General

Friday 13th November 2015

Posted on by Music Fan

In my first post on this blog I wrote “I also feel safe at a rock gig, we’re all there for one thing: The Music.” And, whilst that is still true of the fans, I must admit to some feelings of unease following the horrific events at the Bataclan in Paris on the night of Friday 13th November 2015.

Over the next few weeks I will be attending many music events at venues of different sizes. Yet let us not forget that other targets on that dreadful night were cafes, restaurants and a sporting event. At all those places people were going about their daily lives enjoying their respective evenings with loved ones and friends. For me personally it is important to continue to do just that so that we, the ordinary people, can show that acts of terrorism will not affect the way we live our lives.

Next time you are at a gig spare a thought for those, who like you, went out to enjoy an evening of music and never came back.

Introduction

Posted on by Music Fan

Let me start with some quotes about music that capture the essence of what music means to me:-

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” – Plato

“Without music, life would be a mistake” – Frederick Nietzsche

“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music” – Jimi Hendrix

“It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony.” – Benjamin Britten

“Music is the strongest form of magic” – Marilyn Manson

“Music can change the world because it can change people” – Bono

All of these resonate with me in some way, each captures a part, or more, of what music means to me but perhaps the most relevant quote is “People haven’t always been there for me but music always has” – Taylor Swift.

Music is ever present in our lives. It is hard not to hear any music at all anywhere in the world. Even in the Artic regions I’m sure if you stop and listen nature is making music for you. So music is always there for me whilst sometimes people may not be for whatever reason. It is the “strongest form of magic” because it “can change people” and I know this to be true.

The articles I intend to publish will be mainly live reviews of concerts/gigs I’ve been to over the past 40 years. That is providing I can remember them! My musical taste is very broad and covers most genres from classical to rock, pop to heavy metal. I am not a fan of modern pop music as pushed out by the industry via popular radio stations. There are a lot of good musicians out there making excellent music which can be found on many of the music services available.

I hope you enjoy reading and maybe picking up on something you’ve not heard before or perhaps even considered.

“Who hears music, feels his solitude peopled at once” – Robert Browning