I had to step away from writing the book and switch to something that would ground me again. A feel good of sorts, so I’m back on my blog doing what I do. Music, sweet music! The entire time that I’m writing, be it on here doing my blogging, or writing pages in the book, music is a must in the background. I’ve even made reference in the book to how I learned to slip away in my music at times when I was feeling trapped or alone. Being that there was so much that I had to carry silently, it was a great escape for me. Soothing voices, happy tunes, or just grinding riffs from heavy metal music, they were all a huge part of my life. I think that I had a closer relationship with music than I did with any human for a good portion of my life.

I’m certain that if I asked any of you right now to tell me some of your favorite songs, you could then equate them to a moment in time that was relevant in your life. Music and lyrics are so powerful! It has always made me wonder if I was in sync with some of these bands, or singers through different stages of my life. When so many other things weren’t making sense, music always did. When you needed something to pick you up, music was there. If you needed to rage with anger, yeah, music was there for that as well. There is music for every single human emotion, and I’m here for it!

This particular section of the book that I was just working on went through a time when I’d realized just how screwed I was. How trapped, unable to tell anyone anything. It was that first night that I went home and lost myself in music. It changed the relationship that I had with music forever. I would now look to music to pull me through so many dark times. Does it sound extreme? Perhaps, but for those that have gone through shit in their life, I’m thinking they can relate, and I can’t be the only one on the planet that has delved deep into music to either find yourself, or lose yourself. The power of music can take you anywhere you want to be transported.

Certain songs can immediately give me the exact feelings of whatever was happening when I was first listening to it. There is music that both of my parents listened to that I truly enjoyed. I still listen to some of the music that they played either in their vehicles or around the house. My mother’s tastes were surprising at times and I loved to play some of the latest songs by artists that she enjoyed. Music is a good way to connect to others. I formed an excellent relationship with my son because of our love for music. We still discuss or shoot different songs back and forth that are on our play lists or something that just came out. Same with my sisters. I was having a discussion today with Leanna about the band Alice In Chains. I discussed the sad history of the lead singer and how he’d lost his life to drugs. Yet the band has survived all of it and went on with another singer to sound amazingly the same. Makes me wonder where they could have gone had drugs not wrecked his life. Same thing goes for so many singers that I enjoy. It may shock some of you but I’ve been a George Michael fan for many years. His lyrics are much deeper than most would know. His pop days with Wham were hit and miss, but as he aged, the lyrics spoke to me in numerous songs. The hidden gem of a CD by him is called “OLDER.” Listen to the song “Strangest Thing” and give me your thoughts. It has a haunting melody to it and the lyrics are heavy. His entire album “Listen without Prejudice” is also a work of art. He was a tortured soul throughout his adult life, and it spilled over into his music.

I’ve made references to the band 10 years on here before. There are several songs that they wrote that just reached right inside of me. I felt that I was asked to describe my feelings and they were turned into music. Just amazing! The songs “Fix Me” and “Waking up the Ghosts” are spot fucking on! Here’s another one…the band is Papa Roach and the song is “Leave a light on.” That one hits hard. Have you ever had a moment when you listened to a song and found yourself getting emotional? Perhaps tears? Yeah, stop and think about that. Someone writes and then performs a song that touches you with so much power that you begin to lose control. I’m in awe over that kind of talent.

This is why they use so much music in movies. While we can all agree that we have our favorite actors and actresses, then of course there are great scripts or producers, but they’re all enhanced by the sound of music. Musical scores are also one of my favorite things to listen to. The movie “Dances with Wolves” has an amazing soundtrack from start to finish! Here’s a spin on a classic by Led Zeppelin. “The Immigrant Song” was redone by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for the opening of the movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” I could go on and on about music and songs that speak to me. Why not take a moment and just throw a headset on and lose yourself in something that speaks to your soul.

I’ll be hopping on here a little more frequently to take breaks from my book writing. The topics will of course be all over the place, because that’s where I seem to be when I’m writing. At this point though, that’s a good thing. Things are coming out, which is the most important part of the process. Seeing some of it in print is strange. It’s satisfying yet terrifying all at the same time. I have moments where I can almost feel the “characters” again, and that creeps me out. Better days are ahead, I just know it.

Thanks for following along on this journey.

~Robert~