There’s no denying I’m a huge fan of Mad Max: Fury Road. The film is easily one of the best action movies I’ve seen since the original Matrix. Despite some amazing visuals and great action, what really stood out for me in Fury Road was the music. As I mentioned in my write-up about the movie, music plays a huge role in the film by setting the tone and adding texture to the scenes. It’s also literally part of the tale (you’ll have to see the movie to understand what I’m talking about).
In Fury Road, the purpose of the score is to add depth to the scenes and complement the story. To me though, every song out there does just that. I’m not just talking about song-tracks for films, though. I’m talking about music in general. Every song tells a tale. Aside from conveying whatever message the author/singer/songwriter is trying to share, the purpose of music is to evoke some singular thought or emotion. The beauty of it, however, is that like any form of art, what a song actually means to you, and the feelings it brings, is completely unique to the individual.
I remember going to a small concert a friend was in a few years back. His band were a bunch of local guys, friends who had known each other for years. And they kicked ass. Their music was a crazy blend of blue-grass and 70s funk. Weird, I know… but somehow, it worked. Aside from being just plain good, the best part about watching these guys play was the fact that they were having fun. It was evident from the look on their faces to the way they played. It wasn’t about the money, it wasn’t about the audience, it was about the music and having a good time.
I remember feeling their enthusiasm in the room, like it was this real, palpable thing. You could almost reach out and touch it. I also remember coming to this strange, but quite obvious epiphany – these guys were creating something from nothing. And it was just amazing.
When you think about it like that, it’s really staggering each time you hear any song. Even if you hate a song, you’ve got to give the artist(s) props. These people are pulling something from the ether of their minds and crafting it into a work of art. In a lot of ways, it’s no different than what a carpenter or painter does. Only the song that comes to fruition isn’t a physical, tangible thing. Despite it’s lack of corporeal form, that doesn’t make music any less powerful or potent. In a lot of ways, music is the closest thing this world has to magic. It’s absolutely wonderful.
As I’m sure many of you can attest, I can think of specific songs, or hear them on the radio, and they transport me to another time and place in my life. I remember having a mix tape of the Offspring’s debut album, Smash. It was the first piece of music I ever owned. And something in their songs of youthful rebellion and angst spoke to my pre-teen self. I remember the guitars, the drums, and Dexter Holland’s voice – how it all came together in this beautiful cacophony of emotions that ran the gamut from insecurity to love to rage. Something in those songs spoke to me. And it was beautiful. To this day, I can hear any one of the tracks from that album and I remember what I felt or though at different times of my life.
Sometimes I laugh as I recall a specific thought or feeling my younger self had. Time is a funny thing, as mentally you feel like the person you were, at say, eighteen or twenty. But the world has taught you things along the way – It’s wizened you, hardened you. Sometimes, music reminds me of the person I was, the things I went through, and what’s made me the man I am today.
More so than pictures or even the simple act of putting pen to paper, music allows you to take a snapshot in time.
I can’t think of anything more potent or powerful.
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