The soundtrack of my life
Lots of people don't know that before I became a sign language interpreter and entered the world of deafness, music was (and still is) a huge part of my life. I had a small record store business - music was as much a part of me as my toes.
It's not just listening to the music that affects me, though that started it all. I love the feel of vinyl. I love the weight of records (as opposed to cds). I loved watching videos. In fact, one of the earliest memories I have regarding music was sneaking a tv into my room to watch a short program on some UHF station called Rockworld. They showed European videos and I fell in love with Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lene Lovich and the Cure. It was so different from the Philly and teenie bopper music I listened to. I remember seeing Siouxsie Sioux and thinking I wanted to be her. She had dark eyeliner and yellow eyeshadow. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9otg_Cm50RE) The other kids wanted to kiss Shawn Cassidy. I wanted to be a bad ass like her or Lene Lovich, though I didn't want her hair. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0mN4iIsOno) Later I wanted Nik Kershaw's hair (and clearly remember upsetting a hairdresser by bringing a picture of a boy (Kershaw) and saying I want hair like his!
It's not just listening to the music that affects me, though that started it all. I love the feel of vinyl. I love the weight of records (as opposed to cds). I loved watching videos. In fact, one of the earliest memories I have regarding music was sneaking a tv into my room to watch a short program on some UHF station called Rockworld. They showed European videos and I fell in love with Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lene Lovich and the Cure. It was so different from the Philly and teenie bopper music I listened to. I remember seeing Siouxsie Sioux and thinking I wanted to be her. She had dark eyeliner and yellow eyeshadow. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9otg_Cm50RE) The other kids wanted to kiss Shawn Cassidy. I wanted to be a bad ass like her or Lene Lovich, though I didn't want her hair. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0mN4iIsOno) Later I wanted Nik Kershaw's hair (and clearly remember upsetting a hairdresser by bringing a picture of a boy (Kershaw) and saying I want hair like his!
My regular playlist would surprise people. There's a lot of stuff that would be expected - cure, alanis morrisette, INXS, etc. But then there's a lot of blue-sy stuff (thanks to the Rev who introduced me to Ben Andrews and more). There's Jah Wobble, who had a brief period of music I love followed by music I never want to listen to. There's the music I got from Weeds: The Real Tuesday Weld (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJItFrjiw3g). I love Yolanda Be Cool's We Speak No Americano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR8logunPzQ).
I am thrilled to have found someone who shares my enthusiasm for music. I don't know if I would've gone on a second date with my boyfriend but he sealed the deal when he said he not only knew Jah Wobble but proved it by showing it on his ipod. He understands my obsession with Paul McCartney and appreciates the Cure. He introduces me to new music yet we have the shared experience of growing up in the 80s as music lovers. And yet because we experienced that on different continents, it's different. It's fun to listen to something and say "that has shades of Jim Kerr in it" and have him know exactly what I mean.
My girls love music, too. I expose them to all sorts of stuff. They don't have to like what I like but they need to know why some musicians are important to know. This was reinforced one day when we were at Frozen Yo (yogurt place) and A heard the music and told me "That's the Beastie Boys!" A patron at a table turned around, slightly surprised, to see a 10 year old know that. He talked with her for a minute about the Beastie Boys - she was thrilled.
My current favs? I love the new Garbage cd. Some Nights by Fun wins my award for the song of the summer (so far). For dance stuff, I hate to say that I like Nicki Minaj's Starships. Oh, so many tunes....
Now, off to make playlists for my trip.....
I am thrilled to have found someone who shares my enthusiasm for music. I don't know if I would've gone on a second date with my boyfriend but he sealed the deal when he said he not only knew Jah Wobble but proved it by showing it on his ipod. He understands my obsession with Paul McCartney and appreciates the Cure. He introduces me to new music yet we have the shared experience of growing up in the 80s as music lovers. And yet because we experienced that on different continents, it's different. It's fun to listen to something and say "that has shades of Jim Kerr in it" and have him know exactly what I mean.
My girls love music, too. I expose them to all sorts of stuff. They don't have to like what I like but they need to know why some musicians are important to know. This was reinforced one day when we were at Frozen Yo (yogurt place) and A heard the music and told me "That's the Beastie Boys!" A patron at a table turned around, slightly surprised, to see a 10 year old know that. He talked with her for a minute about the Beastie Boys - she was thrilled.
My current favs? I love the new Garbage cd. Some Nights by Fun wins my award for the song of the summer (so far). For dance stuff, I hate to say that I like Nicki Minaj's Starships. Oh, so many tunes....
Now, off to make playlists for my trip.....
The downside, though, is that I never get the chance to feel all superior by telling you, "Oh, I like so-and-so. They're pretty obscure. You've probably never heard of them."
ReplyDeleteYou beat me hands down on European and industrial music. Then there's that weird stuff I don't even know how to classify.....
ReplyDelete