I LIKE MUSIC WHICH REMINDS ME OF PLACES I HAVE BEEN... OR PLACES THAT I WANT TO GO. Listening to Drum & Bass and I am back in London in a council flat, bass-bins wobbling, high hats crackling, the air thick with hashish. Vietnamese love songs transport me to Mui Né on a languid evening, waves crashing on a nearby beach, a radio playing in a fisherman's hut. Vietnamese music always sounds so sad, it must be because they had a tragic history...
I love music's ability to rally our emotions, and take us on a journey. When I got out of my 16 days of detention in Japan, the only one who could really understand what I had been through, was Jónsi Birgisson, the frontman of Icelandic quartet Sigur Rós. It doesn't matter that I have never met him, it is obvious he understood. It doesn't matter that this song has no words, it is the emotion that counts. In fact, their music speaks of the realm beyond language which we inhabited before incarnation, and separation. And it seems to me that even gods are separated, and alienated.
Music reminds us: Remember the One who left.
My Top 10
IF I WERE forced to compile the top 10 songs of my life, for example to be played at my funeral, then Sigur Ros would contribute a couple of songs, obviously () 2 and also Ilgressi. David Bowie might get a place, or maybe not. George Harrison deserves one, but he has accolades enough.
"Information Center"
8. The Blue Sky, a-ha.
7. Election Day, Arcadia.
6. One More Chance, The Jacksons.
5. In the Space Capsule, Queen.
In my top 10 tunes: DJ Rap's Spiritual Aura
"Am I Wry? No"... Mew.
… Whool
AT THE RISK of stereotyping, Asian people like sentimental music. Viets, for example, sad songs about war and tragic relationships. Thais, on the other hand, prefer power ballads and anthem Rock. (I will survive! ... hey hey!!!) And they still love the German band "Scorpions" (The Wind of Change, etc.) Heaven help us... (For my complete guide to Asian music, )
ICELAND IS FAMOUS for its musical scene. On this site I want to provide information for people who have become interested in Iceland music through their introduction to more established names such as Bjork and Sigur Rós. The interesting thing is that the deeper you delve into the Icelandic rock scene, the better it gets. The creativity is bottomless, inexhaustible. There is definitely an Icelandic "sound" which is hard to describe in words -- is it the jangly guitars? the fjordy accordions? the between songs special effects? I love all of that shit, even the guitars. For such a small country, there is such an awesome array of good bands. I feel like an explorer, discovering a lost world, a world completely forgotten by... (For my complete guide to Icelandic music, ).
INDIAN MUSIC
INDIA HAS A rich and diverse music tradition and has produced many influential singers and musicians over the years. These include Ravi Shankar, sitar maestro and composer who brought Indian classical music to the West, and Lata Mangeshkar, one of the most renowned playback singers in Bollywood history, and was compared to the Hindu goddess Saraswati. Her death several years ago unleashed a torrent of emotion across the SubContinent. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is an iconic Hindustani classical vocalist who was known for his soulful renditions of devotional songs and khayal. M.S. Subbulakshmi is a Carnatic classical vocalist who was known for her beautiful voice and dedication to the art form.
Kishore Kumar - A versatile playback singer who was known for his ability to sing a wide range of genres, from romantic ballads to peppy numbers.
Asha Bhosle - A prolific playback singer who has sung over 12,000 songs in various Indian languages, and known for her versatility and range.
Zakir Hussain - A tabla player and percussionist who has collaborated with musicians from all over the world, and is considered one of the greatest tabla players of all time.
Shankar Mahadevan - A music composer and singer who has won multiple awards for his work in Bollywood and also known for his collaborations with Western artists.
Hari Prasad Chaurasia - A renowned flute player who has popularized the bamboo flute in Indian classical music and has also collaborated with Western musicians.
IF THE 1960s was the decade of pop, Rock proper came of age in the 1970s. Led Zeppelin was to the 70s, what the Beatles were the 60a.
Musicology of The Beatles
)
