Words of inspiration from super cellist Paavo Lötjönen of Apocalyptica, talking backstage with Jack Mangan of @SupportLifeAndMusic Many thanks to The Metal Voice for making this interview happen. See the full conversation and article at:
https://www.themetalvoice.com/post/we-have-given-metallica-some-courage-inspiration-for-their-s-m-symphonic-metallica-says-apocal-1
Also – – big thanks to Eric Haley for being the cameraman.
George Hrab and Dani Cutler talk with Jack Mangan about how to survive the Independent Music lifestyle. And about Duran Duran. And Ringo.
George Hrab: https://www.georgehrab.com
Dani Cutler: https://danisdiner.podbean.com/
What is the Greatest Song Of All Time, and why is it “Fish Heads”?*
Support Life And Music seeks to transform the musical world into a safer, less treacherous, more survivable place, and part of that mission is to communicate the fundamental human need for music and its creators, benefitting us as individuals and for our shared global cultures. There are songs that have transformed and inspired multitudes across generations. The “Greatest Songs of All Time, Like Ever” S.L.A.M. column will present musings/essays/articles/quotes on the most awesome, important, and culturally impactful songs ever released.
Music is life, blood, intellect, heart, and soul.
More than the music itself, though, as recordings of notes in patterns and rhythms, it’s the connection and impact of music that is transcendental, that is important, that is vital. People only bond on emotional levels with four things: other living beings, visuals, stories, and – – music.* Each of those kinds of connections feels unique; e.g.: your deep fandoms for Spider-Man (or Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Bernie Sanders, Sydney Sweeney, Martin Scorsese, Bridget Jones, Robin Williams, your cat, etc.) are not the same as your swooning for your favorite songs. It’s this blissful connection that we wish to discuss and understand better. Rapturous musical affinity doesn’t require greatness or grandeur; you can feel something in your bones for a jingle or a ringtone. But the momentary endorphin rush of a pleasant or catchy melody can’t be equated to the profound experience of one of the GSoATLE. These are the songs which change our lives, and which change our shared society.
So, to answer one of the questions in your mind: what will qualify a song for analysis in this series? Topping Billboard charts? Grammy Awards? Getting played at weddings and/or funerals? When every drunk in the bar sings along to it on the jukebox? Covered by Kidz Bop? Must the “Best Song” recipient be some kind of enduring cultural phenomenon, or can it be an obscure personal favorite? Well, none of the above would disqualify a song from this feature. . . But no. S.L.A.M.’s chief writer and founder, Jack Mangan, along with guest writers, will be identifying the GSoATLE by more intangible qualities, a sense of widespread human resonance to them, songs that appear to be profoundly and enduringly meaningful to a large number of people. The criteria for inclusion will not be based on anyone’s personal tastes, although biases will come through in the analyses.
So, “The Macarena” and its dance have been inescapable since it was unleashed in the 1990s. Will that be covered? Probably not, but you’ll just have to keep reading to find out. . . “Beat It” was a massive phenomenon when it hit; will it be listed as a GSoATLE? Or is “Eat It” more worthy? Beethoven’s “Fur Elise?” “Stairway to Heaven?” “Respect?” “Hey Jude?” “Rhapsody in Blue?” “Fight the Power?” “Just a Friend?” (RIP Biz Markie) “Islands in the Stream?” “Smells Like Teen Spirit” “Imagine?” “The Salaminizer?” “Theme from ‘Star Wars?’” “Superstition?” “Free Bird!!”
Feel free to make suggestions. And please, keep reading and keep listening.
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*The Barnes and Barnes classic absurdity was a Dr. Demento favorite.
**Forgive me if you feel like food and drink should be in this list. I won’t discount the culinary as an artform; I just think a plate of amazing food is too far afield from the things I listed.
I’d love to turn you on to one of the great treasures of the NAMM Show. If you venture to the far reaches of the Anaheim Convention Center’s lowest level, you’ll discover the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. It’s a technological marvel, a shining, chrome-plated, professional-quality recording studio on wheels. The spacious interior is decked out with front and rear studios, two sound booths, an electronic drum kit, a synth, laptops for the engineers, and all the onboard gear and tech you’d expect to find at Abbey Road. Everything is donated, but that does not mean you’re getting your uncle’s warped old acoustic guitar. Everything we saw in the bus at NAMM appeared to be tip-top.
We looked around inside and spoke with Creative Technology Director, Jeff Sobel, who talked us through a bit of the mission and the history of the bus.
Begun in 1998, the bus is a nonprofit mission to make professional recording opportunities available for kid musicians across the U.S., through outreach to schools and community organizations. The qualified techs onboard not only guide the kids through the process of laying down tracks, they also provide practical lessons about the work required to record music, dispelling the myths of the “one-take masterpieces.” Yoko Ono “supports this project 100 percent,” and has blessed the bus with the use of her late husband’s name (you know. . . John Lennon. . . the Beatle. . . ).
The inside does not feel cramped at all, but it’s definitely geared more for smaller ensembles than something like a marching band or orchestra. The most musicians you could reasonably fit inside at once would be less than ten. The Dolby Atmos area in front is designed for audio/video production while the rear is intended for multi-track recording – – so you have options.
Color me impressed. I not only applaud the John Lennon tour bus for their noble mission, but also for their high-tech, high-end operation. This thing is no glass onion. Everything about the bus and its organization is handled with care and expertise. Contact your local schools, Boys And Girls Clubs, community groups, etc., get musically-inclined kids a ticket to ride the John Lennon Tour Bus.
Gimme shelter, water, food, air, love, and music.
These are life’s essentials.
We need music to help us deal, help us feel, help us move, help us remember, and sometimes just help us get through. Whether it’s the tedious wait, the long drive, the big moment, or the awkward social moment, music will always set the score. It doesn’t always have to be great, it just needs to be the right sound at the right moment.
For music, we need musicians. Obviously. . .
But don’t believe the hype. The music life is hard.
Support Life And Music draws from music industry veterans and experts – – from the spotlights to the offices to the pits – – to provide information, education, services, mentorship, resources, networking, and community to aid working musicians in the pursuits of financial independence, stability, and happiness for themselves and their loved ones through music.
As we grow, we will expand our programs and influence, but we’re launching with the following initiatives:
Backstage Pass. Educating the general population about the musical life, changing cultural perceptions about musicians’ daily lives. People often associate music stardom with glamour and riches, but this isn’t reality for 99% of 21st-Century musicians.
Musician’s Survival Guide. Helping musicians of all levels to navigate the endless perils, pitfalls, challenges, obstacles, and dangers inherent in the music industry and culture.
Both of the above services will initially be provided online via:
Who will be dispensing this stuff?
That’s the best part. S.L.A.M. output will feature the wisdom, expertise, and stories of the best music minds of yesterday and today, from household names to underground heroes.
Who can benefit from S.L.A.M.?
The music world has hundreds of different vital roles, but in the beginning, S.L.A.M. will focus on the ones who are making and performing the music. That includes all genres, even the terrible ones (kidding!). We’ll discuss eligibility requirements in a future post, but let’s just state that the personal preferences and tastes of the S.L.A.M. board will not be a factor. The only automatic disqualifications will be:
What S.L.A.M. is *not* about:
The plan will get more ambitious as we grow. So stay tuned. We’re going to accomplish great things and change the world.