WAITING FOR THE CALL FROM BEYOND
Music soundtracks our lives. It speaks to us, heals us, helps us deal with troubled times, lets us express often unexpressable thoughts and feelings. It's certainly helped me through some dark times.
My Dad passed away between Christmas and New Year. Although he had been going though quite a rough time with different medical issues, his admittance into hospital with pneumonia, and his low immune systems' struggle to fight it was just too much for him. He'd spent a lot of time in and out of hospital over the years with kidney failure related problems, a lot of time on dialysis. Losing my Mum suddenly was a shock that probably didn't help.
I credit my love of music to my parents, my Dads collection of 7" singles and K-Tel " various artists " albums from the 1970s. From a young age i heard the sounds of Glam Rock and early seventies pop in the house, and the New Wave of Squeeze, Elvis Costello and Blondie. In later years Dad would listen to the Country music of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, and the folk-country of John Denver, opening my ears to more music. He also took a liking to Lily Allen. It was through my Dad that i would hear The Who and Status Quo, and from whom i would develop my attitude that good music is good music regardless of fashion or fad. We even went to a couple of local festivals - the yearly Splendour at Nottinghams Wollaton Park - where he got his knees up to Madness and watched Pet Shop Boys. He went to see Dolly Parton on one of her rare visits to the U.K.
As i've said, music has helped me through some dark times and it continues to do so. One of the albums i received for Christmas was Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood, an artist whom i had never heard of until last year. The dreamlike soothing qualities of her music, indebted to 1970s soft rock but with a modern and occasionally experimental twist, and the Karen Carpenter-esque tones of her voice are of great comfort to me at the moment. The songs on Titanic Rising speak of love, loneliness and loss, but also of change and hope. As with all great music the listener can interpret the songs in a way that speaks to them personally, and their are more than a few lyrics on the album that resonate with me. "Looking up to the sky, for something i may never find" from Andromeda reflects my own struggle with belief and faith, unsure of what i believe in. One line in Picture Me Better broke me when i first heard it: "i wish i could see you just once more, tell you how much you're adored", that feeling that you just want to see someone one more time. The song Something To Believe In, speaks volumes to me - "i got a case of the empties".
I miss you Dad. I'll love you always.
My Dad passed away between Christmas and New Year. Although he had been going though quite a rough time with different medical issues, his admittance into hospital with pneumonia, and his low immune systems' struggle to fight it was just too much for him. He'd spent a lot of time in and out of hospital over the years with kidney failure related problems, a lot of time on dialysis. Losing my Mum suddenly was a shock that probably didn't help.
I credit my love of music to my parents, my Dads collection of 7" singles and K-Tel " various artists " albums from the 1970s. From a young age i heard the sounds of Glam Rock and early seventies pop in the house, and the New Wave of Squeeze, Elvis Costello and Blondie. In later years Dad would listen to the Country music of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, and the folk-country of John Denver, opening my ears to more music. He also took a liking to Lily Allen. It was through my Dad that i would hear The Who and Status Quo, and from whom i would develop my attitude that good music is good music regardless of fashion or fad. We even went to a couple of local festivals - the yearly Splendour at Nottinghams Wollaton Park - where he got his knees up to Madness and watched Pet Shop Boys. He went to see Dolly Parton on one of her rare visits to the U.K.
As i've said, music has helped me through some dark times and it continues to do so. One of the albums i received for Christmas was Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood, an artist whom i had never heard of until last year. The dreamlike soothing qualities of her music, indebted to 1970s soft rock but with a modern and occasionally experimental twist, and the Karen Carpenter-esque tones of her voice are of great comfort to me at the moment. The songs on Titanic Rising speak of love, loneliness and loss, but also of change and hope. As with all great music the listener can interpret the songs in a way that speaks to them personally, and their are more than a few lyrics on the album that resonate with me. "Looking up to the sky, for something i may never find" from Andromeda reflects my own struggle with belief and faith, unsure of what i believe in. One line in Picture Me Better broke me when i first heard it: "i wish i could see you just once more, tell you how much you're adored", that feeling that you just want to see someone one more time. The song Something To Believe In, speaks volumes to me - "i got a case of the empties".
I miss you Dad. I'll love you always.
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