Saturday, December 30, 2006

Choir of Hard Knocks

Did you see the terrific performance of Silent Night by The Choir of Hard Knocks that was broadcast by ABC TV a few times over the Christmas period? I reckon it was the best thing on TV. The performance was earthy, real, and sincere. Musical, too!

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Favourite Music Quotes

Jerry Rosen, former Boston Symphony Orchestra violinist
Listening to music on records is like getting kissed over the telephone.

Musica laetitiae comes medicina dolorum.
Music is the companion of joy and the medicine of sorrow.

Song title:
You don’t have to join the Ku Klux Klan to be a wizard under the sheets!

Album Title:
Songs I Learnt At My Mother's Knee (and some other low joints)

W. H. Auden (1907-73)
Music,
which can be made anywhere,
Is invisible and does not smell

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. If heed is not paid to this, it is not true music but a diabolical bawling and twanging.

You just have to press the right keys and the right pedals at the right time and the music plays itself.

Aaron Copland (1900-90)
The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, 'Is there a meaning to music?' My answer would be, 'Yes.' And "Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?' My answer to that would be 'No.'

Heraclitus (c. 540-480 BC)
The fairest harmony springs from discord.

Sir Paul McCartney (1942- )
There are two things John and I always do when we're going to sit down and write a song. First of all we sit down. Then we think about writing a song.

Australian jazz musician, James Morrison [on his song Ease On In]
It’s kind of like a funky sort of Afro-Cuban swinging jazz-rock sort of Classical punk waltz reggae calypso sort of Scottish feel.
James and his family lived across the road from my Uncle Dave and Aunty Win. Aunty Win says they were very nice but very quiet, and only occasionally would you hear music coming from the house

Elvis Presley
I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to.

Sid Vicious
You just pick a chord, go twang, and you've got music!

Frank Zappa

I write the music I like. If other people like it, fine, they can go buy the albums. And if they don't like it, there's always Michael Jackson for them to listen to.

Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.