9th
May
2009
In the car, my son plugs his MP3 player into the “entertainment center” (what used to be a radio with bad sound, when I was young) and brings up his musical choice. I’m surprised to hear a song by Hendrix, one that I’ve only heard a couple of times before. Is this the new classical music for future generations? The odds are good, because the only definition of classic that comes to mind would be instrumental music from at least one generation before. Hendrix fits the reference.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in music |
5th
May
2009
Long live rock and roll. Or, if you will, rock and roll lives long. This summer marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, and a number of optimistic reports in the mainstream media point to a big concert (or two or three) sometime in late August (or perhaps October). The cool part is that many of the headline acts from the summer of ’69 are going to be back for the reprise. Proof that good music does keep one healthy. Just ignore the names that are absent because of other priorities (we can’t all live forever).
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in Idol, music |
17th
April
2009
The hardest part of being an unconditional fan is that you have to accept that perfection is rare. Be it sports, music, literature, whatever; from time to time the standard of excellence is a bar too high. What to do, what to do?
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in music |
9th
April
2009
The pleasure of a good live concert shouldn’t be underestimated. After a long week at work, and a long session at the hospital, I didn’t have the fire in my belly to go out this evening, but… son #3 was to be onstage, doing his part. I don’t hear him in performance very often. So, we saddled up the horses and rode into town.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in ham radio, music |
4th
April
2009
It is with great disappointment that I announce the passing of my old speakers. The pair hung around for more than a quarter of a century, but over the last few years they’ve languished, almost forgotten, in the back of the TV hutch. Our stereo amplifier had developed a case of terminal deafness on one side, so the compromise was to forego home sound, replacing quality with quantity. We bought personal media players and cheap earphones and learned to sing off-key with the various videos showing on the appropriate channels. Home sound was downsized.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in economy, music |
29th
March
2009
One should always be prepared, in case you happen to cross paths with a celebrity. Facial recognition is one skill that can be learned, simply by reading as many trashy magazines as possible (the rich and famous often wear disguises, or so I’ve been told). Another training exercise is taking the time to watch award shows, because there you can see the rare among the rare. Tonight, however, we had too much to concentrate.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in media, music |
25th
March
2009
If you are of a certain age, and only mildly deaf, then you can identify with strapping on your air guitar. You strike the pose, you strike the chord, you start up the vocal generator and begin your best ever performance of the power ballad. Are you with me? On stage? Good.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in Idol, music |
22nd
March
2009
Some things age well. Certain wines and cheeses, certain works of art, certain music. Tonight, the program Tout Le Monde En Parle opened with the complete membership of Beau Dommage, along with some of their music. Thirty years already! Bear in mind that their material dovetails nicely with my baby steps as a second language learner, so the aural memory is even stronger than if the stuff had simply been heard on the radio from time to time.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in music |
6th
March
2009
A quiet evening at home with the dog and some music. I opted to not go and watch the Watchmen (someone has to stay home and answer the steady stream of telephone calls for other members of the house, and the dog has resisted all attempts to train her to the task). And music has its own virtues.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in music |
8th
February
2009
It might be a quiet Sunday evening at home, but the living room is filled with dozens of (virtual) friends, all on a first-name basis. Therein lies the secret of our music industry. There are no strangers. Some might be eccentric, others quite ordinary when not on stage; no matter, there are no family names to remind us of genetic proximity. I’m watching the Grammys, and it has nothing to do with grandparenting.
Read the rest of this entry »
posted in humour, music |
