Something old, Something new

It may come as no surprise to folks but I think about music a lot. All day. Most nights too. Some may describe me as obsessed. Maybe to a fault? I'm ok with it though. I think a lot about what it is about a song that turns our crank? What is it about a particular melody or chord group that effects us internally, cerebrally? 

I also think about fans a lot. Especially from the perspective of BEING a fan of music but also from a perspective of performing music from time to time. I wonder what it is that hits people so uniquely that they will be a fan for life. I guess we all look and want something different in music, knowingly or unknowingly. It's cool how a tune can turn one person into a devoted fan but the person standing next to them isn't moved at all. Fascinating and awesome is music and its powers.

  Recently i got a computer back from a friend and they had loaded it up with their favorite tunes. Now while i don't enjoy all of that persons selections, there are a few I have been enjoying immensely. Lately the band on there I have been enjoying for the last week or so has been Phish. Now I'm not a stranger to the band by any means. I have enjoyed them live a few times and, somewhere, have the majority of their studio catalogue. The thing about Phish (and most of my fav bands) is that in the Studio they are good but live, they are amazing. These four people are MASTERS of their instruments. When together they really seem to know how to make the four instruments work together. Feeding off of one another, communicating in some secret(?) language. The real win in getting back my computer was that there is now LOADS of live shows on it from Phish! So I have been in there deep listening and remembering. I haven't really listened to them in about seven years I'd say. I have been asking myself over and over, Why I stopped? Its a mystery. I don't know. I guess I burnt out on them back then. But now? I am reminded daily how great of a band they were live as I listen to these shows.

Since I have started listening to them again I have seen them popping back up on my radar. A blog I read sometimes, mentioned them. A friend in Ontario has them on his FB page all the time....and now as I was just inspecting my myspace page I see they have a new album coming out. What does all this mean? I don't know. maybe nothing. Maybe the Cosmos wants me to get back in touch with their music for some reason. Maybe it's cause I'm older and their tunes remind me of a wild time in my twenties. Whatever the reason is I'm enjoying it. My favorite era in early to mid nineties. Full of soaring guitar solo's and weird whacky songs. Beautiful.

I know this ramble has been all about Phish but really it makes me think about ALL of my go-to bands and what it is about their music that owns me? what is it about a band that you can gobble them up for a while and then not listen to it again for years and years but its still as exciting as it once was? I certainly haven't found the answers. I sure do keep looking though.