Simon Rushworth
I lent a mate of mine Neil Young’s new album Fork In The Road only for him to return it a few days later declaring he didn’t like it.
Then he came back to me last week claiming he did like it after all. In fact, he loved it so much he went out and bought his own copy. So why the U-turn? It was all about how he listened to the album.
At first, he explained, he’d stuck it on in the house while he was pottering about and couldn’t really get into it. Being a big Neil Young fan himself, he then gave it a second chance, listening to it through headphones that evening, washed down by a few glasses of red wine.
Still he didn’t get it.
Then Eureka!. He gave it another try but this time he played in through his car stereo system as he sped down the motorway and everything fell into place (considering Young’s latest release is about his beloved 1959 Lincoln Continental, that’s appropriate!).
It’s an illuminating tale because while it’s often said that there is music for every occasion, we don’t often consider how the environment can play a significant role too.
Not surprisingly rock music is often described as ‘driving music’ and is in its element ‘on the road’.
A couple of years ago, Planet Rock surveyed its listeners to find out the perfect songs to listen to behind the wheel and were inundated with countless entries, ranging from the obvious like Deep Purple’s Highway Star and Silver Machine by Hawkind to more obscure tracks.
All of us compartmentalise our own music in that there are some bands you’ll only listen to at certain times and in certain situations while others, you’d put on in very different circumstances.
Take myself for instance. When I’m in the gym or out jogging, I’ll invariably listen to the heavier stuff in my collection. I find anything by bands like AC/DC, Aerosmith, UFO, Whitesnake or Deep Purple or perfect for keeping energy levels high.
At home, when I just want to relax, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Free or something like The Counting Crows fits the bill. I’ll often listen to the radio or have my iTunes library on shuffle when I’m working and can listen to anything from The Scorpions to Kasabian to Bruce Springsteen.
But there’s one time when no music, however dulcid, however melodic, however quiet will do. And that’s when my sons are revising. They tell me it helps, they tell me I’m a hyprocrite and they tell me music encourages them to work harder and for longer.
But no. I stand firm. At exam time, I belong to the school that say silence is golden.
Ian Murtagh