Musings on the byways of popular culture
My good pal ‘Uncle Spike’ has an entrepreneurial offspring called Dave, who’s doing a degree in event management (I know, I know…). Still, we are where we are.
Dave’s dissertation involves a survey about the reopening of music festivals after Covid. The more responses he gets the better. If you’re interested, have a look.
Long version: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIQye0W7eT9rPamWvoJT3PTqWuFlwwKYUQEajZSrbnyyIcrQ/viewform
Short version: https://tinyurl.com/1psctkbe
“I know that I might die from poison – invisible, hanging there in the sunlight Don’t you know that your creator is running out of ideas…”
Aside from which, it’s a fabulous performance – Bert on guitar/vocal with the great Duffy Power on harmonica, the inimitable drumming of Terry Cox and Danny Thompson on bass.
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It’s a complete shitstorm. Our health, our jobs and livelihood, our way of life – it’s all being blown to the winds, at least temporarily and maybe longer and more terminally. And the sheer uncertainty of what’s coming next is exhausting.
In times like this, music can help. I put an old playlist of favourite songs on shuffle today, and this came up first. It’s brilliant, of course. Paul Simon’s bittersweet melody and typically economic lyrics; his beautifully phrased vocals; the arrangement, Michael Brecker’s sax break.
And, yes it worked. I felt just a little bit buoyed up. Partly because it’s a comfort blanket – I’ve known and loved this song and the album it’s from since it came out and it’s seen me through some good times. And partly because all the time there are people on the planet who have the creativity and skill to make something like this, you have to think we still have a fighting chance.
If you’d like to post some examples of music that you turn to at times like this, please be my guest. God knows, we’re going to need all the help we can get.