Connecting with music in Switzerland.

A few weeks ago I spent a week in Switzerland on a business trip.  One evening during the middle of the week the group I was with were driving back in the dark through the Jura mountains after a day of training and discussion, returning to our hotel.

As is inevitable with me after the chat died down and people started to doze off I pulled out my ipod and headphones and plugged myself in.  It was peaceful to gaze out of the window at the tops of mountains shrouded in darkness and then to whizz through brightly lit tunnels that bore through the sides of vast rock faces.  All the while music played through my head as a soundtrack to the journey.

One other person was awake and looking around at the same time and I tapped our translator on the shoulder and asked if she wanted to listen to what I had playing.  Soon we were scrolling through my ipod and her phone, sharing music recommendations and the music that has shaped and moved us.  There was some crossover in styles and artists, but there was also a lot neither of us had heard as well.

I loved her reaction when I played her a song she had never heard before and which I loved and I could see how she reacted in a similar way as the first time I heard it.  Soon she was making a list of artists/bands she must explore further and it grew as each song passed.

She also played me some music I have never heard before, mainly some great French jazz musicians and I can now go off and explore them further too.

There is something magical about bonding with someone via music.  It is such an intimate, personal connection.  Especially when the music is being played through headphones and no-one else around you knows what is moving or inspiring you so much.  I cherish that moment when you suggest something you both already know and you can say ‘I love that song too’ and then you can bond over a shared feeling you have had when listening to it. I also love it when you hear/play something new and you can share something that may have been a part of your life for many, many years.

Before we knew it we were arriving back at the hotel and not only had the journey passed quickly and pleasurably, I had also developed a friendship with someone over the music we had shared.  For the rest of the week the translator and I talked about a vast range of subjects and grew closer over our shared interests and a great deal of it stemmed from the music we shared that evening travelling through the mountains of Switzerland.  The perfect end result that comes from both travel and music, which is why I love both so much.

A misty morning in the Jura mountains.

Keep your head up

As some of you may know, I have had a particularly stressful year for a variety of reasons and one of the things that has helped me get through has been my love of music and as suggested in a past blog post (Changing my mood with music) using music to self medicate and keep me buoyed up and positive (ish).

One recent example of this is the track ‘Keep Your Head Up’ by Ben Howard.  I bought his album ‘Every Kingdom’ in the past couple of months and have played it extensively ever since.  One evening I was working out on my exercise bike and had the album playing in the background.  As I pedalled away I thought about various things and put the world to rights mentally.  The track ‘Keep Your Head Up’ came on and the chorus hit me full force.  I felt the message keenly and strongly and I felt my cares slip away.  As I pedalled away even more furiously I used the message in the song to blow away some mental blocks and to also fight back some physical tiredness from the exercise.

Here are the lyrics for you to read through:

I spent my time watching the spaces that have grown between us.
And I cut my mind on second best or the scars that come with the greenness.
And I gave my eyes to the boredom, still the seabed wouldn't let me in.
And I tried my best to embrace the darkness in which I swim.

Now walking back down this mountain with the strength of a turning tide.
Oh the wind's so soft at my skin, the sun so hot upon my side.
Oh looking out at this happiness, I searched for between the sheets.
Oh feeling blind and realize, all I was searching for was me. Ooh ooh all I was searching for was me.

Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. (no, no, no, no).
Keep your mind set, keep your hair long. (Oh my my darling)
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. (no, no, no, no).
Keep your mind set in your ways, keep your heart strong.

I saw a friend of mine the other day, and he told me that my eyes were gleaming.
I said I had been away, and he knew, oh he knew the depths I was meaning.
And it felt so good to see his face, the comfort invested in my soul.
To feel the warmth of his smile, when he said "I'm happy to have you home. Ooh ooh I'm happy to have you home."

Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. (no, no, no, no.)
Keep your mind set, keep you hair long. (oh my my darling)
Keep your head up, keep you heart strong. (no, no, no, no.)
Keep your mind set in your ways, keep your heart strong.

‘Cause I'll always remember you the same.
Eyes like wild flowers within demons of change.
May you find happiness there, May all your hopes all turn out right.

Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. (No, no, no, no).
Keep your mind set, keep you hair long. (oh my my darling)
Keep your head up, keep you heart strong. (no, no, no, no).
Keep your mind set in your ways, keep your heart strong.

Because I'll always remember you the same.
Eyes like wild flowers within demons of change.



Not all of the lyrics apply to me at this particular time or if they do the context is changed, but they are uplifting lyrics that can help you regain some focus and help you get things back on the right track.

I was glad to share this song with a dear friend of mine recently who is also going through a rough patch.  Often she and I will share our lives and stories in long extensive emails which I adore, but sometimes we will just send over a quick YouTube link and let the music talk for us.  In this case I sent her the link and hoped she would take the same message from the song; to keep her head up and her heart strong.

It pays to remember that the tiring, wearing and hard feelings we may experience in our life will eventually subside and release their grip on us.  But, in the mean time until we reach that point, it helps to have music and lyrics like this that can keep us on a slightly more even path.  I was just glad that I found this particular song and that I was able to share it with a friend who needed the boost and message as well.  I hope you enjoy and take something from it as well.

Enjoying the silence

I’m just going to stop my music as I write this article today.  Funnily enough this week, in my blog about music I’ve been thinking about the lack of music and of silence in our day to day life.

In some music and especially classical and jazz it is often as much about the silences and space in music as the music itself.  That hold for an extra beat, or that elongated pause between songs is as much a part of the composition as the soaring strings or the frantic jazz drumming.  That silence can allow you to take a breath and feel the force of the music all the more, or create tension before the music releases it.  Quite often these silences or gaps are overlooked and where itunes has separated the individual track from the album/composition this interplay of silence and music can be lost.

This lead on to me thinking about those odd times when I have been unable to listen to music for a period of days.  Whether it be away on retreat, or when taking a holiday, or away on business, there have been times when I haven’t played music for a number of days.  I find that when I come back not only am I desperate to play some music and sit and relax with it, but I also appreciate it more for not having it in my life the past few days.  The silence and time away from music makes me appreciate it’s power and place in my life all the more.

Silence and time for reflection are also important for the soul and where music feeds my soul in numerous ways, I am also nourished by those reflective moments of silence in my life too.  I could be sat on top of a welsh hill gazing out at the lush beauty before me, or sitting quietly with my thoughts centring myself before or at the end of a hectic day, but these silent moments are as important as the soaring, stomach clenching emotion I feel from music.

It helps sometimes to press ‘stop’ on my stereo and listen to the rain outside, or the wind blowing against the house, or to appreciate the extra quietness that comes from a snow storm.  That connection to nature, however brief, helps us find ourselves and then when we go back to our lives and press ‘play’ again, we can feel more in touch with our surroundings and in this instance feel the power of the music all the more.

Anyway, just a few thoughts.  Time to press play and see what music I fancy today.

Music as I commute Part 3

I have mentioned in previous blog posts how music is an integral part of my commute to and from work (Music as I Commute Part 1 and Part 2).  I thought I’d share with you a short memory about an album I played for the first time on my way home from work one evening.

When I started my full time working career many years ago I used to commute via train to London every day.  My shifts would start early and finish late and in winter I barely saw daylight as I travelled to and from work in the dark.  Working such long hours and working full time for the first time in my life was slowly wearing me out and the journey on the train was valuable time to read, sleep and listen to any new music I had bought. 

At this time I played my music on a personal CD player (before my brief foray into Minidisc and later upgrading to my beloved iPod) and so any albums I bought during the day I could put straight into my CD player and start to listen to it as I travelled home.

This day I finally bought the classic album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ by Pink Floyd.  I had known of the album and had seen the famous cover numerous times throughout my life, but apart from a few tracks and excerpts here and there this was the first time I had listened to it in it’s entirety.

I sat at my seat, rested my head against the glass as my face reflected back at me in the dark and as the train pulled away I pressed play.  My exhaustion from work and the gentle motion of the train soon lulled me to sleep and I vaguely heard the music in my dreams as I gradually made my way home. 

Soon enough the album reached ‘On the Run’ and the hypnotic, repetitive synthesizer made me drift deeper into my sleep.  I recall being aware how soothing it was and how I was happy to drift away as I listened to it. 

Then the next thing I knew the loud, discordant alarm bells at the start of ‘Time’ were ringing all around and through my head.  I remember giving a slight startled sound and jerking awake as my heart leapt in my chest and pulse raced.  I had that coppery taste in my mouth as adrenaline coursed through my veins and my fellow travellers looked on at me with confusion and in some cases amusement.

I looked out of the window in embarrassment and tried to get my heart rate back to normal as the other passengers went back to their books, card games and their own exhausted sleep.  Needless to say I stayed awake for the remainder of the album and every time I hear ‘On the Run’ now I am transported back to that time and sometimes I’ll give a rueful smile as I remember how ridiculous I felt jerking awake and being startled by a cacophony of bells no-one else could hear or understand.

Listening to music as you commute can make a strenuous and tedious journey more bearable, but never forget it can also have it’s unforeseen risks!!  Of course that’s no reason to stop easing your journey to and from work with music, I mean…..what are the odds of it happening twice?

Chas n Dave and their English appeal.

I’ve been thinking recently about music that is particular to a certain country or region.  I know that some artists are more successful in some countries than others and that’s not quite what I mean here.  For example, Johnny Halliday is massive in France and the French speaking world, but his music doesn’t sound typically French and is enjoyed by many people outside of France.

The kind of thing I am think of here and which sparked this train of thought are artists like Chas n Dave.  These are a pair of typically English musicians and whilst their music can be enjoyed by anyone, it will resonate so much more with English people and especially Londoners.  Their music is in a good old fashioned pub singalong style and they sing of areas unique to London and England.  They also use a lot of local slang that may not be explained or understood elsewhere.  For example a crowd favourite is ‘Rabbit’, but not everyone knows this can mean someone chattering on incessantly.  So when they sing ‘she has more rabbit than Sainsbury’s’ (a UK supermarket) not everyone would quite get what they mean.

Chas n Dave

Also the style itself is very strongly from London and people in Northern England may not even like Chas n Dave as much as those down south.  Whilst they aren’t strictly cockney, the style of music they play is.

This thinking can apply to other styles and countries and I’m sure Shamisen players from Japan and Aboriginal chants from Australia have more appeal and market in their respective countries than worldwide.

Music is a global language and everyone can enjoy it regardless of your history, upbringing or outlook and this is what I love about it.  But maybe some music will resonate more in some countries than others due to the shared national history, the slang and musical styles they use that don’t translate quite as well elsewhere.

I am sure there are other examples of this and feel free to add your own thoughts here.

Musicophilia

About a year ago I read 'Musicophilia' by Oliver Sacks and I thought I would add and expand upon my original online review for you here.

`Musicophilia' is another readable book from Oliver Sacks that explores the brain in relation to music.  Oliver Sacks is an eminent Neuroscientist who has written numerous books about the brain and how illnesses and injuries can alter the way we experience the world around us.  In this book he explores this theme in relation to music.

A lot of this book looks at neurological issues where the brain stops working as it should and highlights specific idiosyncrasies of music in the brain, things like musical hallucinations after a stroke etc. But it also looks at synaesthesia and perfect pitch and other ways music is experienced or affects the brain that do not stem from injury or illness.

This has lots of case studies and first person accounts to help clarify points raised and this also adds a human elements to what could otherwise be a very clinical look at music from a neurological point of view. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Williams syndrome and found the case studies recounted both fascinating and endearing.  Williams syndrome is a physical condition that affects about 1 in 20,000 live births and whilst there are some physical attributes, this book focused on the love of music and perfect pitch that also typically accompanies this syndrome.

One minor niggle for me is that this book is very classical music orientated, which isn't a bad thing necessarily, but there are other forms of music that aren`t covered in any great depth.  My own tastes in music are so varied it would have been nice to read more about these other genres too.

If you are heavily into music then this book should have plenty to fascinate you, but if you have only a passing interest then there is still enough information in the scientific aspects of the book to keep you engrossed. This is a nice blend of the personal and the scientific and makes for a few days informative reading.

Waiting for Hurricane Sandy

I have a friend who lives in New York and what with Hurricane Sandy bearing down on them we were emailing one another last weekend before internet connection was lost.

Amidst all the talk of preparations and battening down the hatches inevitably our talk turned to music.

I told her a story of when I was a child and how I loved the song ‘Waiting for the Hurricane’ by Chris de Burgh.  I loved the lyrics describing a town anticipating the arrival of a hurricane and the relentless beat of this particular song.  I used to sing this song in the playground and one day as I was singing it a huge storm blew up.  I remember running down the playground as the teachers called us inside and a huge blast of wind gusted across the playground.  I distinctly remember feeling the wind under my feet as I ran and in my young overactive imagination thinking it could pick me up!  When me and my best friend got inside we swore to each other for ages that we had made the storm blow up just by singing the song.  I can also remember standing on a chair looking out of the window humming the song to myself as rivulets of water ran in the gutters.  It was nowhere near a hurricane I am sure, but to my young mind it was a powerful natural event that was heightened by my linking it with music.

This got me thinking about other songs about Hurricanes.  The two that immediately came to mind were ‘Hurricane’ by Bob Dylan and ‘Like a Hurricane’ by Neil Young.  Of course Dylan’s ‘Hurricane’ is a protest song about a miscarriage of justice and not a storm, but it is a great song never-the-less.

‘Like a Hurricane’ by Neil Young is a great, brooding track and I love a video of this that used to play on VH1 a lot when I was a kid.  Young was playing on stage with giant fans blowing his hair all over the place and he’s make his guitar scream out as the song built.  I am also partial to the ‘Unplugged’ version of this song which again is a brooding affair and one I can happily listen to over and over before moving on to the next track.

I guess if nothing else good comes from such violent storm systems then at least their power has inspired some great music.  Small consolation in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy I know and I hope my friend and the rest of the American eastern coastline get safely cleared up and back on their feet soon.

My latest eclectic listening.

Hey again everyone.  Despite my radio silence I have still been listening to and loving my music.

I have been listening to an eclectic mix of stuff lately and today alone I have enjoyed some Andy McKee, Dirty Dancing Soundtrack, Don Henley, Josh Ritter and Machine Head.

A couple of weeks ago I went with my In-laws and wife to see Gordon Giltrap in concert.  It was a spellbinding night with some excellent, technical guitar picking and a wonderful local venue where instead of rows of seats, we sat at tables with candles.  The style of music on offer made me go home and dig out some of my old acoustic favourites and I’ve been playing some Les Finnigan (who is an outstanding Canadian finger picker I saw live in Vancouver many years ago) and Erik Mongrain (another incredible finger picker).  They are both well known for their acoustic guitar tapping technique and it is with this in mind I started looking out for other similar musicians and stumbled across Andy McKee.  He is also a technically brilliant finger picker/tapping guitar player and his album ‘Joyland’ is a wonderful introduction.  Check him out on YouTube too.

I was reading one of my numerous music magazine today and one of the articles was about the top 50 weediest tracks.  One of them was ‘She’s like the Wind’ by Patrick Swayze from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.  I have to admit I actually like this song and can remember watching the film as a youngster and this song coming on.  I dug out my old soundtrack CD and played it through and whilst there are some cheesy tracks on there, there are also some great motown and RnB classics that redeem it overall.

I am always partial to a bit of Don Henley and you can’t beat ‘New York Minute’ at this autumnal time of year and it’s brooding intro with keyboards and bass always makes the hairs stand up on my neck.  I love this track. I also happen to love ‘Boys of Summer’ for a very personal reason regular readers may recall and also just because it is just a damn fine song!

I have been listening to quite a bit of Josh Ritter lately and his albums ‘Hello Starling and ‘Golden Age of Radio’ are both particularly good.  They are mellow, easy going and nice to just sit and read with them playing in the background.  They don’t make my insides ache, but they have some pleasant tracks to while away the time.

Machine Head have been introduced to me over the past couple of years by a very dear friend of mine and I have to say that after just one album I was hooked.  I finally completed my collection of their albums in the past couple of weeks and you can’t beat the pick-me-up their music offers.  Their live album ‘Hellalive’ is one I’ve been playing extensively lately and I love the lead singers interaction with the audience and how he gets them going and how he obviously appreciates his fans.  This is a great album if you like your metal heavy and raw and I can’t wait for another live album to be released in November.

My wife and I have booked tickets to see Mumford and Sons in December and they are another band to tick off my ‘must see’ list.  I am very excited about that gig and no doubt I will report back later on about it.

So, as you can see, whilst my life has been so hectic lately and I’ve barely had time to think, let alone write to you all, my love of music remains undiminished and I hope I will be able to write more regularly in 2013.

Do share your new music finds and what has been moving you lately.

Second Hand Music

Hi everyone, long time no speak.  Hope you’ve all been well.  As you may have guessed life has been hectic lately and the whole blog thing slipped a bit.  Hopefully I’ll get back on track.

In the past few months I’ve been buying a lot of inexpensive, second hand CD’s online to add the albums and artists to my collection that I didn’t feel the need to rush out and buy on the day of release.

I have bought some great albums that have slipped under my radar over the years and the few albums that I haven’t enjoyed quite so much haven’t bothered me as I’ve paid so little for them.  I’ve also been gradually replacing the albums I had on cassette and never got round to buying on CD and it has been a real blast from the past listening to the music that shaped my childhood.

When you can buy an album for under £2 I see no reason whatsoever to illegally download music and it is a good way to round out my music collection.

Some of the stand-out albums I’ve bought are ‘Separate Ways’ by Teddy Thompson, ’The Gadfly’ by Shostakovich, ’The Greatest’ by Cat Power and ’Torches’ by Foster the People.   Some old favourites I’ve replaced from my cassette buying days are Bon Jovi’s first few albums, ‘Hysteria’ by Def Leppard, ‘Gold:Greatest Hits’ by the Carpenters and a Best of Billy Ocean.

The old favourites have reminded me what great music some artists have made and The Carpenters have been played by me a lot.  I always knew Karen Carpenters voice was beautiful, but I haven’t played this album in ages and I forgot just how stunning it is.

Billy Ocean is an artist my mum liked as I grew up and listening to this took me straight back to sitting in the back seat of our car as we drove to my mums best friends house and hearing this from the tiny car speakers.  It was a warm and happy memory.

I’ve also noticed how some bands have gone off the boil.  Bon Jovi used to be such a good band, with some solid light rock and it feels with the albums they’ve released in recent years that they’ve turned into a schmaltzy romance rock band.  Saying that, I’m eagerly looking forward to Richie Sambora’s (Bon Jovi guitarist) new solo album that is released in a couple of weeks.

‘The Gadfly’ is one of those albums that my stepfather used to rouse me with in the morning and I never owned it for myself.  After being on holiday with him recently and him playing it for me again I thought I would buy it for myself and it is a beautiful piece of classical music and worth tracking down if you get the time.  I bought my copy for 1p and P+P on top!!!!

There have been many more albums I’ve bought lately and it has certainly been a rich and enjoyable few months listening and hopefully I’ll share some more of these with you.  Do any of you buy music second hand and have you found some gems you would otherwise have ignored this way?

Musical Influences: Jean Yates

Jean Yates is a regular reader of my blog since its early days and always has interesting comments and stories to add to my posts.  After I read her own blog and saw the creativity she brings to her work I thought I would interview her and share some of her stories with everyone. 

Jean Yates is an American author of a jewellery design book, called ‘Links‘. She is also a columnist for a jewellery magazine in Australia, and a freelance writer and reviewer.
Jean recently opened an Etsy Shop called "the original Jean Yates" featuring jewellery for regular people, as well as for their Blythe dolls. Jean is so enamoured with Blythe dolls that her next book project is called ‘For the Love of Blythe‘ which she is co-authoring with Cindy Sowers and Fanny Zara. The idea behind the book is to bring together 50 Blythe enthusiasts who are top artists from all over the world who are presently working in teams to customize 7 Blythe dolls.  Each person on the team is sharing his or her special expertise in the area of customization or photography. At the end of the process, the 7 dolls will be on display in a hip downtown art gallery in Soho New York and they will appear at a convention for Blythe doll lovers, Blythecon 2013, in Manhattan before the dolls will be auctioned off on eBay entirely for charity.

One of Jean's Blythe dolls.

Did you grow up around much music at home?

My mother listened to records all day.  She loved musicals such as South Pacific (this was the 1950's), some opera, and some classical music like Peer Gynt, which enthralled me.  I have loved Peer Gynt ever since and I can see what is happening
as if I am being shown pictures in a book.

We were less keen on the Opera as kids.  We would take the 45 rpm records and sneak them onto our little record player in the playroom, and alter the speed to 78 rpm or 33 rpm, then shine a spotlight on one kid who would then pretend to sing.  We would all fall over laughing and could hardly breathe we thought this was so funny!

My father liked World War II marching music and American anthems.  However he was often so tired after work that after he came home on went the telly and the news was what he liked.  That and "Seahunt" with Lloyd Bridges, because my Dad was a diver.  My Mom loved to sing and my dad was a incredible whistler.  He rarely sang, except Christmas carols on the way to church at Christmas time, but he rocked the harmonica, as he had had lessons as a kid, along with tap dancing lessons.  He was great at tap dancing and playing Oh Susannah! on the harmonica.

What’s the first album you bought?

I bought my watershed album at ten: "Meet the Beatles".  Never looked back!

What’s the first concert you went to?

Janis Joplin at Madison Square Garden with a surprise guest Johnny Winter, Wow, what an initiation to concert going! I loved it!!!

What album guarantees to get you dancing or you always put on at a party?

‘Breakout’, a 1983 album by the Pointer Sisters.  It has Jump on it.  The boys ( Sandy and Jimmy ) and I would dance our heads off to that when they were little.  We had a ball!

What’s your ideal dinner party music/background music?

I am a sensitive flower.  I like Damien Rice's album ‘O‘.

What album do you always suggest to your friends?

‘Love Over Gold’ by Dire Straits

What’s your favourite recorded music format? Vinyl, CD or download?

CDs--they sound better on our Bose.  We have a lot of Vinyl but all of it is so well loved, we never took good care of it as kids you know?

What song would you want played at your funeral and why?

2 songs: 1: Danny Boy, although I am not Irish but what a great, sad song...and 2: "In My Life" by the Beatles because it sums up everything
 
What album helped you get through your teenage years?

It depends upon my age.  I started with all Beatles and Stones, moved on to The Byrds and The Kinks, then listened to ‘Blonde on Blonde’ by Dylan, what a great album, so beautiful.

What album can you always listen to regardless of time or mood?

Bruce Springsteen ‘Live 1975-1985’

What album is your guilty pleasure?

All Country Western, specifically Garth Brooks, and his cover of ‘Shameless’ makes me want to pass out I love it so much.  I also confess I love Hall and Oates, ‘Rock N Soul Part One’ is awesome

What album can you not live without?

The Eagles ‘The Very Best of’.  I really love ‘Wasted Time‘.  Incredibly depressing, but it does do a bit of a turn around at the end so you don't totally feel the need to jump off the roof.  Beautiful song and harmony.

What are you listening to now?

A song I never tire of, ‘My Baby Grand‘ by Billy Joel, who wrote it for Ray Charles. They sing it together.  It astounds me.  I saw Ray Charles live once.  What a musician.  He sends chills up my spine.

Why did you start dressing up your Blythe dolls as musicians and which is your favourite?

I love my dolls and wanted to express my passion for music through them.  Here is my doll Rocky as Cyndi Lauper and my doll Liath as Stevie Nicks. It is just for fun.

What is the most formative musical experience in your life?

I used to get my allowance and walk all the way to the village from my house as a kid and buy 45s.  I would go on Friday, as school let out early.  I would buy whatever I didn't have and listened to everything.  I would draw as I listened.
I had a massive collection of 45s. When I got older I would buy albums, just from whether I liked the covers. That is how I discovered Jimi Hendrix, his first album cover was the most remarkable cover I had ever seen!

How do you and your husband bond over music or do you have wildly different tastes?

Jim is a Beatles fanatic and a Floydian (I call him my Crazy Diamond).  We love to talk music.  Mostly it is his favourites but that is OK as he has been to a ton of concerts and he totally loves music just as I do.  He can play the piano and the guitar and the organ, as well as a number of other instruments.

Admittedly, He doesn't enjoy modern music as much as I do, and my large and rather idiosyncratic collection of songs which are all titled "Crazy", starting with Patsy Cline's version, doesn't do a thing for him, although he did enjoy the Gnarls Barkley video the other night when I showed it to him.

He listened to a great audiobook on the Beatles, as read by Alfred Molina, and could talk of nothing else for ages.  I was very interested, and love it when we both like the same Beatles songs.  I like the earlier Beatles songs and love ‘The White Album‘.

Jim was hip to Brian Wilson's ‘Pet Sounds’ way before anyone else too.  I have been to many concerts with Jim, he is a real blast to go to a concert with.  He went to Woodstock when he was 14 or so! At the same time I was at a Canadian concert called Strawberry Fields!  1969 was a great year!

Jim isn't wild about my affinity for Boyz II Men however, but we both adore Clapton, and Derek and the Dominoes.  He is more of a Cream fan than I am but a ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ by The Moody Blues is definitely one we can agree on!

Our only teeny little problem is that he hates it when I sing.  It must hurt his ears, like a dog hearing a high pitched sound !  He always tells me to stop immediately.  On the other hand he was so influenced by the Beatles as a kid that he tends to sing with a bit of an English accent. I find this pretty funny. :)

I also love gospel music, r & b, and even Big Band music!  I am open to all music but my heart belongs to rock and roll.



I want to finish by thanking Jean for the time taken answering my questions and her continued support of my blog.

Reaching Musical Nirvana.

Some of you may remember that I wrote an article in February about being ‘Excited to see Tom Petty’ and I finally went to that gig last week and it was a truly incredible experience.

I was already extremely excited about the gig before I read a comment from one of my friends on Facebook who went to the Monday night date and said how great it was.  I then spent the next couple of days almost hopping from foot to foot and gradually building anticipation.  This could’ve been a dangerous situation as my expectations were so high by now that there was a real risk I could feel let down!

My wife, brother and I met in London and after a quick snack whilst sat in Hyde Park we entered the stunning Royal Albert Hall.  I have seen numerous bands here and it is a wonderfully ornate, yet intimate venue and I was secretly pleased we were seeing Tom here rather than in an arena.

The support band came on (Jonathan Wilson and his band) who were excellent and I’ve already bought his album!  One problem was that I spent most of the set also imagining Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers walking onto stage and I was quickly becoming a jittery ball of energy.

When the lights dimmed the crown roared and when Tom and the band walked on stage I almost shook with adrenaline, my feet kept tapping and I fidgeted in my seat.  Then when they struck the first chords, the lights went up and they started their song the audience went ballistic (myself included) and they got a standing ovation and a massive roar of approval.  You could tell right away that this was going to be a special night from the audience reaction alone.

I sung along word for word to every song all night and roared between each song until my voice was hoarse.  My hands and wrists were red and hot from the clapping and I was almost giddy with happiness for the entire duration.  To see someone play the music that had inspired me and formed my life for so many years and after wishing to see them for such a long duration was an almost spiritual event for me.  My stomach ached with emotion and my heart soared.

There was a surprise special guest in the guise of Stevie Winwood who also received a rapturous welcome and a standing ovation and the audience stamped their feet and sung along to his two songs with full gusto.  The band played a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Oh Well’ and is was funny and awesome at the same time to see Tom shake two maracas at the mike as he sung and then stomp across the stage like a wild man when the heavy chorus kicked in, only to return to the mike for more gentle maracas shaking!!!

There was a good mix of tracks and whilst a die hard fan like me will always wish for more and for other tracks, considering I love all his music I was extremely satisfied with the setlist the band chose (copied below).  Favourites had to be ‘Here Comes My Girl’ where I sung the lyrics full belt and felt them as I sung and ‘Refugee’ which has always been one of my favourite songs.  The gentler ‘Something Good Coming’ from Mojo was amazing and ‘Yer So bad’ from Full Moon Fever has a wonderful sing-a-long chorus that I happily bellowed along to.  To see Mike Campbell wring out the most emotive solo from his guitar on ‘Runnin’ down a Dream’ was a sight to savour as well.  It would honestly be simpler to say that the whole setlist was my favourite as it was an awe inspiring event from start to finish!

After the band finished on ‘American Girl’ the audience roared, clapped their hands and stamped their feet and I have rarely seen an audience so invested in the gig from start to finish.  To say the Heartbreakers were well received would be an understatement!

I wrote on my Facebook wall as I travelled home that night that I think I had reached Musical Nirvana and that is honestly one of the closest ways I have come to describing that night.  I have waiting to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for so long and to finally be in the same room as they play the music that I adore simply managed to open my heart and mind and make me forget the world outside.

Needless to say, my expectations where well and truly met and blown out of the water.  Pretty impressive when you consider just how much I was looking forward to the concert!  I just hope it’s not so many years until he tours over here again, once I’ve had a taste of that high it’s something I want to experience again.


20 June 2012 Royal Albert Hall Setlist
Listen to Her Heart
You Wreck Me
I Won’t Back Down
Here Comes My Girl
Handle with Care (Traveling Wilburys cover)
Good Enough
Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Something Big
Don’t Come Around Here No More

With Stevie Winwood,
Can’t Find My Way Home (Blind Faith cover)
Gimme Some Lovin’ (Traffic cover)

Free Fallin’
It’s Good To Be King
Something Good Coming
Learning to Fly
Yer So Bad
I Should Have Known It
Refugee
Runnin’ Down a Dream

Encore,
Mary Jane’s Last Dance
American Girl

Metal is a Sin?!

I saw a photo on Facebook this week that initially made me laugh out loud and then it made me start thinking about music and how it is affected by the society and culture it is formed in.  Here is the photo:-

Firstly I found this hilarious and gave a mental hurrah at the young guy sticking it to the over-zealous religious guy.  But I also started feeling a little indignant about the audacity of someone to state that my musical choices are evil just because they do not fit into your ideal of acceptable music.  To state that metal music is a sin and then link it to religion is offensive to both metal and religion!

There are some heavy rock bands out there who are Christian and who also play Christian music and I’m sure they would agree the level of heaviness has no impact on the religious message they are espousing.

I could personally dislike gospel music (which isn’t true by the way, Aretha Franklin’s gospel album ‘Amazing Grace’ is a sublime album) and say it is a sin and this would offend countless Christians.  My personal musical opinion has no value when gauging the moralistic worth of music.

In America they talk about the separation of church and state and I think maybe this should extend to church and the arts.  Don’t get me wrong, if you want to paint beautiful religious iconography on the Sistine chapel, or write powerful, emotive gospel music, or write religious novels or dance interpretive dances of the gospels, then that is fine by me, but religion should have no say over what art is acceptable and whether it should be made at all. 

I baulk at some music when they glorify things like wife beating or drug taking, but I also understand that in a free society this music will sit alongside other types of music that I find more enjoyable and personally acceptable.  I agree we need to ensure our children are having the right influences in their life, but this is down to the parents (whether they do a good job or not) and not the religious guy on the street waving a placard telling me metal is a sin.

I’m sure as I think about this more my opinions will develop and will clarify.  But, at this moment in time, the one thing I am sure of is that my listening to metal music is in no way a sin and I love blasting away my woes with some heavy music.  It may be loud and pure aggression, but that is what I need sometimes.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

The Power of the Imperial March

I have to say that one of the most effective pieces of music composed for a film must be the Imperial March composed by John Williams for Star Wars. 

A classic leitmotif (recurring theme associated with a particular person or place) you know the second you hear it that Darth Vadar must be close and it is a powerful prompt in the film to know you are about to view something from the Empire (the baddies) rather than from the Rebel Alliance (the goodies).

The rest of the score for the original trilogy suits the mood very well and is at times rousing or moving, but that Imperial March is so distinctive and different to the rest of the score that it stands out and is extremely effective.

Aural prompts are very powerful and when used alongside images on screen like I’ve mentioned in a previous article (Film Soundtracks and Early Ego Boosts) they can make an already stirring scene have even more impact.

I remember as a child listening to the Orchestral piece ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Prokofiev at school and being taught that each animal in the story had a different instrument assigned to it.  We were taught to listen out for each instrument and analyse why it’s tone and feeling represented the animal it portrayed.  I remember being enthralled by this afternoon in class and the lasting effect it had on me.  The Imperial March is a similar form of this idea.

It is amusing how often you will hear the Imperial March used as a ring tone and my friend used to assign it to his wife’s contact so he always had a distinctive, if slightly ominous, indicator that it was her calling.  We used to find it amusing when the phone would ring with the Imperial March and then he’d answer it saying something like ‘hello my love’.  It was very incongruous to say the least.

Now the Imperial March has been associated with evil and at times intimidation, it has been used in other situations to suggest the same information.  Sports teams use it to tar or intimidate their opponents and it has been used by political satirists to comment on the political leanings of noted politicians (John Stewart used to play the Imperial March whenever discussing Dick Cheney).  Notoriously the Band of the Welsh Guards played it when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited the UK in 2007 on a controversial state visit.



I am sure there are other prompts of this kind in films and I would love to hear those that stand out for you, but I think for sheer distinctiveness and impact the Imperial March must be pretty high up the list.  The fact that it is so recognised and powerful even after many years shows how successful it is.

Music to pick you up, dust you off and get you coming back out fighting.

After a particularly rough day at work a good friend of mine posted a music link on my Facebook wall of a song called ‘The Middle’ by Jimmy Eat World and after playing it a couple of times I felt a lot better and tried hard to get things back into perspective. 

Here are the main lyrics,

Hey, don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.
Just try your best, try everything you can.
And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away.

Chrous:
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).

Hey, you know they're all the same.
You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in.
Live right now.
Yeah, just be yourself.
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.

Chorus.

Hey, don't write yourself off yet.
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.
Just do your best, do everything you can.
And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.

Chrous.



Apart from the chorus talking to a female character I could relate and  apply it to my own situation.  It was amazing how quickly it picked me up and whilst I am well aware of the power of music I am still surprised at how quickly and potently it works on me and get me back on track and heading in the right direction.

I love how this song is a little defiant and has a ‘screw you’ attitude to all the naysayers and trouble makers and it is just what I needed at that point in time.  Not only is my friend completely unique and hilarious, she is also a sensitive and beautiful person who knows how to rock out and she instinctively knew what I needed at that point in time.  What more could you want from a friend?

I’m sure I will play this a few more times over the coming days and then shake myself up, dust myself off and come back out fighting.  That’s what music does to me and thank god for that, otherwise I’d be a maudlin’ mess in the corner!

Unusual music venues.

After seeing The Temper Trap at Koko last week I started thinking about music venues and the ones we especially love and those that miss the mark.  I also started thinking about venues that original use was for something else and it has been adapted for a new musical purpose.

In its most basic form, and one many of us would have experienced, is where I saw Deep Purple years ago with my dad.  They played out of a leisure centre in Reading and used the large gymnasium as the hall.  I can’t remember too much about the acoustics, but I do remember having a bass chest massage all night and apart from the excellent guitarist this is the overwhelming memory of that gig.  The venue wasn’t designed for music, but it was a large spare space that was available and it suited the crowd attending.

One of my favourite venues is London’s O2 arena.  This was originally the Millennium Dome, created to house an exhibition to celebrate the turning of the millennium.  After 2000 had passed it sat empty for years and my brother and I used to say many times what a great concert venue it would be, especially after it was used for the excellent millennium show during the exhibition.  Incidentally this was composed by Peter Gabriel and it is available as the wonderful album called ’Ovo’ that I love listening to even now.  Happily others thought the same and the site is now converted into a music venue, with a large indoor arena, a small music club, an assortment of restaurants, an exhibition area for various events, a large cinema and an ice rink during the winter.  It is a great day out to go up for a meal and then finish the day off with a gig.  Transport links are great and it is easy to get in and out, all important factors to make the evening go smoothly.  This is why is has been voted the worlds best music venue in it’s first full year running and why I happily snap up tickets for bands playing there.

Another venue I love is Somerset House which does a summer series of gig each year.  This building is used the house the nations birth and death records, but the courtyard is used as an outdoor cinema and for gigs during the light, warm summer months.  I saw The Temper Trap here last year and it was excellent.  Apart from the music being amazing, the venue was superb too.  Due to being stood in a courtyard it felt intimate, even though you were open to the skies.  Lights were played against the walls and as it grew darker it almost felt like you were stood in a stately, outdoor club.  Again, it was easy to get in and out and being in the centre of London transport was good as well.  I had such a great time that when I saw the summer series announced this year I quickly snapped up a ticket and I am delighted to say I am seeing another of my all time favourite artists (Jill Scott) there later in the year.

Then there is Koko.  This was originally a grand, steeply tiered theatre and the old style and décor remains.  But numerous bars have been put in, the floor seating has been removed and strong balcony rails are in place.  This venue was originally designed for theatre shows and plays and now it is used as a music venue and as a club.  I know the uses aren’t a million miles from each other, but the way the old building has been preserved and still utilised pleases me, as so many building of this type fall into disrepair.  I was really impressed with the venue and it’s facilities and would happily book another gig there if I saw someone I liked on it’s calendar. 

I guess when they change the venue from one use to another you have to consider acoustics (and also crowd control if it is especially small, or in a quiet area) but with modern PA systems and acoustic buffers (like the ceiling mushrooms in the Royal Albert Hall) many of these problems can be overcome.  I have to say the sound has never been atrocious in any of the venues I have mentioned here.

I’m sure there are many other examples of buildings being adapted from one use to another and these are just a selection that I thought of and enjoyed visiting.  I’d love to hear of any you have seen and your particular favourites.

New music I've been playing.

I’ve been a bit quiet on the ol’ blog lately, but boy have I been listening to some great music in the past few weeks.

I bought some albums of bands I don’t know that well, as well some new albums from artists that I know and love and they all are pretty damn good in their own ways.

One album, ‘Tourist History’ by Two Door Cinema Club is so upbeat that whenever I play it, which is a lot at the moment, I’m soon bouncing along and smiling like a loon.  It is so infectious and due to it’s short length (about 32 minutes) I find myself pressing play again the moment it stops. 

Another is the latest album from The Maccabees, ‘Given to the Wild’.  I don’t know too much from this band, but I bought this on the strength of a review in a magazine and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed.  The one track I did recognize (Pelican) is addictive, but to be honest the whole album makes for great listening.  I played it recently as I drove round the M25 and it was perfect accompaniment.



I heard a track by Ryan Adams in a TV show recently and tracked down the album is came off and gave it a whirl.  Friend's have been recommending Ryan Adams to me for years, but it is only now that I’ve bought some and I have to say he is well worth a listen.  Apparently the album I bought, ‘Demolition’ isn’t the best example of his work, but if it’s anything to go by then the rest of his stuff must be excellent as I’ve been enjoying what I’ve played so far.

And now it’s on to two old favourites.  I always wait with anticipation for the latest Bruce Springsteen album and after the rave reviews for ‘Wrecking Ball’ this time was no exception.  I got myself the deluxe edition with the extra tracks, whacked the disc into the stereo and sat back to enjoy.  Despite finding the sentiment behind the opening track ‘We Take care of our Own’ a little too cheesy for my liking, the album is very strong and reminds me of ‘The Rising’ in places due to the inflection he sings with, but it also has hints of his work with The Seeger Sessions Band as well.  It also has a couple of tracks that I’ve heard elsewhere on it, like a reworking of ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ and a great version of ‘American Land’.  It is a good album, the title track is a particular favourite and I’m going to enjoy listening to it some more and seeing how it grows on me.

Finally, I waited with so much anticipation I was like a kid hopping from foot to foot needing to go to a friends party and wee at the same time for the last one of my list.  I adore with a passion the first album from The Temper Trap (Conditions) and it is one of the best albums I have bought in the last five years.  I cannot get enough of it and when I heard the release date for their next offering I was clapping my hands with glee.  I managed to pre-order the album through their website and I’m almost giddy to say I managed to get a deluxe edition (extra tracks and in a special book format) signed by all the members of the band.  Even better, on the day of it’s release I went to see them live at a club in Camden, London called Koko which was an amazing experience. 

The gig venue was so intimate and thanks to a friends advice I managed to get in early and bag a prime spot.  It meant a long wait for the band to come on, but it was worth it.  They played a mix of new and old tracks and with the old favourites the place was electric with people clapping and singing along, which resonated and thrummed through me in the tiny venue.  The view was amazing and by the end of the night my feet ached from stomping them, my voice was hoarse from singing and I could barely hear a thing as I walked back to the train station in a daze.  Boy, what a night.

The bands view from the stage, from their Facebook Page.

The album is pretty damn good as well.  It isn’t quite as fast paced as the first album and whereas on ‘Conditions’ I love every track without exception, on their self titled follow up there are some tracks that are weaker than the others and will take more playing to fully get into my head.  Saying that, it is another solid album from them, with some stand out music and is satisfies my craving for their music for a while longer.

So as you can see I have been playing some great music lately and it has really helped buoy my spirits and keep me going.  I have my eye out for some other artists' new albums that are in the pipe-line and one of my music magazine subscriptions just dropped through the letterbox today so no doubt I can report back soon with some more musical gems for you.

Letting the Adagio work its magic.

I am sitting here surfing the net, reading other blogs, browsing books on Amazon and catching up on friends news on Facebook. The whole time I am doing this I am listening to a classical collection called ‘Adagio’, which as its title suggests is a compilation album of various well known Adagios from various composers.

I wasn’t aware until reading a review of the album online that Adagio derives from the latin word for ‘at ease’, but I can certainly believe it as the music plays soothingly behind me.  It has been a busy and at time stressful couple of weeks, which explains my sporadic posting here and it helps to have music like this to calm things down and help lower my blood pressure.

In the past I liked a bit of rousing classical music and at one point I was of the opinion that if it didn’t have guts and bombast then it wasn’t worth listening to.  As you can imagine Wagner and Beethoven featured very highly on my classical listening lists.  Maybe I am mellowing, but I enjoy more soothing, reflective classical music now and today’s compilation fit’s the bill perfectly.

I initially found baroque music too twee, opera too screechy and choral music overpowering, but as I tune my ear in I can appreciate and even come to love elements in all of these types of classical music.  I especially love opera now and will happily spend an afternoon immersed in an opera as I read along with the translation and feeling the emotions imparted.

I guess like with heavy metal and gradually tuning in your ear in so you go heavier and heavier and with jazz so you find it less scattered and wild, you just need time to acclimatize and appreciate what the music has to offer.

I guess this is a long winded way of saying I am enjoying the Adagios I am listening to today and they are helping soothe my mind and unwind before it all starts again on Monday.  If you are new to classical music I would say this album makes a good introduction and if you already have a wide and varied collection, it still makes for beautiful listening and it is good having these pieces collected in one place

Future Classic Albums

Linked back to a previous article (Disjointed Music) this week has been another strange week for me.  I’ve had so little time to focus on one album from start to finish that I decided to put my ipod on shuffle and take whatever it threw at me.

This started off well enough, but the problem of having such an eclectic taste in music is that I would get an emotional opera aria one moment, followed by some elemental Japanese taiko drumming, then some pumping thrash metal followed by some deep south blues, then some haunting relaxing acoustic guitar swiftly followed by rousing rock.  I liked it all, but lets just say if my mind was scattered before, it was completely blown apart after a few hours of this.

I changed tack and selected shuffle within a particular genre and that made things a bit better.  I got a selection of tracks that suited my mood and which didn’t clash with one another.  The good thing about shuffle is that you come across tracks you haven’t heard in years and I’ve heard some old favourites, as well as some long lost tracks this week.

This got me thinking about something I read in an article recently.  It mentioned how some albums get a sales boost after a certain period of time as they become deemed a classic album and certain music fans wish to include all of these types of albums in their collection to ensure it is as rounded out as possible.  I have to admit I can tend to fall into this category.

I will snub an album for ages even though I like certain tracks on it, but because I hear it blaring from every car stereo or on every TV music channel I balk at jumping on the bandwagon.  I like my music to be individual and a representation of who I am and if I am part of a larger crowd I lose some of that identity.  But when the album reaches classic status I know I need it in my collection and so I will happily go out and buy it.

Recent examples of this mentioned were Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’, Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame’ and it said the Adele’s ‘21’ was rapidly heading the same way. 

I wouldn’t buy an album if I didn’t like at least some of the music on offer and if it’s at the right price I will buy it if it’s deemed required listening for any discerning musical collection.  And of course I find it is often deserving of the hype and praise or it wouldn’t have been so successful. 

I’m more than happy enough to buy certain albums this way and it was interesting to realise I fall into the group mentioned in the article.  I’m also more than happy to overlook certain albums that may be classed as essential if I don’t like what I hear.  The more obscure stuff I own keeps me individual enough and the big hit albums ensure I am listening to the music that will shape the music to come.  All in all it’s a win win situation.

Discovering Jimi Hendrix

When I was 8 years old my step-father had just moved in with us and there were boxes of books, clothes, vinyl and cassettes and other things laying around the house.  I was fortunate enough to have a large bedroom all to myself, but as we organised the house I had a single bed with a few mattresses stacked on top stored in the centre of my room.

I remember one day my cousin was over.  We were more like best friends growing up and we used to spend so much time together playing out on our bikes or playing in the woods out the back of my house.  One afternoon we were rummaging through one of the numerous cardboard boxes in the house and flicking through the stacks of vinyl.  We dismissed the rather staid looking classical music and sneered at the jazz albums, but as I turned over the various cassette cases an almost magical face peered up at me and my interest was captured.

Wearing a purple velvet jacket and a wide brimmed black hat with turquoise buckles on it the soulful eyes of Jimi Hendrix looked out at the camera as smoke billowed around him.  This was different to anything we had come across up to now.

The album was called ‘Voodoo Child’ and it was another Hendrix compilation album (although I didn’t know that at the time).  I slipped open the case and pulled out a white plastic cassette tape and put it into my simple stereo player.  I pressed play and the raw, powerful introduction to ‘Voodoo Chile (slight return)’ came out of my tiny, tinny speakers.  The effect was galvanising and my cousin and I looked at each other in wonder.  We played the song through and then rewound the tape back to the start and pressed play again.

This time as it played we both bounced up and down on the mattresses in the centre of the room in our young attempts at dancing.  I remember laughing as we did so and loving the music as it rushed through my system.  This was new to my ears and it cracked open my mind in a way that has never been shut since.

We continued to do this for some time.  Playing the song and bounce-dancing and then rewinding it to do it again and again.  We finally tired of this and went downstairs for a drink and to go out to play, but music was now something personal and my own.  I no longer had to listen to my parents musical choices anymore or the music my brothers played.  I had ‘found’ Jimi and it was my own music that no-one else in the family played.  My step-father didn’t even play it anymore, he had become strictly a classical man. 

Later on my real dad said that he used to play Hendrix around the house when I was a baby, but he left when I was 4 and I have no recollection of it.  But maybe it had subconsciously seeped into my psyche and when I heard it again at 8 it resonated within me and connected with me on some elemental level I was unable to comprehend at that young age.

The funny thing was I didn’t even play the rest of that tape until weeks later, but looking back I can see that it was a formative experience in my musical life and the start of something special and the start of my love with Jimi’s music that lasts to his very day.

I wonder if my cousin remembers it in the way I do?  I do know he is an amazing guitarist and tours with his band around Europe and is an incredible musician in his own right.   Who knows if Jimi was an influence.  I must ask him some time.

The depth of the music was hard to comprehend at that first listen and I only fully grasped it years later, but it sunk it’s hooks deep into my mind at that young age and I was deeply affected by the raw, powerful emotions of the music.  I can’t think of any better way to be introduced to an artist or helping in forming your own unique relationship with music that will last the rest of your lifetime.  I still get an urge to bounce on my mattress whenever I hear that song and just maybe one day I’ll give in to it and relive a happy memory.

Disjointed music (or 'Becoming a music camel')

It’s been a very disjointed musical week for me these past five days.

With my new job I have been out on the road and on Monday and Tuesday I was in the car, finding my way around and being guided by my new, shiny satnav.  So I could hear the reassuring tones of the female voice guiding me I didn’t play any music and my journey’s were devoid of my usual musical choices to make the trip go quickly.

I was back in the office on Wednesday and I quickly had my ipod plugged into my speaker dock and had the tunes blasting out.  The only problem was the phone rang constantly and so I had to press pause every minute or so and the music was very broken up and intermittent.  Not ideal!

I also had a meeting on the Wednesday morning so there was a few hours with no music there and before you knew I was at Friday afternoon, finishing up some emails and other items before the weekend and I realised my musical listening had been very limited to say the least.

I’m thinking next week won’t be much better.  I am out and about Tuesday and I’m staying away overnight Thursday to Friday.  The only saving grace is that I’ll take my ipod and headphones on the train journey and I can play music as I work and hopefully I’ll get a chance to play some music as I drift off to sleep at the hotel.

I hope this is just a hectic settling in period and when things calm down I will be able to get back to work and play some music to soothe me through my day.  If not, then boy is that a huge sacrifice for a new role!  But I guess it is one I am willing to make.  As long as at the weekend I can blast out my tunes and restock my musical hump, like a camel replenishing it’s water supply before heading into the desert.  It may just be the only way I’ll survive.

Music in a London Museum.

Last weekend my wife and I went up to London with two friends for a day visiting some museums.

We travelled in by tube and emerged from the clatter and bustle of the tunnels below into a mild, sunny day in South Kensington and the day stretched before us.  We strolled up and started our adventures by entering the hallowed building of The Natural History museum.  The architecture of this building is stunning enough, but the delights inside were also captivating and soon we were marvelling at dinosaurs and blue whales.  We then strolled over to the V&A and were amazed at the items in the great Cast Courts where lifesize casts of Michelangelo’s David stand alongside Trajan Column.  These contrasted with the intricate detail of the netsuke and other exhibits in my favourite Japan hall.  Finally we walked over to the Science museum where we enjoyed the Hawking room, but more importantly played like children (or perhaps even more raucously) in the ‘Who I am’ exhibit where games and interactive experiments help you explore your body.  This is just a small snippet of the days event, but as you can see it was varied and jam packed and by the middle of the day we were starting to wilt, which leads onto the musical aspect of the day.

When we arrived at the V&A we were already pretty tired from shuffling around and gazing into cabinets and reading notes and signs.  So we headed straight for the grand café near the outdoor paddling pool.  With tea and cake we settled into the impressive surroundings.  Huge, sparkling balls of light hung suspended from the ceiling, beautifully decorated tiles lined the walls and vast stained glass windows depicted various scenes as the light streamed through.  It is an extraordinary room at the best of times.

Cafe at the V&A

 As we took our first sip of tea a musical tinkle and flourish grabbed our attention and as we peered around a young gentleman started playing piano for the assembled customers.  He started off easy and played a medley of tunes that you could recognise and sit back and enjoy.  The music reverberated off the tiled walls and rung out sweetly.  After the applause subsided he started playing a fast, intricate classical piece.  His fingers flew over the keys and I sat mesmerised as his fingers bounced higher at the end of each phrase as he became more involved in the music.  He continued playing the whole time we were there and it certainly added to the atmosphere.

It was so soothing to sit there in the grand surroundings, with the gentle murmur of conversation in the air and the piano playing around us.  It almost gave you a sense of what life was like in more refined times where this was the norm and not the exception, although my jeans and t-shirt may have dented that illusion somewhat. 

After being revived by the tea, cake and music we headed back off and continued our day of fascination, being left awe struck and having fun, but it was a memorable, peaceful sojourn in a busy, hectic day.  If you ever visit the V&A then head to the café for the stunning room decoration alone, but if there’s music playing then that may just be the icing on your carrot cake.

The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones

I have often heard it said that the best way to gauge someone’s musical tastes and leanings is to ask them one key question.  Beatles or Stones?  So it was with this thought in mind I posted this question up as a poll on my blog and also encouraged discussion via my Facebook page.

First off the overwhelming results after 14 votes were, 11 (78%) voted for The Beatles and 3 (21%) voted for the Rolling Stones.  But it was only after reading and joining in with the online discussion that I started to understand why.

Most people felt that whilst certain Stones songs were excellent in their own right (the most notable mentions were ‘Jumpin Jack Flash’, ‘Gimme Shelter’ and ‘Sympathy for the Devil) they were happy with a ‘best of’ collection to satisfy their Rolling Stone craving without wishing to delve much deeper into their back catalogue.  But the consensus seemed to be that The Beatles made more albums you could happily listen to in their entirety many times over with a fresh perspective gained each time.  Also it was suggested that as the bands sound changed more over their career that there was more music available to cater for a wider selection of moods and emotions.

Revolver

I’m unsure about the veracity of some of these opinions, but I have to admit I am a Beatles man myself.  There music seems more complex, whilst also being more accessible and while I do enjoy the gritty sound of the Stones I find myself becoming bored after a few albums.  A ‘best of’ collection often suffices and then I’m happy to move on, much like the views expressed by others online I suppose.

It is quite possible and dare I say it after some of the opinions I have read, acceptable to like both bands though.  I guess we may all have our preferences, but we can easily enjoy both.

Some expressed a preference for the Beatles for their political stance and said that Lennon’s views attracted them to the bands music.  Others suggested a better question would have been ‘Beatles or Beach Boys’ as their sound was more comparable.  Others suggested the Beatles are better due to their superior album production values and cited George Martin as a huge element in the bands success and appeal.  Some said The Rolling Stones music was for more rebellious types and the ‘Beatles V Stones’ question was often asked to quickly and easily judge new friendships.  It was also suggested that the Stones had more swagger and attitude and that the Beatles were a little sterile in comparison.  It was said that considering the Rolling Stones lasted longer than the Beatles the latter band achieved comparatively so much in a short space of time and their music still has impact and sounds timeless today.

Exile on Main Street

So as you can see the thoughts and opinions were pretty varied and made for enjoyable reading.   There is plenty to mull over and comment on if you have any thoughts yourself, I would love to hear your take on it.

I guess the best way to end things would be to paraphrase Mick Jagger.  When asked in ‘65 whether his group was better than the Beatles, he diplomatically stated that "they do what they do best and we do what we do best".  You can’t say fairer than that!