An Epiphany…

Recently, I had over two weeks time to reacquaint myself with music. Nothing really has changed around here; music still drives my day — sure, its frequency and where and when I listen to it is different than when this blog had consistent posts. Not only do I get crabby when I’m hungry, it also happens when my day has been silent. With that time though, my day’s soundtrack was filled with classics, 2015 cuts, and hell, I even stepped into the world of the Beatles. This consistent listening simply made me happy. It drove me to want to go digging and find something new — forget that once you turn 33 you’re done enjoying new shit. I took the time to be an active listener and hear something that’s been there forever but really take the time to understand it. The phrase, “You like the beat and don’t give a damn about the lyrics” wasn’t uttered more than once here for no reason. Something hit me though this morning — odd timing with the topic of this post — that something as simple as hitting play on a favorite song or record can make you smile. Right now, I realized is a fuckin’ great time to be a music fan.

The accessibility of music helps. Although, if I had to pick truly why this resurgence in music recently hit me would be my time invested over the years curating what aurally sounds good has paid off. I, we, maybe even you, are fans of quality, worth hitting repeat on music. Music I know can jump start a day; turn some bad moment shit into worth noting that everything is going to be all right and maybe even great; give you a reason to hop on a flight to see an act you’ve been hungry for;  or, simply bring a day to a smile inducing close as you hit the lull playlist that someone else didn’t create, I did. And then the Internet goes ablaze with an official announcement from LCD Soundsystem on an imminent tour and new record. A band that was so much more than something to hear. They, and countless other acts, created instantly classic experiences. Like 20,000 fortunate folks, I was there. Madison Square Garden and LCD Soundsystem created a dizzying experience. Hell, I can be seen on the full concert DVD. I returned from that weekend, one that was filled with partying, rocking, and most importantly, living and wanted to make a change. That show and what it brought, set me off. I wanted to step away from where I was residing and find a way to make living in New York City a reality. It was short lived, fortunately. What’s transpired post that decision to stay local is beyond words based on my former self.

The letter itself, even if what is being promised didn’t become a reality, makes me proud to have been and still a fan today. It’s this section though that further corroborates how I felt this morning and most likely will continue to feel as 2016 starts with a bang:

the only thing we can do now is get back into the studio and finish this record, and make it as fucking good as we can possibly make it. it needs to be better than anything we’ve done before, in my mind, because it won’t have the help of being the first time. and we have to play better than we’ve ever played, frankly. every show has to be better than the best show we’ve played before for anyone to even say “well, that was good. i mean, not as good as they used to be. but, you know. it was good.” we know all that. which is healthy for us, because it means we go back to war, like in the beginning. for us it was always war, but now it’s really with ourselves.

The Essential Shuffle…

Streaming is convenient. The cloud has a lot to offer someone who’s about the music. Things are different now. I no longer have all my music on a hard drive and can randomly hear unrelated track after unrelated track. The surprise factor has disappeared. No longer am I telling myself how great of a track that is; now when I listen, I know what to expect. I’m the curator of my listening habits.

I broke out my old laptop with 10,000 plus tracks. I hit shuffle. It reacquainted me with tracks from yesterday. Ones that weren’t worthy of being forgotten but got lost in the transition from digital files to streaming content. Below is a five track sample of tracks from another era. A time period not too long ago. Songs that I used to bump louder than today’s blast level. Due to them not being conveniently located in the cloud, simply disappeared from my conscious. Someone’s not going to dig it, but there is going to be an old, tank-like laptop that’s going to be permanently housed on the shelf. Why? Shuffle.

Hood Internet :: Burn It Again

Felix Da Housecat w/ James Murphy :: What She Wants

Earlimart ::Everybody Knows Everybody (Such a smart pick as an album of the year)

Fluid Ounces :: She Blinded Me With Science

Thieves Like Us :: Drugs In My Body (long version)

Hippie Priest Bum-out…

Chicago has a reputation with some that if the audience doesn’t know the music first hand, no one is moving. Yea, Chi don’t dance no more style. And in that great city’s defense, my experience has been your cities don’t move much either. But what happens when you know who’s behind the decks and that maestro is playing his favorite cuts you know nothing of? The controller of the evening can have a massive impact.

Fast forward a year and a half since the demise of LCD Soundsytem and front man James Murphy hasn’t lost his edge: His post-punk meets disco knowledge when applied to the speakers still brings in bodies ready to be juked. In heavy droves. James and his beat keeper Pat Mahoney spun to an almost sold-out, dance filled crowd Thursday night at the Boulder Theater. Their weapons of choice are an eclectic mix of disco stars only James and a few select ears are privy to. More tracks are older than the average 2012 groove fan.”We’re playing some weird tracks”, uttered James as he thanked the beat happy crowd for showing this DJ duo respect by forgetting the weekend has yet to arrive and pulsated with every disco-tinged wax track.

If the flow is right, the tracks all have a theme — energy — and the crowd embraces what the DJ strives for, moving in unison to the beats are inevitable. Does it really matter that the hippest retired rocker is orchestrating the soundtrack to your evening?

Beyond just a listen…

What has your favorite band done for you? No, not in the sense they personally sought you out and fulfilled your grandest desires. More so, because of that band, what type of experiences did they provide? Acts have made me friends; led me to new, faraway places I grew to love, or sometimes despise of; most importantly, brought people together to enjoy the music and create vivid memories that continue to be fresh in my head. This blog was unfortunately in hiatus during the announcement of LCD Soundystem’s last show at Madison Square Garden. As a fan, one who’s been in for the long haul, I knew this show was an absolute must. A small excuse for a quick excursion to the Capitol of the world.

For those that missed this monumental musical event, or those that wanted to relive a weekend for the ages, their final gig was made into a documentary, Shut Up and Play the Hits. Not sure if it was the opportunity to see a 29 song setlist, being part of something historical, or simply coming together with 20,000 like-minded music folk, but upon taking in the initial trailer, goose bumps arose. This would recapture the MSG set, it would also let us peer into the mind of James Murphy.

This medium we live is so much more than something to aurally take in. It’s one that is limitless — think about it — on what it can do for us. Any band I cherish, has embellished my life in endless ways. Some more than others. It’s experiences like LCD afforded me that make me realize that anyone just casually listening, and not bringing music into your social circle, are missing out on opportunities. Ones that done right, are as timeless as other vivid memories you revere. And for this, I thank any act that created something that became an experience, one that went way beyond just a listen.