Commentary

Ok, I'm like in the middle of 10 different things right now, however I feel like letting a little out, right now. Interesting people always make me think, I'm not sure why exactly. I used to hope that it wasn't because I couldn't spawn an interesting thought of my own, but now I'm old enough to understand that everyone draws inspiration from somewhere. I just finished reading an article in a major music publication (not Rolling Stone, get real) on a rock star that created one of the largest, and most important (in my opinion) bands in the 90's. I've always sort of taken what this individual had to say with a grain of salt, because of the flare for the pretentious. I've always been more of an earnest fella, however there is quite a difference in making earnest rock and being that way day to day. Read between the lines, you'll see what I mean. Case in point, one of my favorite bands U2. Not that their music has been anything of the sort since Rattle and Hum, or even before. Just for the record the film Rattle and Hum still makes me a little ill when I watch it. What does this have to do with anything that I'm saying?

Music has always held the keys to unlocking what I feel. That's an awefully cliched approach to my view of music, however sometimes the reason a statement or a sentiment is "cliched" is because there's a sort of universal truth behind it. Coming from a musician and (I hate saying this, never take myself seriously) fledgling scribe of music itself, it's easier to understand exactly what it can do, and the implications that come along with letting it take over. The music I've listened to over the years is autobiographical in a way. I can queue up an album from 1995 and remember what it felt like to watch my young life crumble from beneath me while my parents had a messy divorce, or to the fall of 2000 and recapture what I was feeling when my uncle/godfather/second father died right in front of my eyes at the age of 47 of lung cancer. It's not all sad, I can hear a certain piece of music and remember optimism, youth, innocence. I've learned to never understimate the vibrant undercurrents of a silly song making you smile now, because you may need to rely on that years down the road.

I've chronicled my life in the past 10 years with a series of 12 CD's. Almost sounds like something a former MTV VJ or Roger Daltrey should be selling you at 3:30 AM. I almost like to think of it as a "ask me where I've been and I'll tell you" type of a deal. The music itself? It spans from everything you know, to everything you wanted to know but didn't. I've always liked to think of myself as the keeper of fringe (and beyond) among friends. I always try to dig a little deeper to find that something that speaks to just me in my circle of friends. Sure it's easy to sit back and be a Radiohead fan (because they're a great band) and claim to be the cool hip individual of your group. And if that's your bag, well then I can't say anyone should hold you to a fault. My point is, is that good music is out there, all you have to do is open your eyes and look. Look beyond MTV or VH1, not that their is a lot of musical inspiration from either musical outlet. Not that I'm trying to give advice, I just like hearing the sound of my own voice in my head (hehe). We'll leave it at that as to why I am choosing to write about this.

Taking someone's art and trying to have it define or even run commentary over your life is always a tricky thing. There are some CD's and some Vinyl that sit my shelf that never get pulled out for the reason that they are somewhat tarnished. Somedays I envy the person that can flip on the radio and have it just be "in the background." However, most of the time I like to keep my madness the way it is, but whenever I need a smile I always tap into my collection of 90's Sweed pop to keep me happy Hey, it's good stuff.