"You Really Got Me" (Part 1) was originally posted in this blog on August 24, 2014. I wrote it after reading an article about people who are apathetic towards music, a notion that completely escapes me. My focus was on music that spoke to me not only upon hearing it the first time, but that continues to bring me joy again and again no matter how much time has past.
So many songs of my youth bring back memories of the time - people and places - that have become a part of who I am. Those "oldies but goodies" seem to rekindle a longing for times past. In the words of Mary Hopkins' 1968 hit:
"Those were the days my friend,
we thought they'd never end,
we'd sing and dance forever and a day.
We'd live the life we choose
we'd fight and never lose
those were the days,
oh yes, those were the days."
The older we get the more often our thoughts drift to "those days". And not just about the music, but about life in general - the friendships, loves and possibilities - oh those years ago. Beyond that informative time, I have found more music that has produced an almost galvanic effect on my being, some of those songs were also listed in the earlier blog.
Unlike many of my generation, I enjoy tuning in to the sounds of today's music on Sirius/XM and YouTube. And while much of the music may be catchy for a week or two, they are played so frequently they quickly go into the music recycling bin. Endurance or longevity may not be the strong suit of much of today's music but then who am I to say. In 30-40 years, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons or The National could be the Millennial's answer to the Beatles, The Who or The Rolling Stones.
But I have found to my utter joy, that there is music I somehow missed over the years. I just finished reading the book "The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock" by David Weigel. I have always been a fan of prog rock music - King Crimson: Pink Floyd; Yes; Procol Harum; The Moody Blues; Alan Parsons Project; Emerson, Lake and Palmer and more recently, Coheed and Cambria.
One of the groups referenced in Mr. Weigel's book was Porcupine Tree, founded by Steven Wilson in England in 1987. I had never heard of the band or Mr. Wilson, so my curiosity drove me to YouTube to listen to some tracks. I was blown away with the vision, artistry and creative nature of their music. Steven Wilson once said he was bored with what was familiar. It is evident everywhere in his song book. The music never predicts where it is going. The style is ranges from rock, to synth/moog based, to heavy metal to ballads, to jazz fusion, to new age and others. Listening to each album took me on a new journey. It's like riding Space Mountain at Disney World, speeding through twists and turns, ups and downs in the dark, no knowing where you are, and more importantly, where you are going. That is what gives me the most joy in music - not knowing the destination, but being immersed in the journey.
I always find my way back to the music that I can listen to over and over - They Byrds, Van Morrison, Yes, AC/DC, Bruce Hornsby, Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler, Jackson Brown, Loreena McKenneitt, Bruce Cockburn and Fleetwood Mac.
But I am also constantly on the watch for the next Porcupine Tree.
P.S. That would be "The War on Drugs". Take a listen.
