It's been a weird few years for me in music. I've posted before about failures, struggles, and non-starters with performing and composing alike. Sometimes I find myself asking why I'm even trying to pursue music anymore, and I have morose, depressing blog posts about my disillusionment with music.
Sorry for that.
I'm on a mission to rediscover the joy in music, by steppping back in a professional sense as other creative projects take up most of my time for at least the first half of this year. I'm working on stuff that makes me happy, learning new skills, and preparing for a big push back into music in 2018.
I picked up the flute again, relearning techniques and being amazed at the power of muscle memory. I got a new midi-controller for Christmas, and I'm learning some digital techniques. I'm writing lyrics and playing around with that. In short, I'm relearning who I am as a musician. Or maybe not even re-learning, just learning, for the first time.
In my quest for musical joy (amidst totally soul-sucking political news and the realization that we all may die in a nuclear blaze at this point), I decided to journey back into some cheesy songs that are a lot of fun to loudly sing and annoy your neighbors.
My better half went to a guitar convention in Birmingham yesterday, and I had the apartment blissfully to myself. I played the best worst cheesiest ballads and songs, ignored social media, and repotted my probably already dead aloe plant (RIP).
On my playlist:
Africa by Toto
I even wrote a blog post on this once, long ago. I think this song is hilarious, up to and including the weird synth flute solo.
Don't Stop Believing: Journey
Because, of course.
500 Miles: The Proclaimers
This song is hilarious and fun. Story time: in Scotland last year we found a "4 hour, 2 CD set of the best in Scottish music." Travel companion Valerie: "Is it just 4 hours of The Proclaimers?"
Stop it with the "guilty pleasure" bullshit
What kind of Puritanical nonsense even is that, anyway? Things that make you feel good should also make you feel guilty? Nah. If music makes you feel good, happy, chipper, bouncy, then...that's kind of the point. If a piece of silly, happy, bouncy music puts a spring in your step, then that music has achieved its goal. No need to be self-flagellating about liking Britney Spears albums or watching early 90's music videos for three hours on a Saturday night, okay friends? Love the music you love, and glare at anyone who tries to give you shit for it. Enough already.
Addendum: enjoy your music, but don't be that person who takes over the office stereo for six hours with Eminem. Just, don't. (Why are office stereos even a thing? Give me noise-cancelling headphones, or give me death!)
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