"Do you believe in rock and roll? Can music save your mortal soul?" - American Pie
I am one of those people who's mortal soul was saved by music.
My teenage years back then in the late 90's were filled with bands with real talents.
I, myself had my own band back then. And like everyone else, we were full of hopes and so promising, and that is to say, my rebel years were saved by music.
When I was in highschool, we learn the cords of a song by hearing it right and playing it on our guitar. So we strive to fast forward and rewind those cassette tapes to repeat those lines we cannot get right off bat.
Back then, internet was something we don't really need because we can get by the whole day just strumming the guitar, talk about Dawson's Creek, write new songs when alone at home, and play as a band or like a band after school or during the weekends. Those were what we call now, the days.
My rebel days were tamed and I believe I made it on the right track because of music.
Rock songs had been my refuge and rock. Like a shadow that's keeping me company when I have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, as they say.
Fast forward 20 years later...
A lot of things happened.
I graduated in college, passed the national licensure exams and an overseas licensure exams as well, I am now a single mother of a very loving daughter, and I still write songs from time to time because one of the hardest thing to die here on earth is a dream waiting to be chased.
But truth is, songwriters, even though how good you are, even though you own the most beautiful lyrics and melody in the vast universe, still, big companies will still hook their arms on those big names (no need to mention their names) with so little talent and with songs as wasteful as trash itself with three phrases that continuously repeat to maximize a 4-minute song with a melody of a brass and a fork, I guess. What a waste!... In the name of music.
I sympathize with those artists who still believe in record sales, the vinyl kind and not the ones available in the internet streaming everywhere.
I do believe that the music business nowadays, is becoming a wasteland.
May this post be a wake up call to those who still believe that MUSIC CAN SAVE YOUR MORTAL SOUL.
