The Oldies!

Recently, I've been incessantly listing to the music of Billy Joel. At first, I was one of those tentative fans. Say "Piano Man," I say "Oh yeah, I think that's by Billy Joel!" and that was the extent of my knowledge. Then, my dear friends hands me a stack a mile high of old music, most of which is from the eighties (honestly, I just can't stand the eighties!) Yet deep in the blastphemous coal of that wretched time period, I found a true diamond; disk one of Billy Joel's greatest hits. So I poped it in. Listened to it. Listened again. And again. Before you knew it, i didn't stop listening! I got disk two and fell head over heals for "She's Got a Way About Her", then "River of Dreams", "2000 years", "It's Still Rock and Role to me". I'm still on the greatest hits, I can't wait to find what gems are in his actual albulms!

Something about his songs just draws me in. The music is truly brilliant, his piano and guitar, every thing just flows. Then his voice! He changes it so well and can encapsulate so many different genres. Yet Its his lyrics that get me. Such frankness and honesty he packs, yet at the same time, beauty and truth. His lyrics tell stories of pain and pride, love and hate, rebellion and loyalty, taking situations and not changing them or distorting them, but just putting raw thought onto the page. I can't lie, its inspiring. So thank you Billy, for the music.

Kudos to Dad and his bountiful knowlege

I'm a musician, and to be frank, my dad is not. Not to say he doesn't like music or doesn't understand it, he just doesn't create it. Naturally, he's not one to go to for musical help.

Just yesterday, my band (The Sepiatones. We're way cool) were working on writing a song. It started simple, but as we began to work out the kinks, we were amazed at what we had just written! It was a fusion of epic guitar, Icelandic style drumming and a thumping bass lead! It may be one the the coolest songs i'd heard, and we had written it. With just one problem; we didn't have lyrics. And after an hour of pounding on the piano and getting really frusterated, I left the practice barn (yes, we practice in a barn) despondant at our lack of lyrical genius.

There I was, six hours later, laying on the floor, pounding a beat out with my feet like a kid throwing a temper tantrum spouting out random words. Needless to say I probably look a little silly to my dad who was passing by. He knew my dillemma, because it was all I had talked about for that day.
"Thinkin' of lyrics?" He asked, giving me a quizatical stare.
"Yeah, i've got nothing though." my reply reeked with a desprate tone.
"Try reading something! You can often find inspiration there," yeah right, Mr. Musician dad.
"Yeah, sure. i'll try" With that he left, and I kept pounding, getting no where. Finally, I picked up some Walt Whitman and started reading "The Open Road". And what do you know? Twenty minutes later, I had the first verse and chorus. Funny... I guess my dad knew what he was talking about!

What you put in will come out

Music is my life. I live it. I breath it. I play it. And more often than not, I eat to it. My whole thought-life is kinda like a gigantic drum and guitar solo, constantly running through my head. Its full of bass licks and dance beats, simple blues riffs and harmonica slides.

On the other hand, the music I listen to is anything but normal. You could tell that if I listed a few of my favorite and most influential bands, Sigur Ros, Jonsi, Sufjan Stephens, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Cold War Kids, etc. Kinda sounds like a bunch of forein names, doesn't it?

I also have a slight affinity for darker music, such as Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', or Radiohead's 'Hail to the Thief'. In fact, look back a few years ago, and that was all I listened too. I enjoyed listening to the darker side of man.

I did not notice the direction this sent me. I didn't check myself to see how this music affected me. And when I did, I was rather disturbed. My mood was often reclusive, thoughtful, and when interrupted, grumpy and even violent. So, I tried cutting back on darker stuff, and found my mood improved.

Just thinking back on this, it reminded me that what we put in will effect our 'output' of emotions. Which is rather scary for me, as I see the lyrical direction modern music is going. I won't rant and rave about how its evil and your a sinner if you listen to it. I just want to say, it will affect you.

And chances are, you wont notice it.