Musica Eclectica and Fun with Parentheses

So, as I have mentioned before, I have an iPod.

And I have a strange span of attention linked to an even stranger taste in music. This is the primary reason I tend to not say what I'm listening to while I post. (Face Down - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus which has just switched to Rock of Ages - Def Leppard) I listen to quite a smattering of music, and yet, still don't listen to everything. I like the Beatles and Beach Boys, but would rather dislocate a digit than be subjected to the Rolling Stones. I like the Alan Parsons Project and the Genesis family including the solo experiments of the former members (Peter Gabriel is the best of those, of course). I like some 70s and 80s metal (mostly Def Leppard and Queensryche), but I continue to branch into other stuff like OK Go and 30 Seconds to Mars which are my newest favorites.

(Betrayed - Avenged Sevenfold)

But usually I can't read to "rock music" which I classify as anything with words and electricity. So I have a small collection of classical music which is not really experimental, but more the equivalent of the Billboard top 100 from the 1700s and 1800s. And then there is my first passion: Movie Soundtracks.

Now first of all, soundtracks are rarely rock music although those do pop up occasionally. My first real album was the two LP set soundtrack for Star Wars way back in 1977. I listened to it whenever I could, and for a while dreamed of joining one of the orchestras that did soundtracks. One of my time travel goals would be to go back in time and play under Karl Stalling and be the background music on the classic Warner Brothers cartoons.

So now I have a large collection of soundtracks (and scores too, as they are now stupidly called). And they are great for background music because I can envision the movie in my head as I hear the music from that scene. (The Rhythm of the Heat - Peter Gabriel) Of course there are some, specifically Jennifer, who can't handle the music playing in the background because the tension that the music is used to help build in the movie, becomes too much for them in the real world.

Now, it's not that the music I'm listening too doesn't affect me. I have several pieces that I cannot listen to in the car. I cannot listen to Gregorian Chant in the car because I used to use that as relaxation music, and I don't want to be that relaxed while driving. (House Full of Bullets - Joe Satriani) The dog fight music fleeing the Death Star from Star Wars makes me aggressive in a dodging around manner.

And I'll give you this free advice: Never listen to the theme song from Speed Racer while on the freeway. Ever.

My favorites remain John Williams and the full collection of Star Wars, but Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings trilogy is amazing. I need to get John's Harry Potters, but have almost everything else he's done. Did yo know that John Williams has done the soundtracks for nearly all of Steven Spielberg's movies? It's really an amazing range. Another recommendation I have is the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. Hans Zimmer does some great stuff. And of course, Danny Elfman and a new favorite in Steve Jablonsky and his score for the live action Transformers movie.

I leave you now (My Global Mind - Queensryche) to return to work, and my music.