‘#5xTypical’ is a series of music based interviews with musicians by Karen van Gilst. What do musicians listen to? While cleaning, during sexy time or when working out? Do they have specific songs for specific moments? Or do they listen to music to influence their emotions?
"14 men, and it's mighty grooving! The lines, the timing, everything is great. I love it the most played from an old record player, just for the beauty of the little cracks in vinyl." - Thomas Pol (Double Bass)
After a 17 day hike thru California, I walked the 250 mile long John Muir Trail, with a big backpack including a Bear Can full of food, a tent, clean water supplies etc etc. I was tired. And I mean really really tired. I saw a shower twice during those 17 day’s. Tired, but satisfied, free and proud of myself because I made it, I walked into Lone Pine. The village, that also occurs in Godzilla, gave me the opportunity to rest a little before I continued my journey. My car, a Dodge Caravan (MiniVan), aka a Soccer Mom Van, was waiting for me in the parking lot. I cruised to LA with the musical guidance of The Meters. That was the moment I felt as free as a man can feel. I didn't have to do a thing accept driving. Nothing on my mind. Loved it!
*whistling along. This album got recommended to me by a guitarist who also studied at the University of New Orleans. After 5 years of listening, I still can't get enough! It's so energizing. Never boring! I keep hearing new stuff. He combines electronic and acoustic things, tastefully, and in a natural way.
It's a source of inspiration. He sounds modern but not forced. He is hip without wanting to be. Groovy, open. Like a trip. It's high standerd music with a bunch of weird meters. - Robert Frost Experiment - This piece builds kind of like a drum and bass thing. Amazing. Now I think of it, I like this one more than 'The Adventures'. Can I change?
I traveled a lot the last couple of years, met a huge amount of new people, experienced a lot. In those times you notice that a lot of our social contacts come and go in life. Something this song reminds me of. 'If I ever lose my faith in you', it could mean lots of things. I listen to it a lot on the plane or driving a car. It's kind of nostalgic to me. So it doesn't matter where I am at that moment or what's on my mind. This is a piece of comfort, relaxes me, and gives me a feeling of 'home’. Maybe it's because my father always played it in the car on vacation, on our way to France. It felt like a thousand hours in a stupid crappy car. My brother and I where always fighting at the backseats. But when he turned this song on... we where almost always quiet.
This makes me so happy! I have to confess, I'm honestly only listening to this sinds a month or so. Maybe even shorter. By the way, except one, these are all white dudes, and it GROOVES! And it's funny really, when I heard this one I just couldn't remember the name for a long time. But it was/is so familiar! We're pressed in a corner at the conservatory. For me, the tradition worked. I mean I can swing! And I like it. Yeah, I like jazz a lot, particularly the old jazz. But there is so much more. Take a look the bands who totally have formed their own sound, I missed that. Since I'm back from New Orleans, I've got some great respect for them. The thing I find more important nowadays than showing off the things you can do on a instrument, is the personal sound of a musician. I'm done with the showing off musicians. There are a few of them can pull that off, but certainly not all of us. It's just too damn boring on a record.
*Starts singing directly, clapping and snapping his fingers. I grew up with this kind of music. My grandfather listened to jazz all the time. My parents are both musicians. So yeah, I grew up in a musical family. I heard Sinatra a lot during my childhood. It swings like nothing else. In my opinion he is one of the bests in transferring lyrics. I can't remember lyrics very well, except his, I think because of his sound and timing. 14 men, and it's mighty grooving! The lines, the timing, everything is great. I love it the most played from an old record player, just for the beauty of the little cracks in vinyl.
Is it shameless to include a song of myself? Because this song really turned out amazing. It's inspired by an ex of mine in New Orleans. She was an Afro American girl, with a totally different history than me and from another culture of course. She experienced a lot already for her age, big things, like Katrina. She had many highs and lows, emotionally. In one moment her mood could completely change to the opposite.
Unfortunately, in her dark days, she would pull me down with her. We would both be kind of depressed. We only had a short relationship, but very intense. She did something with me emotionally. The relationship came to its end when I traveled to Holland for a month, during the Christmas holidays. When I returned we met for a coffee I she told me she wanted to stop seeing me. I can't blame her, it was my own fault. 45 minutes later I was sitting behind the piano. In half an hour I composed this piece. BAM. It doesn't happen to me a lot I can tell you.
He is a bass player thinking of making a combination with singing. "You just have to except your own sound. It's against the nature of every bass player to be the center of attention. But I slowly get used to it with my own band. Singing will be a nice challenge for me, so it's something for the future. Groove and melody lines (singing) are something totally different. It will take some practice." - Hopefully he won't have to study at it long. I heard his singing voice during the interview. Would be great to hear the combination!