Music is important…

Music is important…


[info]ttocsland
June 29th, 2007

Current Mood:
thankful

Current Music:
Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees via Ethel/DirecTV

that fairly basic thought came to me as I was scaring the bathroom ghosts with my sing along to the scrubs rendition of colin hay’s “waiting for my real life to begin” – may I mention how stunning it is that there are people whose talents span across so many artistic venues? Really – most of us can barley carry a crayon, and yet these curmudgeons turn out to be stunning tenors – wow.
I digress… music. It’s important. It tells stories. It makes you happy or sad or somewhere in between. It can speak to the mundane, or to the indescribable. That’s pretty cool.

My little show on Sunday’s is pretty cool – I wish I had a better grasp as to what the ends will be – but as a happenstance occurrence, I won’t complain. Plus – and here’s where it’s relevant – I’m listening to cool music. I’m meeting cool musicians. They inspire me to do something – anything. They’re dealing with the day to day grind, but then add the joy/challenge of producing. Of having a creative expression. I’ve seen/heard the first hand joys – David et al’s joyous use of a Cracker Barrel’s parking lot and rest rooms; definitely not glamorous – but that just speaks to the hard work that great music (and I define that not as, uh, Bach-ian melodies to stand the test of time, but music that doesn’t cause hemorrhages) requires. And again, I find myself surrounded by talented peeps,and it’s just as cool as when the peeps stood on stage naked of their own identities and convinced me that they were soldiers in the Russian Civil War, not ex-Georgetown federal defenders making art.

So, I turn off the tube, removing the impressive story of the B-2 bomber, and turn on XM; Ethel – “New modern rock superstars with 90’s flashbacks. Series.” I listen to my mixed cd in the shower. I look at the Ex-Members ep and think about how Matt really really likes them. I think of the wonderful conversation that David and Shirlé offered to the universal table last night, balancing conversations from others yesterday. They’re compared to Yaz – cool.

I think about how cool it is to listen to REAL college radio – 88.1 is WKNC, North Carolina State University’s student run radio station. Compared to KCRW, not even close – KCRW is a powerhouse, with stunning production values and professionals – you can hear it in the voices and statements of the DJs at WKNC – it’s real. Their last week of school was their last week of broadcasting til they come back in the fall; or in the case of a few, it was their final sing off – touching, personal, cool. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have ‘Morning becomes eclectic’ streamed into my head – Nic Harcourt was part of my daily life for too many years, and his tastes and delivery are stunning; I’m thankful to have been turned on to lots of good music from his shows. I’m equally thankful I’m in a town where there’s more raw on air talent – choosing randomly odd music strings that make me smile and laugh, then probably the entire Southland airwaves (people = commercial interest, I guess).

Boo’s coming back from ‘lando tonight – weeee…. I have to choose between social networking and virus control for sunday – thing we’re leaning towards social networking – just read a story on facebook v. myspace; wonder how the iPhone will impact either network.

I need to get my resume into the hands of people who need my skills. I have to act on the epiphany that I (we?) get paid for our time in a job; if I spend the time to create something of value, and get ONE MILLION PEOPLE to think it’s worth a buck, well then… which is the wiser use of time?

Music is important – but I watch Scrubs and get inspired; I watch the Henry Rollins Show and realize that beyond the commercial presentation by corporations trying to make millions, the people – the human element – is the priceless jewel of the ‘artistic’ community. That, and Billy Bragg rocks.

ciao,
:+s+:

dona nobis pacem