Music and me
Just a small article about music and the reasons why I love it.
Music has always been a big part of my life, from my first radio cassette tape player when I was 13 and recording the top 30 hits every Sunday morning on blank tapes and trying to hit that pause button before the DJ would start talking.
I’m not one of those music snob types that won’t listen to pop or only one particular genre. Maybe that’s why I’ve loved listening to Dave’s various Soundcheck podcasts. They are legendary and you should give them a listen. (this man obviously knows what he’s talking about…listen to him! *Dave)
Depending on the mood, I’ve listened to classical music all the way through to death metal and anything else in between. Growing up “The Police” were one of my favourite bands of my youth, and music has been a constant companion in my life right up to this very day.
Like most people my experience with music will probably be something we can all relate to. Music is always tied to past experiences and memories, some good and some not so good. Depending on my current mood this will influence my music selection at any given time.
Boyzone “Love Me For A Reason” was myself and Sandra’s first slow set…yes slow sets, remember them?
The Beatles always remind me of school, as I’d buy their LPs from my mates in school. I wish I still had them now. Foreigner “I Want to Know What Love Is” was during my first year in college (1985), and Bon Jovi as well that year. I’m sure some of you reading this weren’t even alive back in 1985!
Music has such an emotional connection, even more than video games or movies. I love movies but I’m damned if I can ever connect them with events in my life, well apart from Star Wars and The Champ.
Music has always been there for me, in good and bad times. Even as I’m writing this I’m listening to music. While my mates were at the bar I was the friend that spent most of the night dancing. Hmm, maybe that’s why I didn’t get lucky with the ladies, coming off the dance floor looking like I’d just stepped out of the shower. But feck it, it was so worth it. I got lucky in the end with Sandra though.
Well as I\’ve been around for five decades I thought I would give you my favourite albums from five decades. Don\’t worry I\’ll choose one from each decade.
60\’s:
Sgt. Pepper\’s Lonely Hearts Club Band: Well it\’s got to be. When I was in secondary school in the early 80\’s I went through my Beatles phase picking up old Beatles Albums, which as I mentioned earlier, I sadly don’t have anymore. From Lucy in the Sky to possibly my favourite Beatles tune: A Day in the Life.
70\’s:
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks. Obviously this was not my favourite at the time, but a few years back I discovered Bob Dylan. Of course I’d heard of him beforehand, but this album is fantastic, the man is a lyrical genius. From Tangle up in Blue, to Shelter From the Storm, there isn\’t one track on this album I don\’t like. That\’s the great thing about music, you can discover classics at any time in your life, especially when it\’s relevant to whatever stage in life you are at.
80\’s:
A tough one to call. I was a teenager in the early 80\’s so music was my world at this age. Such classics like The The, The Cure, Guns N Roses to name but a few. But for me it\’s got to be U2: October. Just the rawness of their early stuff still sounds great to me. I\’m a big U2 fan and I\’ll make no apologies. I didn\’t get into U2 until War, but October is just a great album and I still listen to this over their later stuff.
90\’s:
This is harder than I thought. For me the 90\’s all about dance music and Brit Pop. Oasis were bloody huge in the 90\’s and the song battles between them and Blur, were just class. My first introduction to Oasis was we got a free CD when we bought Donkey Kong 2 on the SNES, if I remember correctly. Cigarettes and Alcohol was on the CD, along with some other indie bands like Radiohead. So Definitely Maybe is my top album of the 90\’s. Such cocky lovable rogues, and such great anthems.
00\’s:
Lost track of music…no pun intended. Young kids took center stage. A few artists come to mind: Keane, The Prodigy, but Kaiser Chiefs: Employment is the album I played to death. So much so it was the first album my son and I loved, and he was around 8 when this came out. I just heard it in the local record shop and I had to have this. Played it so much that I can\’t listen to it much nowadays. I tend to do that with all albums I love.
10\’s:
Hmm thanks to my son and his musical tastes he\’s introduced me to some EDM and his trap remixes I haven\’t a clue who they are but some great tunes. He looks at World of Dance, some awesome dancers on these shows. We usually watch them after a few beers. But I suppose I recently got hooked on some Stormzy: Gang Signs & Prayer album.
Yes me listening to rappers is weirdly good.
Article by Colm.
