Most people know me as quiet, calm and reserved. So, when anyone finds out a little about my taste in music, they are often surprised or even shocked. I do know a bit about classical music and enjoy listening to it, but I really love very loud music too.
The one redeeming feature of the unhappy year I spent at boarding school when I was 16, in London and far away from my home in Malaysia, was that I was introduced to rock music. In 1978 you couldn’t go far without hearing Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd. I developed a real love for Queen but sadly never saw them live while Freddie was with us. These days I still listen to 70s music, including punk, but also enjoy Blur and Oasis, Radiohead, the Strokes, Stereophonics, Razorlight, Queens of the Stone Age, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and, most of all, Foo Fighters.
Foo Fighters are fronted by Dave Grohl, drummer from Nirvana, and like most of the music I enjoy have a big, deep guitar sound with loud drums. I am very excited to be going to see them at Wembley in June with my son, his girlfriend and best friend. We have standing tickets and will be queuing most of the day in an effort to get to the front.
How can I link this to stillness, silence and space? Well, yesterday I claimed on Facebook that I can relate almost anything to Mind Calm, and rock music, Foo Fighters specifically, is no exception. In my workshops at the Tree Room in Colchester, I play the album on which this song appears while I am waiting for people to arrive and at lunchtime. Have a listen. You will find it surprisingly gentle and lovely.
Just goes to show, loud rocker dudes with ripped jeans and long hair can actually create exquisite, complex music. I should know, I am mother to one just like that! Also, quiet meditation coaches can rock out to headbanging music from time to time.
Ok, so this post may have been a playful excuse for me to share a bit about my unexpected penchant for loud, energetic music, but it’s also intended to be thought provoking. What is there about you that people might find surprising? Something that, if people knew it, would let them know you better, spark their interest. Share it here or, better still, tell your friends and followers and wait to see what they say!
Please keep in touch. Sign up for my newsletter using the link below and I hope to see you at one of my Mind Calm events soon.
It’s always great to hear about unexpected things about one another – thank you for this blog – and I’ll expect you to be a raver the next time we meet! xx
I’ll try to live up to it Irene! x
Try Snuff by Slipknot, you’ll love it :-)
Just listened to it and I do! I have always said that Slipnot are ‘too shouty’ but this proves me wrong. Thank you! x