“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” ― Albert Einstein
All my life I have lived and loved music. I believe it has been the most powerful motivational force in my life.
As a child, I cycled through instruments. Starting with piano, because we had one in the house. Then flute, because my sister played in band. I begged my parents to switch and started playing saxophone. Then I tried guitar... ...and failed. And singing... ...and gave up. I had this belief that if none of these instruments came to me easily, I just wasn't talented enough to play. I thought, everyone I hear on the radio must be just gifted. I didn't understand all the hard work, dedication and love that went into it. I just knew that music touched me, and I worked my whole life to find a way to be close to music.
My musical tastes have always varied widely. In the right mood, I am just as happy listening to classical music as I am Korean pop, as down with country music as I am Japanese rock, and everything in between. I traveled first to Australia. Home of Silverchair. Arguably the first band I really connected with. Australia was amazing, but it wasn't enough. I traveled to Japan, and I loved it. But something wasn't quite right. I loved the asian influence. I will forever be in love with Japanese rock, but... something was missing.
My first experience of Korean Indie came in the form of my ex-boyfriends best friend. He showed me a video of his band -- not well known, local only to Incheon. It was a video he made on his computer, after recording the band himself. While it was rough, and his vocals were certainly distinctive, the song, music and band had an innate charm that holds me to this day. I had spent several months in relative seclusion in an upscale area of Incheon, and seeing this side of Korea... was like breaking through the waves after being underwater for 20 years. Finally what was in my head made sense -- that was why I was here in Korea. My love of what little I knew of Korean culture and history met my love of music and collided in a perfect mix of this one band that I just happened to meet, as if by accident.
Shortly after this meeting, I flew home to America, but I knew I had to come back as soon as possible. I arranged a teaching job and was back within 2 months.
So I do this because I have to. Because I have no choice. I am absolutely compelled to go out and experience everything I possibly can. But I also do this to bring to you, dear reader, what I can of this incredible scene. So that you too, may experience what I experience, even if it has to be from the safety and comfort of your own home.
...and every week, I travel to Hongdae for a guitar lesson. Because... I love music too much to ever really give it up.
“Without music, life would be a mistake.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, Or, How to Philosophize With the Hammer
No comments:
Post a Comment