That's Deep Bro

Serious questions with silly people and an intro by me (starting at episode 9 that is).  That's Deep Bro is a podcast that is hosted by Christina Pazsitzky, discussing philosophy with comedian friends.  The result is thoughtful and funny, occasionally touching but always entertaining.

Live Music

I have a soft spot in my heart for live music.  I imagine part of that is because I was brought up by musicians who instilled in me a love for live music.  But waaaaaaay beyond that... when live music is done well it's maybe as close to having religion as I will ever know.

But to be completely honest, I'd rather listen to a shitty band/group live than an overly processed, overly produced recording of the best band on the planet.  There is something about the shared experience, the raw power filtering through the sound system, feeling those power chords and bass notes vibrating in your chest, and the guts it takes to play your music in front of any number of people.

Let Music Be The Thing

My friend Joe and his wife Denisse have recently started a music-centric podcast called the LP Lexicon Podcast.  In each episode they listen to an album from their extensive music collection and discuss the artist, the record, and personal connections to the music.

In the most recent episode, Joe mentioned a tweet I posted regarding the pod and why I was enjoying it.

                    why do I like the @LexiconPod ? It reminds me that music can be a 

                    communal and social experience again. 

                    And I love Joe. 

                    a lot. 

                    yep.

It takes me back to my childhood where so many of my best days were spent sitting around with my friends and listening to albums from start to finish and doing nothing else.

It's a little odd to think of non-live music as a potential social experience, yet I do feel that music can be that.  At the very least it should be that.  In an age where the "personal music device" has become so insanely ubiquitous the notion of sharing music has become almost offensive, I hope we are all taking the time to listen to music with someone else from time to time.

Part of the problem is now so many of us only listen to music while we do other things.  We listen while we work, while we exercise, while we navigate our increasingly unsocial existence... Hell, I've even seen people listen to music while reading at the library.

A phrase I hear more and more is "soundtrack of our lives," and I'm not going to lie, the expression bugs the shit out of me.  It relegates music to something that is happening in the background.  A supporting player.  A with you as always.  And to be honest, I find that notion troublesome.

But I feel that way because I have a hard time separating music from art, and you can't treat other forms of art that way.  Not even a little bit.  If I were to drive to work with a Picasso taped to my windshield, or organize my sock drawer during a production of Our Town I would be labeled insane.

And rightly so.


I can't deny that because people can listen to music AND do other things might be part of what makes music so great but please make sure that's not the only way you listen.  Bring music out of the background.  Let just listening to music be a thing you do.  Listen with your friends, your kids, your special someone.  Just listen.  Feel.  Discuss.

Repeat.

Maxwell's House

Another podcast has a "J Sarge" intro and it's a good one (the podcast, I mean.)  Check out Maxwell's House #12 featuring a fantastic plug for my TESD album.

TESD 212

Episode 212 of TESD features my song Who Hates Milkshakes as a nod to me joining the show 200 episodes ago.  Thanks Joe and Dec, you guys are the best.

what can you do

One thing I've learned making music for other people is that something I've made never sounds better than right before I submit it.  And it never sounds worse than right after I submit it.

I can always seem to count on that.