Surround Sound Speakers

That’s how it felt many years ago, a personal escort from the air force heading to a Turkish city of unknown consequences. There was a little surprise added, like a giant disco ball included with the overseas package. We were all in for a spectacular experience that brought new music & memories that have lasted a lifetime. School dances every weekend in Mediterranean & ancient surroundings where a mixture of American songs blended with Turkish filtered through the club atmosphere. Earth Wind & Fire playing, that’s the way of the world I think was the most prominent. Movies such as Shaft added soundtracks to soul music subculture, as it was only thirty five cents to see a show. Then their was Jesus Christ Superstar that came out while living overseas, having it feel as if the experience of the actors were from our school. The drama department wanted to put on the play, as their were tryouts. They gave the role of JC to the Senior class president, while unfortunately the music instructor canceled the play, explaining that people were late. It was a let down since the try outs were full of eager students, as the music for it was fresh and enlightening. I wonder why today, why he got fed up enough to cancel. Going on vacations to other towns reminded me of being in a surreal painting where the song I recall the most was, Seasons in the Sun. It would play on radios in the summer adding to the atmosphere. Godspell & Hair were musicals that were spinning as a child of the sixties living in a spiritual time. Going to church & learning, put your hand in the hand with a rock opera choir changed the pattern of each Sunday by adding a more updated way of rejoicing that had guitars & clapping to the new rhythm. If I were to design a place of worship today, I think I’d create a auditorium with overhead stars playing ambient music of synthesized sounds. Electronic music always interests me as a digital sampler can record sounds such as rain to be filtered through the sound chamber. When working at a record store I discovered early works done by Brian Eno, the lp was titled, my life in the bush of ghosts. The ebow being the first stringed instrument attachment to create a synthesizer sound was intriguing as other sounds I liked back then were done by kraftwerk. The Mahican doll like group that opened a door to electronic music. Today I think the music of yello fits my criteria best. Ingenious works done by two men should be more popular in the western world. Music Videos added character to the songs that the 1980s introduced. Songs use to tell stories that could be acted out, that seems lost today as something feels missing in the current time period. I wonder how many train songs there are, & if that’s the only underground music playing now. I like folk guitar & classical renaissance harpsichord & a full Orchestra building up instrument by instrument, such as Ravels Bolero. Intellectuals are rare today, such as David Bowie who was a composer who created one of my favorite records, low. I imagined him as a man from Mars in a former life creating sculpture & art in the sub terrarium art decade. Glitter rock is gone, & much forgotten, leaving one not able to look out at the stars to imagine. I wonder how countries are at war when the have composers that have historically written music such as, flight of the bumblebee, composed by a Russian composer. The Olympic ice skaters bring back old songs like these, although the sport’s events today is talked over, ruining the entire experience. I’ve written a few original songs, and yet there isn’t anywhere to produce them. The only thing that fascinates me today is the beautiful u2 spaceship concert of light sound & dry ice that is the most extravagant production I’ve seen. Russian music, inspires with Vitas singing a chilling soprano that he preforms in glittering outfits that sells out especially in Japan. The Metropolitan Opera has captured my attention, with opera broadcasts of productions such as Agamemnon, where I wish I could have seen it preformed. Opera is a nice change of direction, yet I can never understand what they are saying, even in English. It seems that most folks create videos today on their cellphones, much of their pets, & cats cats cats. On tv I see a Russian soldier lying in the field with a rifle with a cat lying on his back. Another news story with a Ukrainian woman in her bombed apartment playing piano. Many of them play piano, as it seems a war against creativity. The worst video I saw was of a dog that stood up & prayed in a circle with a family while their apartment was being destroyed. I have never seen people so terrified out of their minds. Is this the only music to hear? What kind of war machine music will be invented next? During the short time I played in a band, we did songs such as, tomb of the unknown soldier where the bassist use to scream like Jim Morrison. I miss those days before the internet where I could freely express myself. Gone is my Flying V & effect box that included a wah-wah & flanger. Lost are the band photos with the surfer whammy bar guitars with fuzz tone & reverb. Time elapses…..

to the next decade, location Washington DC. There I found a resourceful place for music, at the convention centers expo. I found a exhibit with sound proof booths where I recorded a few songs to a cassette. It was interesting as I chose to sing the lion sleeps tonight, while most of the dc residents choose to sing, under the boardwalk. It’s too bad they had to destroy the entire convention center, I’ll always remember the nice breakfast put on by the teamsters. The caucus wouldn’t allow rap music they told me, although it has advanced since then with international rap adding a foreign affair.

Underneath the city I found the Luray caverns where a tiny harp plays that sits high above on a crystal formation. I think sometimes just one instrument playing can be soothing enough. With this note, I shall conclude my music synopsis as I hope the future holds more innovative music arrangements for the granddaughter of a accordionist, who taught me to appreciate the finely tuned instruments of yesterday & today.