Getting hooked on Audioslave

I remember the first time I discovered the band ‘Audioslave’.  I was working in London and a group of us who worked together used to share music on a regular basis.  We’d talk about music on our lunch breaks, go to record shops after work and browse the vinyl, go to gigs together, pass on new musical finds, as well as suggesting old favourites and over the years I found some great bands in this way.   

One day a friend suggested I check out the new (self titled) album from Audioslave and when I said I didn’t know them, he gave me a little history.  He told me they were the joining of the band members from Rage Against the Machine (Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford) and Chris Cornell (the singer from Soundgarden) and that all the sounds you hear on the album are made using only musical instruments and no samples.  He told me they were relatively heavy, but considering I like heavy music this was no problem for me.

Here are some small band facts to set the scene for you.  They were brought together by Rick Rubin who has had his hand in the success of many bands and musicians over the years.  At one point the band nearly didn’t get it together due to quarrelling managers and record companies, but a compromise was finally reached which allowed them to move forwards and release the first album and form a group. Cornell was battling with drug problems during the making of the first album and used the project to find his feet after leaving Soundgarden and pursuing mixed success solo work.  Later in their career they became the first American band to play in Cuba and at the time Morello insisted there was no political message to this, but that they were on an artistic cultural exchange, although the impact of their decision could never be ignored when RATM had been such a political band in the past.  Anyway….

After the recommendation I went down on my lunch break and bought the album (as well as numerous other CD’s) and I remember slipping the disc into my CD player as I walked home and the raw, powerful intro to ‘Cochise’ washing over me.  I was instantly hooked.  I didn’t really know much Soundgarden stuff, so Cornells vocal style was new to me and to my ears suited the music perfectly.  Heavier songs like ‘Gasoline’ are balanced with slightly gentler tracks like ‘Shadow on the Sun’ which has some incredible bass lines and overall it is solid album from start to finish.

Their first album is one of the rare gems where every track is outstanding and the CD didn’t leave my stereo at home or my portable CD player as I travelled too and from work, for weeks.  It quickly became the music that coloured and influenced me during that summer and I happily passed on the recommendation to anyone who would listen.  They managed to blend the power and rawness from RATM’s sound with Cornells distinctive vocals and come up with a sound that is instantly unique and compelling.  There are some albums that set the time and place when you heard them so perfectly that every subsequent listen over the years instantly takes you back there.  ‘Audioslave’ became such an album for me.

Over the bands life they made two other albums and whilst they are also good (‘Out of Exile’ especially developed the bands sound), they each have a different feel and for me don’t quite match the urgency and power of the first album.  Whenever I play the album it reminds me of walking through London’s streets during the summer, feeing the heat from the pavements, watching groups of people drinking and laughing outside pubs, making my way home as it grew dark and having these songs as the soundtrack to my thoughts and feelings. 

I came across many great bands through the sharing of music with work friends, but this is one of the albums that endures and even now, at the first sniff of summer, it comes out and I play it loud and proud.

The Prayer Cycle

Many years ago my brother recommended an album to me and as always I quickly tracked it down and gave it a listen.  But the album he suggested was more unusual than most and it has become a moving and integral part of my music collection, if not my life.

‘The Prayer Cycle’ by Jonathan Elias is a choral symphony in 9 parts where various prayers/poems are sung by different known and unknown musicians.  Names include Alanis Morissette who sings in French and Hungarian, James Taylor and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, to name just a few.

The prayers/poems are included in the booklet and the theme of the album touches upon nuclear weapons and the affect they have upon the world.  This may sound bleak to some people, but this is a deep, moving album and it is also an album of staggering beauty that never fails to take my breath away.

The blend of choral and solo voices with the orchestra is perfect (there is no other description) and the raw, emotive vocals that Morissette brings sits alongside the plaintive, penetrating singing of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the whole thing becomes a stirring experience.

The first time I listened to this album I read the poems at the same time and it was an incredible, memorable event.  My spirit was affected by the music I heard in my ears and my mind and thoughts were overwhelmed with the imagery and emotions given in the words.  It was, and still is, a powerful experience.

There is a second album in this series called ‘The Prayer Cycle:Path to Zero’ and this also has some well known vocalists who add their talents to the piece.  It has similar themes and it is a good album and is as moving in places, but the original album has a depth and power to it that I will never tire of.

I was recently able to pass on the pleasure this album has given me when a colleague at work heard me playing it and remarked at how beautiful it was.  I bought him a copy of the album that evening and I am so happy to pass on something that has affected me so deeply and share something that has now become a part of my life with him.  It sounds melodramatic when you put it that way, but music (some more than others) has the ability to make you feel that way.  I guess I just need to thank my brother for introducing me to something so profound and beautiful and sharing this music with me.

http://www.globalzero.org/ (The organisation Elias supports and tries to highlight with his Prayer Cycle albums). 

Emailing new music.

On Friday evening I sat indoors at my computer and after checking a few websites and updating my ipod with my weekly podcasts I put on some Beethoven and set about replying to some emails I had let sit too long in my inbox.  Snow drifted silently down outside and the house was warming through nicely, whilst a cup of tea steamed beside me.

There was something soothing about sitting there as it snowed outside and the music played quietly in the background.  I replied to some friends in various international locations and thought how they’d appreciate my current musical choice.  I enjoyed re-reading their news and set about sharing my own.

As is often the case I also included some YouTube musical links within each email to share some music that has moved or delighted me.

For one friend in New York I included a piece by a group called Rondo Veneziano.  They are a classical group that also include drums in some of their pieces and which my father introduced me to as a child.  Whenever I hear them I think back to those times listening to them on vinyl in his living room and that warm glow you have as a child when food and safety are taken care of and you can just sit back and enjoy what life brings your way.  I told my friend it reminded me of a time before you realise your parents are fallible and when I loved my father unconditionally.  Whilst my relationship with him has changed somewhat over the years, I think beneath it all, that nugget of unconditional love still lingers, despite (or maybe because of) our ups and downs.

For another friend in Geneva I shared a song I have recently discovered and which I adore.  The song is ‘Laura’ by Bat for Lashes.  I discovered this artist (Natasha Khan, who performs under a band name) when she performed on Jools Holland on the BBC and after buying her first album I quickly went out and bought the other 2 as well.  I love her style, her lyrics and her voice.  I keep thinking I must get a copy for my father-in-law as I think he’d enjoy her as well. 

I hope with both friends I have shared something both beautiful and new to them and I can think of nothing better than sharing a part of myself with music in this way.

So now on this Sunday evening, as it still snows outside I thought I would sit down and share both of these music snippets with you as well.  I hope you enjoy them and if you are shivering in the UK cold somewhere they help to warm you up just a touch.

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.