h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Throughout my whole life I have always had one all-encompassing love, and that has been a love of music. Granted, some of it changed (and some of it hasn’t), but music has always been a very strong influence on my life.

When I was younger, we were always exposed to my Mother’s music. I’m talking everything from the Shirelles to Dusty Springfield, to Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. I mean, I suppose every child is subjected to the musical tastes of their parents as they’re growing up, but this was pretty much ALL THE TIME. There was almost always a record playing, tapes in the car and radio as we were going to sleep. I can still hear one of those songs and sing them almost word for word. This was the beginning of my musical – freakdom, a trait that is shared in most of my siblings, but particularly by my eldest brother and me.

Apart from having this musical influence early in life, I then was exposed to the music of all of my siblings. Now, at varying times it has changed, but it was rarely that two people in the house would be listening to the same kind of music. One would be listening to top 20 stuff, one would be more alternative, one would be dance-oriented, one would be rap, etc, etc. When I was younger I used to be slightly elitist in my musical tastes: What I listened to was cool and what everyone else listened to was crap. Now I’d like to think (largely as a result of coming from such a musically varied people) that I can be cool with most stuff, regardless of whether or not it’s part of “my scene”.

Which I suppose leads to the question “What exactly is my scene?”

Without sounding like a cliché (having said that, this is a really prevalent cliché in the people I meet), I listen to pretty much all types of music. In saying that, I suppose I mean I can listen quite comfortably to most kinds of music. I do have a real love for music that seems to transcend any kind of “scene”. At the moment I would have to say my top ten musical “acts”, in no particular order, would be:

1. Elvis Costello
2. The Velvet Underground
3. The Beatles
4. Tool
5. System of a Down
6. They Might Be Giants
7. Ray Charles
8. The Strokes
9. Roy Orbison
10. Ash

…And I think that’s a fairly accurate cross-section to the stuff I listen to. I mean, regardless of whether the “general public” feels that it’s good or bad music, everyone would have to agree that it’s varying, wouldn’t they? I never assumed that my music was the music of the people, and I never intended it to be. It’s just the stuff I like, and that’s all that matters to me….

I seem to be falling behind as far as new music is concerned. I think that people who stick to an era have it a lot easier. I’m trying to keep an ear out for new stuff that I like, while trying to fill this massive backlog of stuff that I need to get. For example, I have been spending the last few months concentrating entirely on Elvis Costello, trying to get a hold of all of his cds and pretty much just immersing myself in his stuff. It aint easy and it can be very time consuming.

As a general rule I don’t really get around to getting a whole collection of one act’s stuff. I have about 6 of The Beatles’ cds and apart from the Elvis stuff (I’m up to about 13 there at the moment), that’s the largest collection I have from one particular act. I tend to be fairly non committal with actually purchasing stuff, but if I love something I love it (for example, I love the Velvet Underground, but only own two of their cds, one of the many things on my to-do list….)
Well, I’ve just gone over another page of incessant rambling without actually figuring out what the point of it all was. I guess I just wanted everyone to know that I love music. And I really do. It seems to be that one thing (especially if you’re socially inept, like my good self) that can really help you out when you needed it, dig?

The best thing to listen to after a hard day at the office is “Aenima” by Tool. Just turn it up as far as you can and scream at the top of your lungs. It really helps with pent up aggression. Or if you want to get into a happier place, try “Birdhouse in your Soul” by They Might Be Giants. Its just got that wistful poppy kind of tune that gives you that extra spring in your step. Break up music can depend on whether you want to be happy about it or not. If you want to feel a little sorry for yourself, “Anyone who had a Heart” by Dusty Springfield always helps (when I broke up with my last boyfriend, I realised I didn’t really love him when I played this song for two hours non-stop and still couldn’t cry!). If it’s a kind of revenge song, try “I wish you were dead” by Scheer or “I hope you’re happy now” by Elvis Costello.

Do you ever just hear a song and feel? I can remember the first time I heard “Something” by the Beatles. I stopped what I was doing (cleaning the room, like I needed an excuse), put the song on repeat and just sat staring at a wall for an hour or so. The first time I heard Elvis Costello sing “I Want You” I stopped breathing. The first time I heard Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” (with a strange feeling I’d heard it before), I dropped the (thankfully empty) cup I was taking into the kitchen. When I heard “Lover, you should’ve come over” in its entirety I almost cried.

But it’s not only sad songs that have this effect on me. “(I don’t want to go to) Chelsea” is actually the song that got me hooked on (The Other) Elvis, after already having “Oliver’s Army” and “Accidents will Happen” locked somewhere in my subconscious. Ash’s “Goldfinger” may have made me swoon, but it was “Girl from Mars” that made me go out and buy the cd. I always thought that the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were pretty cool, but I didn’t LOVE them until I heard “Aeroplane” (as you can probably tell by the title of this piece….)

And then there are songs that are just so damned sexy it almost kills me. Some have already been mentioned (“Something”, for example), but songs like “Touch Me” by the Doors, “Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix, “Last Nite” by The Strokes and “Superstitious” by Stevie Wonder all good examples. The lyrics themselves might not do it, but sometimes the music (eg the bass in “Superstitious) and/or the vocals (I maintain that the lead singer of The Strokes has the sexiest voice in the world!) will kind of give you that all-over goosebumpy feeling…

The point I’m trying to make is that music, for me, has always helped externalise my feelings. Sometimes the only thing you need when you’re in a foul mood is to know that someone else has felt the same, and that’s pretty much what music is all about. Whether I want to sob hopelessly, fall asleep (try “The Tourist” by Radiohead, one of the most touching pieces of music I’ve ever heard), fall in love or just rock out, music is my aeroplane…..

PS – Bands and musicians that I regretted not putting on my top ten as soon as I wrote it:
The Doors, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Powderfinger, Travis, Lou Reed, The Living End, The Clash, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, New Order…..

I've always felt pretty much the same way about music! And it's definitely a part of my life that I feel 'out of synch' or something, if I'm deprived of it for too long. And, largely since I've listened to a variety of types over the years (from Simon & Garfunkle, early Beatles & Rolling Stones, Motown, R&B, etc, etc on up to U-2, Powderfinger, & others - with things as diverse as The Clash & Liona Boyd's classical guitar...it was a stage/phase, in between), I'm quite comfortable listening to a variety of styles. I'm fortunatee to have a few great local radio stations to listen to, that supply virtually any type of music I want, there's (Canada's national network, either AM or FM) http://cbc.ca , (our provincial station) http://www.ckua.org (or '.com', both work), & there's the U of A's - University of Alberta's CJSR, see the link in my intro .

And, needless to say there's my expanding CD collection to fall back on !

And then of course, there's the whole Jazz & Blues thing I'm into at "The Suite", as it's affectionately referred to, again, check my intro (the CJSR link didn't work there, but maybe...) http://www.yardbirdsuite.com.

A few of the other people/places/events that're a current part of my 'musical patchwork quilt'; http://sidetrackcafe.com/ , http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/ , http://www.mmw.net/ , http://ellenmcilwaine.com (in fact she was/is? just touring Down Under), http://www.lesterq.com , http://www.zenaris.com , http://www.acualjazz.com/ ,& for samples/programs of the various types of Jazz: http://www.ejazz.fm .

Aha, knew there must be something missing, there should've been a 't' in there. http://www.actualjazz.com/ .

Well, Jazz, it's become apparrent (once again ) that we two are like minded souls....

...Will you marry me??.....

Thought you'd never ask ! But seriously...oh, that !

Yay!

Too many times I have been labelled a freak, or more commonly "King of the Dags", because I refuse to subscribe to any kind of "scene". I'm glad I'm not the only one, so thank you again dear, for making me feel closer to Normal....even if the thought of Normal scares the bejeezus outta me ...

Thurs evening there, right? How'd your day go?

Jumped the gun a little.....almost 10:15 in the morning....I think Daylight savings tends to muck everything up....

Ah, got my AM & PM mixed up!

Oh well, what's a couple of hours between friends ?

So true!

Did you end up doing anything for St Pat's?

Another ?

Not really...subconciously yes...conciously no .

They're usually the best ones !

Well, yeah, I suppose.

I've always considered my biggest curse to big an almost infallible memory...I remember EVERYTHING that most people would rather forget...

Late Weds afternoon here, not too much that I'm aware of goin' on...evening news starts in about 40 minutes.