Monday, October 3, 2011

Miles from "Home"

There's something to be said about distance. Sometimes we choose to distance ourselves from areas of our lives that we're not fond of, which unfortunately is the inevitable truth that this is WHO we are. I moved to Boston in 2009 for reasons that no longer exist. Reasons that had me at the edge of my seat; excited about the potential new life I was about to embark on. 2 years have passed since I left everything I knew behind me; everything I wanted to miss and everything I thought I'd never miss. From family to friends, from jobs to apartments, New York is where I laid my head and heart for 29 of my 31 years. The thought of leaving those fears, anxieties, and emotions behind me was very attractive since the distance was just that; a new life and a "cure." As I find myself sitting here with that potential new life behind me, but a new sense of being and appreciation for the strength in my decisions, I can't help but say it for the first time...I miss where I came from.

I miss being able to see my family and hometown friends physically and not through text messages and phone calls. There's something very lonely, yet proving when you wake up and it's just silent. Even though the Monday morning garbage pickups are occuring outside my rainy South Boston window, and car horns sing out of tune on East Broadway, I still don't hear anything.

Over the past few months a lot has changed in my life, but the consistent theme throughout has been distance. I feel as though I'm saying goodbye more often than hello and my feet are only planted in one place for long enough to appreciate where I am for those 5 minutes. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that "life is a journey, not a destination" and never have I fully believed in this quote till now. Within each of our journey's there's an unedeniable distance that we must take either from ourselves or from our past, simply to realize who we really are and who we want to be. Waking up with that lonely feeling on a Monday morning is tough; knowing that the only people who truly know you and who you genuinely miss aren't near you. What's even tougher is being in the city you changed your whole life to be in because of a potential life that shattered, and in the end realizing that you need to pick up the pieces yourself because that's just it. They're all pieces of you.

I know we have to travel to get to certain places in this life, but I miss where I traveled from and who took the ride with me for those 29 years. It's a bit ironic. So much of the excitement in changing my life to move here was to get away from that past life that I thought I needed in my rearview mirror. In the process I feel as though I've gotten farther away from myself and further distanced myself from my cornerstone; all of which is back in NY.

If only life had a GPS system. Then again, I'd probably continue to hit the detour button to see if there's a quicker way to get to my destination, as opposed to just enjoying the recommended path. Hey, at least I got there.

Shawn Mullins said it best in his song "Home." I love this man.

"Yeah, I know I'm lucky to sing my songs
If you want to, you can sing along
As you been on this road so long
Won't you help me find my way back home?
Help me find my way back home"

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Angus & Julia Stone

Tell me this isn't awesome and I will give you $1MM.

Which I don't have, but that's just proof of how awesome this is.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Glen Hansard & Doveman

Not sure what to really say about this without getting emotional myself, so just check it out for yourself. Thanks to my good buddy Foye Johnson for sending this over. The man knows his music.

This is just so good.

Cheers,
Kevin

Glen Hansard w/Doveman "What Happens When The Heart Just Stops" from Patrick Glennon on Vimeo.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Richard Wright: Piano God


I love the piano, that's no secret if you've read any of my past posts. Richard Wright, the piano and organ genius behind Pink Floyd, perhaps summarizes exactly what I love about the instrument. Its simplicity. Its ability to sound as though it takes little effort to play, yet it takes every muscle in your brain and hands to agree with each other and move separately yet simultaneously. Wright was perfect. 1 listen through "Dark Side of the Moon" and you can't help but notice how beautiful his piano playing was.

Check out "The Great Gig in the Sky" on "Dark Side," or especially "Us and Them." Richard actually wrote the piano part in "Us and Them" for a violence sequence in the 1970's film "Zabriskie Point" by Michelangelo Antonioni. Ironic huh? It's odd how something so beautiful was written specifically for a scene showing killing, blood, and war. The music is stunning. However, Antonioni felt as though the piece was "beautiful, but too sad." Interesting. Isn't violence sad?

So, thank you Antonioni. Because it didn't make the film, the song was then used on "Dark Side" and it became "Us and Them;" one of my favorite tunes on probably my favorite record of all time.

Below is the actual audio of Richard Wright recording the track in the studio in 1970 for the film, along w/ some stills. Wright passed away in 2008 unfortunately. He is a true legend.