Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Susan's Music Talk: How Thinking Affects Heart Rates
So check out this article I came across today. It says that:
Okay, sure. Pounding drums and throbbing bass and screaming guitars require thicker skin. I can see that.
But John Denver?
Ever seen me twitch when that man's music comes on? No offense; a lot of it is good stuff. But... I'm a metal head for a reason, folks. It speaks to me. Hell, it soothes me.
(remind me to tell you about the time I was pregnant with #1 and went to the OB right after listening to Ride the Lightning and my heart rate was so LOW, the Tour Manager asked how I was managing to be upright. "I'm mellow," I told him. And I was.)
Okay, so fine. Whatever. Heavy metal = bad.
Read on, grasshopper:
Now wait a minute. Wait one cotton-picking minute here.
Notice how we're not talking about genre anymore, but about what the listener finds enjoyable?
Think we have a scientist who's making the assumption that no one likes heavy metal, and that everyone on the planet finds metal "anxious" (whatever the hell that means)? Think we have some BIAS going on, boys and girls?
Think.
Don't let the headline pull you in. Read the details.
Think.
(I saw this study posted here, at BraveWords.com. They quote the source as this place, although I think there ought to be somewhere else... like where the study was originally published.)
Listening to stressful or disturbing music can be bad for the heart, according to a new study.
An American investigation found that genres like heavy metal narrowed arteries and made people more anxious, where as “joyful” music improved blood flow.
John Denver-style country music was found to be the most uplifting.
Okay, sure. Pounding drums and throbbing bass and screaming guitars require thicker skin. I can see that.
But John Denver?
Ever seen me twitch when that man's music comes on? No offense; a lot of it is good stuff. But... I'm a metal head for a reason, folks. It speaks to me. Hell, it soothes me.
(remind me to tell you about the time I was pregnant with #1 and went to the OB right after listening to Ride the Lightning and my heart rate was so LOW, the Tour Manager asked how I was managing to be upright. "I'm mellow," I told him. And I was.)
Okay, so fine. Whatever. Heavy metal = bad.
Read on, grasshopper:
The study asked the 10 healthy, non-smoking volunteers to avoid listening to their favourite music to minimise "emotional desensitisation”.
Then, after two weeks, when they listened to music they liked “they would get an extra boost of whatever emotion was being generated," Dr Miller said.
The results found that volunteers' arteries opened 26% wider on average during music they liked but narrowed by 6% when “anxious” music was played.
Now wait a minute. Wait one cotton-picking minute here.
Notice how we're not talking about genre anymore, but about what the listener finds enjoyable?
Think we have a scientist who's making the assumption that no one likes heavy metal, and that everyone on the planet finds metal "anxious" (whatever the hell that means)? Think we have some BIAS going on, boys and girls?
Think.
Don't let the headline pull you in. Read the details.
Think.
(I saw this study posted here, at BraveWords.com. They quote the source as this place, although I think there ought to be somewhere else... like where the study was originally published.)
Labels: Susan's Music Talk
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Susan's Music Talk and Cool Shit
Now, it stands to reason that anyone who grew up the way I did loves great music. That I love to throb with music. (Oh, shut up, you gutter brains!)
When I was little, my sister played the flute and piccolo. She'd practice for hours. Thus, music is something that's always been a part of me, something I miss when it's not around and like many musicians, something I hear in the oddest of places.
Too bad I can't play it worth a damn.
So of course I fell in love with the absolute brilliance that is Apocalyptica. A four-man cello band from Finland who got their start playing Metallica??
Man, that start was only the tip of the iceberg for those boys. I can not, listen to the song Burn from their newest album without humming and thrumming along. Sheer brilliance. Sometimes, depending on where I am and how sunk into listening I am, it brings tears to my eyes. (That link'll take you to a live version)
That's why, when #1 brought home a note from the school orchestra teacher inviting the kids to a free concert by cello rock group CelloFourte, I figured they'd have to call the cops to get me out of that auditorium. Live music? Good live music? I am so there.
Turns out it wasn't an issue. Heck, with that large number of kids from third grade on up, the powers that be at the school were probably quite glad to see us parents sprinkled in among the students.
CelloFourte only played for an hour, which was about right for those of us with younger kids. #1 sat a row in front of me with three of his friends, transfixed. Me, I fought the urge to go stand up somewhere. It's been way too long since I've seen live music and the sound of those cellos... oh, man. Soulful. Different from Apocalyptica, and different is good. These three men and one woman can certainly put their own stamp on the cello rock genre.
Afterward, #1 and his friend wanted copies of the newest CelloFourte CD. And this is when the Pittsburgh connection kicked in.
Turns out that the very coolly named Tate (uhh, he'd be the cello player in the band) works for a friend of mine. And when he's not doing that, he's playing with a band you might have heard of... Skillet.
My jaw dropped. Skillet? The same Skillet I hear (not often enough) on Squizz? The same Skillet who does the amazingly moving The Last Night?
Tate, dude, we gotta be friends. My living room makes a great practice space, ya know...
When I was little, my sister played the flute and piccolo. She'd practice for hours. Thus, music is something that's always been a part of me, something I miss when it's not around and like many musicians, something I hear in the oddest of places.
Too bad I can't play it worth a damn.
So of course I fell in love with the absolute brilliance that is Apocalyptica. A four-man cello band from Finland who got their start playing Metallica??
Man, that start was only the tip of the iceberg for those boys. I can not, listen to the song Burn from their newest album without humming and thrumming along. Sheer brilliance. Sometimes, depending on where I am and how sunk into listening I am, it brings tears to my eyes. (That link'll take you to a live version)
That's why, when #1 brought home a note from the school orchestra teacher inviting the kids to a free concert by cello rock group CelloFourte, I figured they'd have to call the cops to get me out of that auditorium. Live music? Good live music? I am so there.
Turns out it wasn't an issue. Heck, with that large number of kids from third grade on up, the powers that be at the school were probably quite glad to see us parents sprinkled in among the students.
CelloFourte only played for an hour, which was about right for those of us with younger kids. #1 sat a row in front of me with three of his friends, transfixed. Me, I fought the urge to go stand up somewhere. It's been way too long since I've seen live music and the sound of those cellos... oh, man. Soulful. Different from Apocalyptica, and different is good. These three men and one woman can certainly put their own stamp on the cello rock genre.
Afterward, #1 and his friend wanted copies of the newest CelloFourte CD. And this is when the Pittsburgh connection kicked in.
Turns out that the very coolly named Tate (uhh, he'd be the cello player in the band) works for a friend of mine. And when he's not doing that, he's playing with a band you might have heard of... Skillet.
My jaw dropped. Skillet? The same Skillet I hear (not often enough) on Squizz? The same Skillet who does the amazingly moving The Last Night?
Tate, dude, we gotta be friends. My living room makes a great practice space, ya know...
Labels: Apocalyptica, CelloFourte, cool stuff, Skillet, Susan's Music Talk
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Susan's Music Talk: Mandatorily Here
I won't bore you with the chain of events, but suffice it to say I'm taking an antibiotic that's just making me want to make like Mitchell, in this outtake. (He's so much fun to pick on!)
So I spent yesterday on the couch with the Olympics on and the laptop sucking me in. That means that today's the first day I've been able to fire up my XM Online and listen to the temporary Metallica channel.
I was right when I said sitting here would be easy and getting up to go to the bathroom would be hard. I'm also a bit concerned that there's soon going to be food caked everywhere on my desk and carpet... you get the idea.
If you're not as addicted as I am, you might want to check this out. I got an e-mail from Sneak Attack Media, telling me about this cool indie flick they're showing online. It's called Dig! and I can hardly wait to sit and watch it, myself.
Once October comes, and my all-Metallica XM channel is no more.
Of course.
So I spent yesterday on the couch with the Olympics on and the laptop sucking me in. That means that today's the first day I've been able to fire up my XM Online and listen to the temporary Metallica channel.
I was right when I said sitting here would be easy and getting up to go to the bathroom would be hard. I'm also a bit concerned that there's soon going to be food caked everywhere on my desk and carpet... you get the idea.
If you're not as addicted as I am, you might want to check this out. I got an e-mail from Sneak Attack Media, telling me about this cool indie flick they're showing online. It's called Dig! and I can hardly wait to sit and watch it, myself.
Once October comes, and my all-Metallica XM channel is no more.
Of course.
Labels: Dig the movie, Susan's Music Talk
Monday, August 11, 2008
Susan's Music Talk: Chair Magnetic
I should have put the pieces together when my XM Radio was flooded with Metallica as we drove from here to points around Virginia, and back home again. I mean, I know how the Big Publicity Machine cranks up right before a band has a new CD to release. It's fun to watch, particularly if you like the band.
And you guys know I like my Metallica. Okay, the last album, St. Anger. Let's talk about that in one sentence: DOESN'T LIVE UP TO POTENTIAL. (sheesh, do I have report cards from when I was a kid that says the same thing. Am I in good company, or what?)
I'm hopeful that the new album won't have this problem. I'd have to threaten to get on the case of the guy who I often think of as the inspiration for Roadie Poet, but he has nothing to do with the music Metallica makes. That would be a waste of my time. Not to mention his; I like him too much to do that to him.
Besides, I'm going to be rather busy come this Saturday, 16 August. I got word today that XM Radio is launching a Mandatory Metallica channel (51 for those of you whose eyes just lit up like mine did). It'll run the whole way until 30 September, by which point I expect I might be all Metallica-ed out. Maybe. I mean, heck, why not? It's not like they're coming to my (lame) city before the end of January.
Writers often talk about "bum glue" (which is a phrase I hate because I hate the word bum when we're talking about the good old tuchas. I mean, really. Why use bum when there's this great Yiddish word to use instead??). Tuchas glue... that's what we often need to make ourselves sit down and write.
Anyone want to place bets on how much I'll get done with 45 days of Metallica, a definite stimulant to my muse, blaring away in here?
Scary thought, I know. Especially because the real question is how many bathroom breaks I'll deny myself 'cause I just can't tear myself away from the one millionth listening of Master of Puppets...
And you guys know I like my Metallica. Okay, the last album, St. Anger. Let's talk about that in one sentence: DOESN'T LIVE UP TO POTENTIAL. (sheesh, do I have report cards from when I was a kid that says the same thing. Am I in good company, or what?)
I'm hopeful that the new album won't have this problem. I'd have to threaten to get on the case of the guy who I often think of as the inspiration for Roadie Poet, but he has nothing to do with the music Metallica makes. That would be a waste of my time. Not to mention his; I like him too much to do that to him.
Besides, I'm going to be rather busy come this Saturday, 16 August. I got word today that XM Radio is launching a Mandatory Metallica channel (51 for those of you whose eyes just lit up like mine did). It'll run the whole way until 30 September, by which point I expect I might be all Metallica-ed out. Maybe. I mean, heck, why not? It's not like they're coming to my (lame) city before the end of January.
Writers often talk about "bum glue" (which is a phrase I hate because I hate the word bum when we're talking about the good old tuchas. I mean, really. Why use bum when there's this great Yiddish word to use instead??). Tuchas glue... that's what we often need to make ourselves sit down and write.
Anyone want to place bets on how much I'll get done with 45 days of Metallica, a definite stimulant to my muse, blaring away in here?
Scary thought, I know. Especially because the real question is how many bathroom breaks I'll deny myself 'cause I just can't tear myself away from the one millionth listening of Master of Puppets...
Labels: Metallica, Susan's Music Talk
