-Ryan Quinn DCRC October 20th 2022
I thought to myself, in my head I said, "Self, you should post a Friday Night Journals to the Dirty Chai Radio website."
I replied to myself, still in my head, I says to me I says "You'll never be able to remember to post every Friday night. What if you go somewhere? What if you do something?"
Faced with reality I conceded to myself.
"You're right," I said to myself, out loud. "I better call it Late Night Music Journals".
And so here we are. The first of who knows how many parts. Perhaps just one.
I thought that I might share with you the music I've been getting into lately. It's nothing new or ground breaking, but it's what's been in my head and coming out of my speakers.
I take in music in phases and I suppose I'm not afraid of admitting that. (Mom, this IS just a phase!!) The problem is, right now, I'm in between phases. I don't know what to do with myself. Lost. Which is interesting, I suppose.
I tend to tie music to the experiences I go through.
And let me tell you, I've been going through experiences.
Recently I just bought house, while at the same time taking on a new professional role. I should be bursting with music for these changes, Every great stage in life comes with a soundtrack. You might not realize it, but it does. If you don't care too much about the music you listen to, that soundtrack is probably provided by whatever is popular at the time, or whatever your friends are listening to. If you do really get into music it might be whatever new release just came out as you were going through something, or maybe it was a live performance that put things into perspective and after that you just naturally started soaking in those sounds.
Being the music hound that I am one would think that I'd be holding on to some sort of comfort sounds, or music to keep me amped and ready for the new job. But alas, I've found myself with out someone else's voice to guide me.
Whether it's the voice of a poet, a singer, rapper, or the voice of the instruments - piano rolling into a cymbal crash, then fading away under the lionlike roar of an electric guitar- there is typically a voice to the things we go through. Human or unhuman.
To my displeasure there is no voice but my own in this moment.
Maybe the universe is telling me to look within for the voice.
No.
I have found myself, like I have many times before when faced with this reality, turning back to music I once held in such high regard that I forgot it existed.
The CDs, records and downloads are proof of the moment, and as I've found myself digging through those moments I've come across some gems.
Billy Joel - The Entertainer "I am the Entertainer, I know just where I stand"
Bangles - Vacation, is all I've ever wanted.
Rolling Stones - Mother's Little Helper, "What a drag it is getting old" indeed.
Vance Joy - Missing Piece, "I remember happy wasted days"
Father John Misty - I'm Writing A Novel ,"I ran down the road, pants down to my knees" I've done a lot of stupid things on roads and with my pants down to my knees, but I haven't yet combined the two.
Mason Jennings - Fighter Girl, we meet once more. "I got your earrings in my pocket 'til I see you again"
Miles Davis - So What, for when you're feeling cool and carefree but do not wish to speak, proving yourself to be otherwise.
Primer 55 - Lou, if you ever want to dance to jazz but have it be hard rock, well, here's a bop. Fun to sing as well.
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah, yes I know you prefer the other version(s) but someday you'll get it.
Black Pumas - Colors, best I can tell this is a song about appreciating all your favorite colors. I might be missing something. But it makes me feel things and I appreciate that.
Jack Johnson - F Stop Blues, "Look who's laughing now that you've wasted/How many years and you've barely even tasted/Anything remotely close to/Everything you've boasted about/Look who's crying now"
Butthole Surfers - Pepper, maaaaan! every time this song comes on I must sing. "Marky got with Sharon..."