A short little post for you my readers upon my musical taste.
In a nutshell, I like classic rock. I think the ideal music I love was summed up by the name of a radio show that used to be on Today FM on Sunday nights, Dad Rock. The programme had played for a while before the audience chose its name. It was a title that had more to do with the music that was played then some form of gimmick of a show image. Dad rock was the kind of notion you get from the forefathers of rock, is it metal, punk, psychedelic or prog? Dad rock came before these, it was the birthplace of these genres. Its an idea that’s hard to explain. I like all forms of rock music but this kinda of classic rock you can feel inside. It makes your heart beat and your soul sing. I don’t listen to music to relate, to think or so on, I listen to feel. Whether its the Ramones, Lynyrd Skynyrd or Hendrix.
Outside of this I do have a thing for 80’s music – the synthesiser heavy power ballad and reggae. Reggae is an interesting one. The culture of its birth, the Caribbean islands share a quite similar cultural history to Ireland; don’t forget the no dogs, no blacks no Irish signs that were still to be found in London in the 40s. And of course our massive numbers over there – including the slaves Cromwell shipped over to originally create the British colony upon Barbados. I think this is some of the reasons I find the music and the themes within so interesting. I can relate. It is also of a kind that I like. All about sharing. The music is made by sampling and remaking and passing it on to your friends. No work is ever finished just begun. I do find it challenging that all of the music is so Jah-centred, their name for Jesus, simply because I am not a believer. While I find the imagery evocative it doesn’t evoke in me the same emotions. Much of my personal past and what I know from history has shown the persecution my religious culture has faced at these hands. But its a small thing, personal issue that I need to push past, because the music and the sentiment is about a greater higher love and respect for each other.
I will list out below in future – as this post will get archived and linked for a bio – my favourite tracks, albums and artists.
Above them all is Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott. Who is for me a fantastic hero and whose exemplary lyrics have always inspired deep emotion within me and that which people say so often about musicians – his words seem almost to be uniquely personal to me – although I know they apply to so many.
