shala’s Rabbit Hole—you really ought to. Leading up to the launch of Garage

If you haven’t looked at Shala Monroque’s blog—Shala’s Rabbit Hole—you really ought to. Leading up to the launch of Garage Magazine, the publication she’s put together with Dasha Zhukova (which we’ve already mentioned has some competition), Ms. Monroque offered this ode to the parallels of magazines and garages:

Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter

By clicking submit, you agree to our <a href="http://observermedia.com/terms">terms of service</a> and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

See all of our newsletters

A magazine is a place where things are stored.
A garage is a place where things are stored…
…and changed
…and transformed
…and remade
…and invented from scratch.
A garage is a place to try things out,
To start a band, fix a bike chain, wax a car,
Try something new, dream, imagine, create.
It’s where you go to get your hands dirty.
It’s where you go to clear your head.
It’s where you go to be quiet.
It’s where you make the loudest noise.
A garage is the magic of things.

It’s also where your little brother goes to look at porn. In a magazine! Or something.

Ms. Monroque also gives us this handy list, answering the question, “What’s In Our Garage?”

-Art and fashion collaborate
-Ideas connect the dots
-New faces do new things
-Sharp minds speak straight
-Nothing is ever by rote
-Tomorrow is found in today
-Fashion is never just clothes
-Censorship silenced
-Boundaries pushed
-At an affordable price

We’ve been looking all over for our “nothing is ever by rote!” Who stashed it in the garage under all these dusty boxes? This itemized list reminds us of another masterwork about the nature of garages, Weezer’s “In the Garage.” What do they have cooking in their garage?

-Dungeon Master’s Guide.
-12-sided die.
-Kitty Pryde
-Nightcrawler too
-Posters on the wall
-My favorite rock group, KISS.
-Ace Frehley.
-Peter Criss
-Electric guitar
-Stupid songs

What Happens in Weezer’s Garage:

-One feels safe. (No one cares about one’s ways; no one is able to hear one sing songs about one’s garage.)
-One has a feeling of belonging.
-One writes stupid songs.
-One writes stupid words.
-One loves every one of one’s stupid songs, along with the stupid words they contain.

Perhaps these garages are not so different. For nostalgia’s sake, have a listen to “In the Garage.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0rV88Ev-og&w=420&h=345]

Shala Monroque’s Ode to Garages