Tuesday Tunes – 21 Questions!

Phew… I’m worn out just thinking about the answers… and having to read the questions! How many of you have met Norm… he of Norm’s Doors? I had the pleasure a few days ago… and then realised that not only does Norm like doors… he likes music as well. Tell you what… I’m going to be visiting his blog more often!

Anyhow… while flitting around there I discovered A Guy Called Bloke’s 21 Questions challenge. Yes, yes… I know I shouldn’t do these question and answer type thingy’s… but flip, it’s music! How on earth can a wannabe rock DJ like me NOT take up this challenge??

The Beauty of Great Music

Q1 – How important is music in your life?

I’d say it’s right up there. I went through a phase were it was shoved into the background, along with my creativity. Mistake! Now, I have as many of the tools at my disposal that my budget allows. Note – I dream of my own home studio… budget, yes… it hurts!

Q2 – What is your most favourite type of music and what is your least favourite?

• Melodic (acid) rock/ blues/ folk/ Americana/ The British Invasion… / modern blues/ Prog… country blues rock… did I mention The Blues??
• NOISE – stuff classed as music that is nothing better than noise – that started with soppy country in the 70’s and morphed into disco… and you know what happened after that… c-rap!

Q3 – Do you own a music collection or do you simply listen to whatever on whatever?

• Vinyl – a whole pile… and it’s growing all the time. We have  great shop in the village… do click here, do visit! (That’s a link to bookface… sorry, I don’t go there so I don’t know if the link works…)
• the CD collection keeps growing…
• Podcasts… I follow one rock DJ – The Rock Professor – his weekly podcast is the real thing!

Q4 – Are you a singer, a hummer or a whistler?

No – occasionally will do one or three above (only if I’m alone… ) but basically, I don’t appreciate others wrecking good music so I try sticking by my own rules! Humming, in my book, is noise… usually done by people who have only one note at their disposal… and that is mostly a toneless flat, false one! (What gives you the impression I’m not fond of hummers? Just by the way, if you’re humming your tune in the office all day – when do you begin wondering it may be pissing others off?)

PQ5 – Show through links your five best songs?

Is there such a thing as a best song?? My question…

Phew… I have so many! I’ve been doing a Tuesday Tunes series… if you visit there you’ll get a flavour! But, for this challenge I’ll go a tad left-field and throw in songs that will go down well at any beach party! I’ll begin with a song that I first heard on a beach… but not the version I heard in the early eighties… rather this one… to get you in the mood for our little chill set… light your campfire… decant a glass of wine… or, if you’re flash, a whiskey… no, I’m not gonna suggest you light a pipe…

You suitably in the mood now?? If you aren’t then I have lost my battle… and we’re no longer on speaking terms. OK, we’re on the beach… so, why don’t we slow it down just a little? This song has special meaning for me… more of that in a later post

Aaaaaaaahhhh… so cool! Only two and a half minutes but then they knew how to write them then! OK… next! Back against the palm tree… coffee mug in hand… now I’m making a pig of myself! This is so where I wanted to be… in the far off USA… in my dreams I’m seeing them perform live! Sorry, it’s slightly long but it is seminal!

No, I was a tad young to be there but let’s just say I was there! In spirit I was, promise! Here’s a surprise for you… the closest we could get to hippy… or a beach-bum surfer dude! Yep, South Africa had its problems back then but it also had magic beaches and places to party.

WoW! I could merrily carry on but alas, five songs, well, five links it has to be…

WOW… I’ve only started! There’s nothing new in there but I could do five songs for each year since 1959… maybe I’ll turn that into a project next year!!

Q6 – Have you ever been to an outdoor concert?

Yes – I’ll be abrupt – some great… some shite!

PQ7 – Do you ever go out to listen to music live? When was the last time you went to a concert/gig?

Yes – a month or so ago… the super Myles Kennedy… do refer to the Tuesday Tunes page…

Q8 – Do you sometimes feel like dancing when you hear music? Under what circumstances do you dance?

Sometimes… at parties or when I feel like messing!

Q9 – When do you listen to music?

Almost always, when awake and not doing something that requires music to be off. The only TV I watch is sport – difficult to watch cricket and listen to Little Feat… mind you, I should give it a go…

Q10 – If you answered yes to Questions 6 & 7 – who did you go and see?

The last outdoor was Billy Joel – at Dublin’s Aviva (Jun 2018)

Myles Kennedy at Dublin’s Academy – this is some fella!! (Refer to the Tuesday Tunes page…)

Q11 – Is there a song that makes you emotional?

Depends… sometimes the red wine makes me think back too far… far too far…  to sad or lonely times… bush wars and stuff people may call PTS… songs on Brothers in Arms… do look, I’ve done a post in the past.

PQ12 – Do you feel that you have a special connection with some types of music? Which types?

I’ll leave you with this snippet from a short story I wrote a while ago… I think it answers the question…

“What’s it with you and the blues anyway? You’re far too young for the blues.”

“One thing my dear old father taught me… music is the only universal equaliser. You don’t even have to be literate to understand music… it’s primal… it’s real and the blues is raw. You can grow up poor and have little, but you can always play and sing the blues.”

Q13 – Have you ever tried singing in a karaoke bar? What was the experience like?

NO! End of…

Q14 – Do you listen to music when writing? If so which?

Yes… all of the above! Sometime the mood dictates loud, then I do loud… other times just whatever is happening!

PQ15 – Have you even gone to see a musical? What was it, provide link please.

Does watching the grandkids’ school shows count? No – the last time I was involved with a musical was in high school (the 70’s) – that turned me off – for life!

Q16 – Do you know the lyrics to all the songs you like?

NO! My brain would need the support of at least three server farms for that!

Q17 – When you are listening to music – are you listening just to the music itself or the lyrics too?

Depends – on the mood… or how much red wine I’ve ingested… yes, red wine seems to rouse the philosopher in me… Bacchus is my buddy, promise!!

Q18 – Do you listen to music when you go cycling/jogging or when you’re working out at the gym? [or any other physical activity]

Beach braai (South African for BBQ) that’s about as strenuous as things get at my age… I won’t mind listening to music anywhere but I won’t put stuff in my ears… and only wear headphones if needs be… so, walking and listening doesn’t really work…

Q19 – Many operas are in French, Italian or German. If you listen to opera, do you understand the libretto (text) or are you happy to get the gist (main idea)?

Can’t do opera… cats screeching… noise in any language… PASS!

PQ20 –  Are you deleting any questions, if so which ones?

NO – I’m having fun so why limit my fun by deleting? I’ll add… I have said far too much… but that’s part of the fun, ain’t it?

Q21 – Do you enjoy watching music videos? What sort of music videos do you enjoy most?

For years I resisted the urge of Y-tube… but now I watch as the mood goes! I call it research! I’ll often put LP’s (the bargain bin finds) aside at the record store… come home and listen to see if it will be worth buying the LP’s… yes, I know I’m cheating but hey, I’ve paid my dues! Also, I grew up in South Africa during the cultural boycott so I’m trying to catch up on my lost youth!

RIGHT… that’s the 21! Now… here’s my addition. Just in passing… I’m going to add to the difficulty factor of this challenge… I dare you to name two of the CD’s you have on your Christmas list! I’ll play fair and give you two on my short list, these two John’s are very high on my agenda!! (You should know I’m a fan… did a post not long ago!)

• John Moreland – Big Bad Luv
• John Hiatt – Eclipse Sessions

I’ll end this with a totally non related photo… mood music?