Sounds too corny to be true, but during those days when feeling weary and small, something seemingly insignificant to do with music can wash away the Blues and bring back the thrill of living as opposed to just surviving.
This happened on Sunday when I woke up late in the afternoon and thought about watching some of the races from Shatin.
I was sidetracked by one of those “reels” on Facebook that had Sammy Hagar asking Brian May about his guitar influences. He mentioned the great James Burton before saying that it probably was one of favourites- Rory Gallagher.
Now, why would such a “meh” interview have such a quick and positive effect on me?
Because music is magic.
Music is, at least to me, a Black Magic Woman, an American Girl, Lovely Rita, Joni Mitchell and a beautiful and complex Woman.
Music, of course, means different things to different people and whether they’re the chords used, the lyrics or the melody, or how everything just works together, music is the soundtrack to our lives.
The great Quincy Jones hugged me all those years ago when I asked him a question about music and said, “Music is life, man! It’s this beautiful tapestry of life and we need to weave it into our own stories”.
Do we do this? Weave music into our tapestry of life?
Maybe. But not nearly enough.
From where I sit, I see music having been a god given gift that’s been allowed to be very much devalued.
Too often, it’s in the hands of those who have no idea of its power- its power to love and be loved and its magic to make us feel good about ourselves and pass this vibe of hope and inspiration onto others.
Earlier that Sunday, I was happy to read a letter from a reader in one of the newspapers about how kids could learn much from the music of the Beatles, and the significance in the message of “Imagine” by John Lennon.
Here was something that the late Daniel Ng, the Chairman of McDonald’s in Hong Kong, a great friend of mine and I were working on to get it off the ground in the city and into schools and the education system.
Unfortunately, angels carried Daniel away before this idea took flight.
This doesn’t mean that the idea is lost.
The idea might just have been hibernating, waiting for the right time to make itself be heard again and made available through a different delivery service that’s almost a moment in time you carry with you.
The way music is used is also an art form. It’s something that cannot be taught. You either have it or you don’t- whatever “it” is.
Someone like film director Cameron Crowe, for example, is a modern day genius at knowing the importance of popular music to emphasise an emotion and where songs work best in his work.
Having been a writer for Rolling Stone when in his teens, his knowledge of popular music to create a connection with an audience is there in his films like “Jerry Maguire” and “Almost Famous” through songs like Bruce Springsteen’s evocative “Secret Garden” and Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s beautiful “Tiny Dancer”.
Where the music is placed is so intelligently done and shows his respect for the songs and the musicians.
Listen to the “Jerry Maguire” soundtrack to understand what I am saying.
My friend Rob in Melbourne performs for those in age care homes and was mentioning just how much certain songs bring back memories to his audience.
Having lost a mother to dementia, I can understand, and also reminds me how much the songs of the wonderful Norah Jones kept my father a very young 96 before checking out.
Why do I get teary eyed when listening to the Eagles’ “Desperado” or “I Can’t Tell You Why” or any of the songs by Jimmy Webb or Leon Russell?
Very probably they bring back memories of a time long gone, but still hiding in my heart with the curtains drawn because of not wanting to be hurt again.
Recently, I wrote about the importance of supply and demand in business.
In some ways, this also applies to music. But who is out there who knows how to give music a new meaning and a new sense of purpose?
Aimlessly streaming music with, more often than not, even knowing who the artist is, surely, is disrespecting music and musicians.
In Hong Kong, the quality of ‘live’ music remains something bordering on mediocrity and allowed to rise to the top because that’s all that’s here.
Like the ageing city itself, this is where hoteliers and gremlins are allowed to become A&R people despite still living in the past along with audiences wanting only karaoke versions of songs in English replicated by rather mature function singers.
Nothing wrong with eking out a living as a musician, but how about some balance?
Perhaps there’s a need for something new or different or both and not the usual suspects who have been in Hong Kong for decades playing “jizz” when their careers have stalled and ageism has struck a chord?
As for Cantonese pop music, it continues to be derivative fluff for the masses based around “Desperado” or a slightly sped up version of that song by Don Henley and Glenn Frey.
Maybe it’s high time for a different type of multi media music delivery system?
It’s definitely time not to be pinned down to labels and signing one’s Rights away without being aware of the art of the deal and how one side suddenly owns the other and that music is free, yes, but how someone has to pay for those new sets of wings.
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