Music cuts a deep groove into the psyche. — Every time I hear Bridge Over Troubled Water I’m transported to a precise place. Standing on a polished wooden floor, a floor I had polished myself, staring at a blank wall. And I’m not just reminded of a place, I’m reminded of my mental state. Drunk. Crying. Alone. Needless to…

There are two Americas. The America that is and the America that exists in the imagination of some Americans — Fantasy America. I have two recording of the Weavers song “Lonesome Traveller”. Each recording tells the tale of these two different Americas. “Lonesome Traveller” was written by Lee Hays who…

And Eleven Elevens are Eleventy Leven — Am I losing faith in my mystical quest to uncover the deeper secrets of the number seven? How 20th century of me. How Gen X. What am I? An REM fan or something? Possibly. It’s the 21st century now. No more “Living in the Past”. Having duly added REM and…

Do you know what’s in your hand? — 3:49am in May. It’s not quite winter but temperatures are plummeting. I need to go to the bathroom. They never have that scene in the movie, but this isn’t a movie, it’s life. For most movies these days I’m not in the target audience. The whole world is my audience…

We Can Work It Out Paul, must we always agree with you? Hey Bulldog Is this John’s best song about nothing? While My Guitar Gently Weeps Surely learning? No. Repeating same mistakes endlessly. Happiness Is A Warm Gun Gun owners already crazy lunatics in 1968. Dr Robert All rich people have…

It wants us to be on our own, but it doesn’t want us to think too much. — To act collectively is to blunt consumption. The greatest gift to capitalism in the 20th Century was communism. A perfect anti-narrative to the truism of the freedom-loving West. The stark uniformity of communism is the screen on which to project the illusion of choice, the choice being the hallmark of…

The Soul of Jamaica Touches the World. — Fisherman — The Congos (from Heart of the Congos) The steady rhythms of reggae can feel laid back, yet they reverberate like an endurance runner pacing himself through a perilous journey. “Row fisherman row Keep on rowing your boat Lots of hungry belly pickney they a shore, millions of them” …

Music shapes Meaning — It was Sunday morning. My father-in-law was coming around for lunch, a lunch that I would be cooking. Perhaps something on in the background to keep things moving. A $2 DVD for the thrift shop. Fantasia 2000. Perfect. No real story to follow but plenty of visual excitement set to…

The Journey Begins. — If you think of Australia as a nation obsessed with sport, you’re not wrong. Yet it’s not as universal as you might expect. As someone who has spent much time in the arts, I can assure you there are many Australians who couldn’t care less. There is one interest that…