You know, music is a funny old thing, and a powerful, marvellous thing too. There are lots of things I wouldn't buy on CD, but if I happen to see them live there's almost always still a little something going on that's interesting - something to do with somebody up on stage, playing instruments, singing, to an audience. I saw a band last week that I generally think are not up to much and a bit too happy clappy (as in let's all clap along to show what a good time we're having) and they sing bowdlerised versions of most of what they sing and blah blah blah and yet there was .... something...
So a quote from a guy with a 45 year career behind him, who has continued to write, record, tour, guest on other people's albums and has critical acclaim up the you-know-where and blah de blah de blah
even musicians who clearly worship money, or fame, or ego, cannot help but express a better part of themselves sometimes when performing, so great is the gift of music, and so connected to our higher selves.
Which makes some sense to me. When I see somebody live, almost anybody, I can think of a dozen intellectual reasons why they suck, but they're up there and doing it and that almost almost scores at least half a point with me.
Music is a very HUMAN thing to be doing. In a way it's a celebration of our humanity, and a little bit of that always ends up in the mix somehow.
PS: Deeftes, I did google Keith Broadwee and kind of wished I hadn't. That's the emperor's new clothes is what I think. I didn't have to google the Goya because I saw it just a few weeks ago. Art doesn't have to be pleasant to have meaning (I think I said that already). The human condition, despite the quote above, is not automatically a heightened, spiritual condition. I'm no academic, and I don't have all the answers. Sometimes I need to hear what what I have to say to see if it holds up. I have an annoying friend who knows lots about lots and has this infuriating habit of being right ? He tells me that there's a school of thought that says that art is just decoration and no more. But I've seen the look on his face when he listens to Beethoven's "The Emperor" so I wonder if there's not something a little deeper going on.
