News Archive
27 June 2006
29.40N 149.40E
The music that keeps Adrian company
'Creative gave me two Zen Sleek MP3 players which Louise loaded with music, spending hours ripping CDs and sequestering music from everyone she knew - the result is an eclectic compliation. To complete the sensaround experience, I bought an amplifier and hooked that up to the ship's speakers. The Zens plug into the amplifier and I can then adjust volume to suit my mood. So much for the hardware.
I had thought that music would be an indispensible part of my days and nights, but it has transpired to be less so than I had imagined. First was my concern about power consumtion - the amplifier is relatively thirsty, but more than that, the sea sings it's own song, it's tempo, pitch and volume as varied and infinite as the potential for any composer with a handful of notes to arrange.
There are of course my favourites - music of the seventies' generation, among them The Eagles, unquestioningly (in my opinion) the finest group ever to strike a drum and strum a guitar. 'Desperado' was selected by a friend of mine as my theme tune (it was even played at my wedding). The indefatigable "Stones" and the timelessness of Billy Joel, The Kinks, Marmalade and of course "The King" all remind me of a partially mis-spent youth.
In more mellow mood, I enjoy George Michael - a fabulous voice and the ability to match it to the right lyrics: Eva Cassidy, who sadly never won the recognition she deserved while she was alive - "The Water is Wide" is a beautiful number: Roberta Flack's rendition of "Killing Me Softly" always touches me: Bond's classsic rock variations, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John...the Bhuddha Bar collections.
On clear nights with the stars pinholing black velvet, I can become contemplative. Then its Albinoni's Adagios, choral music - I particularly like Gabriel Faure's 'Pavane'. Prokofiev's 'Spartacus - Romeo and Juliet' is beautiful. The Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (the theme to the 70's TV series 'The Onedin Line') is a particular favourite together with the manic 'Sabre Dance'.
I tend to sail the boat more aggressively in harsher weather. Then it's time, at maximum volume, for Gun's 'n' Roses and The Manics (who play the best version of 'Suicide is Painless').'
When I need pumping up, there is one number that never fails to deliver
- Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life'...'I just want to live while I'm alive...'
The music of the Gipsy Kings is as evocative as it is unique - for some reason, I am always reminded of driving around in a red, soft-top BMW...
Filtered in among all these are the show tunes, Bernstein's America and the triumphalism of Edward Elgar. There is one song from the stage production of Bombay Dreams - I think of my sons - 'The Journey Home Is Never Too Long'...