Today I am talking about Music, which is just about my favourite thing in the world alongside writing. Whenever I'm writing, I am listening to music. Music got me through high school and university (both times). Music gets me through each day at work (when I'm able to listen anyway; obviously I can't listen while on the desk serving library patrons :D That'd be considered anti-social I'm pretty sure). Music is sustenance and, as the saying goes (and I love this saying), "music is my boyfriend". Heh.
My poor kitties are subjected to my listening habits, so they'll hear anything from Richard Marx to Mariah Carey to Muse (have you noticed these artists all have at least one "M" in them?) to Melvins... I listen to rock, metal, alternative, pop, dance, and all sorts of sub-genres of all of those. I listen to music from the 40s on. I would listen to classic classical music (i.e. Mozart, etc.) if I had any in my collection. Just haven't developed that side of it yet. I listen to female singers and male singers, and even male singers who have since become females. I listen to my friends' music and, at times, I listen to my own.
In short, I'm open to pretty much anything. Tell me what I should hear, and I will give it a listen.
As referenced above, I also make music. Being musical runs in the family. My aunty was a music teacher, and she still teaches piano. That entire side of the family sings (usually, they harmonise. hehe). I learned piano up until I'd done Grade 2, then I got bored with lessons and gave up. I played in a band called Stuart and the Stuffed Turkeys in primary school - Stuart being our guitar teacher at the time. All the mothers loved Stuart, who was pretty sexy. I am now in a one-woman band all on my own. I recently acquired a bass guitar, so now all that's missing is drums. I'm thinking I will have to make do with percussion. ;)
Not only do I listen to music and play it, but I also write about it. My novel SUNDOWN was the first in what became a ridiculously large series. I don't care if the series never gets published. I wrote it for me, and I love it. That's all that matters to me. My character Louise is an excellent guitarist (way more excellent than me) modelled after actual brilliant female guitarists I've listened to in my time. I once had a debate with an idiot guy about whether chicks could play guitar as well as guys (he was adamant they could not). I think I had that in the back of my mind when I conjured Louise.
Anyway...music is all around me. Even when I'm not listening with my ears (right now I'm listening to Stone Temple Pilots' "Where the River Goes"), I'm listening in my head. This morning I had the lyrics, "Give me tiiiime..." stuck in my head, and kept singing the song. Thankfully I've moved on since then. Don't get me wrong, I love the song. But I didn't enjoy having it looping in my head. ;) At least it was better than that time I had the Fat Cat theme song stuck in my head for three days.
And that's it for M.
Music is about one of my most favorite things, too, so I get it!
ReplyDeleteTotally stole my M! :-) I'm so inspired by music that I can scarcely keep it separated from my writing. In fact, I mix the two as often as possible. Great post!
ReplyDeleteEJ
E.J., I was gonna focus on something REALLY boring - "Me" :P - but then I was struck by the don't-be-dumb stick and realised music was the obvious answer ;) No doubt we won't be alone in focusing on this topic. But that's okay :P
ReplyDeleteMary, I do know people who can't understand the fascination with music...and I can't understand THAT. ;)
Where would the world be without music? :)
ReplyDeleteMy sentiment exactly Lynda :)
ReplyDeleteHello Trisha. As you mentioned you are yet to build your classical collection, I suggest the following piece. It was playing on my drive home, so perhaps it's meant for this purpose.
ReplyDeleteFantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.
I too bestow musical gifts on my characters in excess of my own :)
My protag, Maverick, in King of the Mutants, is really, really into Music. (His dream is to be a rock star-- idols include Mick Jagger, Jimi, and Joe Strummer). Anyway, great topic for M.
ReplyDeleteChenoa, thanks for the recommendation! woo! :D
ReplyDeleteSamantha, I like the sound of your protag! he has something in common with me (I'D like to be a rock star too. lol. i mean , all those groupies! hehe)
Most artists I know have a "Majo" and a "Minor." I used to be a musician who wrote (Yay Bass!). Now I'm a writer who picks up a guitar or bass every now and then. I love listening to tunes when I write. Sometime appropriate to the scene, often whatever's handy.
ReplyDeleteWill, I tend to go through phases. Sometimes I will spend months writing songs, and not doing anything else. But lately I've been mostly focused on my fiction writing. So...yeah. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love music, and in high school and college it helped me a lot, too, but I can't listen when I write. I just have too narrow an attention span and when I'm writing, all I can do is write...
ReplyDeleteOh, I am totally with you on this! I love music, all kinds. I listen to just about anything. I play a little piano but I'm not very good, just good enough to be dangerous.
ReplyDeleteHart, I can see that - sometimes I do get distracted by the music I'm listening to, namely if it's a song I'm not in the mood for and need to skip. :D But I get bored without music!
ReplyDeleteLiz - I think it's important to just enjoy playing, which is what I do. ;)
Music is an essential part of the writing process...I love books that make reference to music.
ReplyDeletedemitrialunetta.blogspot.com
I LOVE music, it's always been in my life. I'd be lost without it.
ReplyDeleteMusic is a must for me. Three M's in that sentence!
ReplyDeleteI need music to think, to create, to relax.
I need music to write, to cook and to relax. Now you know!
Music definitely helps me cook too - but I cook very rarely. At least if I'm listening to music at the time, I'm less bored. :P
ReplyDeleteThanks guys for stopping by! :D
Music is the perfect M! The only time I don't surround myself with music is when I write. If there's music, it takes precedence over the blank page, and that's not a productive arrangement.
ReplyDelete