A Burning Obsession

The stuff I have produced lately has been a bit on the heavy side of things I must admit, so I kind of thought why not lightening up a bit today and talk about one of the most consuming obsession of my life which is music. And because I spoke French first, music is a she for me if that’s alright with you: ''la musique, elle est belle’''😊

Music, Recordings & Encore

What a luxury it was when I got my red turntable when I was 5 or 6 years of age, it was a Philipps, and I got a few 45s with it. I suppose that is how my mind started to function in stereo because not matter how much my head wanted to be a musician it turned out quickly that it was evident I had to two ‘’left’’ hands. I would have loved to play bass but did not possess the rigor nor the talent for it but I am wiser now and maybe I should give it another shot 😊

The following years, I became obsessed by music and besides collecting LPs and K7, I ended up writing for underground fanzines first and interviewed obscure punk hard core bands, then I got an official press pass and was thrown into the semi-professional circus allowing me to meet and see the first gigs of the stars of today.

On the side, I was managing two bands on and off, one when I was 18, a trash metal band which after producing a few demos got dismantled following a 3-day tour in Paris, our claim to fame being opening for Californian recording bands Forbidden and Sacred Reich. At age 22 I got back into it and I managed an indie/rock song writer and his band, we had a great follow up and I crowdfunded and executively produced a 4 track CD that almost got us signed by Sony Music.

A year ago, I met Dani K a talented and gifted rock photographer who asked me to join NeuweltMusic as album and concert reviewer and I must say it has been a blast to get back in to the game. Now I don’t have as much time as I used to, and I often must turn down offers but we managed a video interview from the Mission on their last tour to name one, we are slowly building a good reputation for ourselves as I am also getting my reviews picked up by labels and retweeted by artists. But more than anything else for me it is fun, and I think I am somewhat back to where I belong.

Alive and Kickin’

As you can guess (;-), music has been a constant and loyal companion, it is everywhere I go. The kitchen has always some music boiling, there is music roaring in the car all the time, I listen to music when I run, the stereo is rarely turned off upstairs, and the laptops are full of downloads of cool and innovative groups.

I used to spend countless hours in records shops but nowadays I am probably more prone to be seen roaming thru the internet, when if I am not exchanging ideas or articles with two groups of music lovers I am part of on Facebook I am checking out bios, videos and explore my favorite channel which is Mahogany Sessions.

I love concerts, I went to too many gigs to remember them all but what I know is that the ultimate defining moment for an artist is on stage. I took my 9-year son (at the time) to see AC/DC live (with Brian Johnson please don’t mention the other guy to me…😊) and I try to go and see a band playing every 5 or 6 weeks depending on what Dani get a review pass for.

I love lyricists such as Stephen Jenkins from Third Eye Blind and there are tons of others in a similar register, I like the words and notes exchange, and how they get intertwined. I have even incorporated a lot music videos in my blogging lately, it was funny because at first some people told me I should not do that because it is a disservice to my ‘’writing’’ (that is if I was taking myself seriously) but others said there is no rule, and I kind of like that one. In the end, maybe it is a guilty pleasure as I am a sucker for milestone music and others anthems that trigger stories and emotions.

A Quick Check at My iPod

Today my musical device of choice is my iPod, and if you have any interest or a curious appetite to know what I have been listening to the last few weeks here is a sample in a non-specific order of preference. Amber Run (Indie), Trapped Under Ice (Hard Core), Charlie Cunningham (Indie acoustic guitar), Jakob (Post rock), Lower Than Atlantis (rock), Ricin (Avant Garde), Corpo Mente (Vocal), Kate Bush (Live album), Deaf Havana (Heavy rock), Deaf Radio (Alternative), Savages (eloquent punk), White Wine/Vin Blanc (Alternative), Keith Jarret (Jazz rock) and more than a handful of recordings from Foy Vance (folk’n’blues)

My Irish Earworms

Living in the land of music I am swimming in a sea infested by talents. My kids and I when we are not busy listening to death to the latest Jimmy Eat World album, you will find the three of us singing along to some very insidious and beautiful tunes from a new generation of Irish artists such as Stephanie Rainey (100 Like me), Roisin O (Give It Up), Picture This (Take My Hand), Riptide Movement (Elephant in Room), Walking on Cars (Catch Me If You Can) etc.…. We call those songs earworms here, so much they can be addictive, I am in awe of the musicianship of all those guys, and I am secretly jealous that I was not the one been able to produce lyrics of that calibre. Oh yeah one last thing before I forget, the list above has been officially approved by my 8 year old daughter.

To finish up, I am probably not an isolated case, but music has always been the perfect recipient for me when it comes to burn the midnight oil. Fair to say I am literally consumed by her fumes at times, she has always reignited my life flame when it was sometimes at its lowest point and very often had set my world on fire at times when I needed it the most.

So, for all that but not only for that I would like to say

Thank you To  the Music

Get a Pair of Headphones & Sing Along Corner

Walking on Cars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMJqLKFuwow

Roisin O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k8lBjMeZFU

Picture This

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaCciKEMFq4

Stephanie Rainey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J3AF8S4JQw

Riptide Movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCNvtlud15w

The Coronas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b8jc79A7wU

Delorentos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKjJDUVVneA

She Burns

She is a little explosion of hope

Never turns the lights down low

She can go there if you want to though

There are no markings on her country roads

No signs that show the way back home

But when you get there, you won't wanna go

I've frozen over my desires

Covered up in virgin snow

But when I stand beside her

She burns, yeah, she burns

Like petrol soaked paper and fireworks

And I'm burning, I'm burning

I'm burning so deep that just breathing hurts

I'm melting darling and I can't let go

She likes to lay under the covers, oh

Pretend that everywhere's our home

Keeps me warm right to my very soul

We get so tangled up, it's hard to know

What is hers and what my own

Vines at the bottom of an olive grove

I've frozen over my desires

Covered up in virgin snow

But when I stand beside her

She burns, yeah she burns

Like petrol soaked paper and fireworks

And I'm burning, I'm burning

I'm burning so deep that just breathing hurts

I'm melting darling and I can't let go

I'm melting darling and I can't let go

I'm melting darling and I can't let go

Songwriters

FOY VANCE

Sources

People & musical stuff

Photo Credit

Inside a guitar

Produced for beBee only

Written Content Copyright 2017 -Pascal Derrien-