0

Tweet

What’s Inside the Music

I recently read a feature on the newly reunited Stone Temple Pilots, and there was one thing that lead singer Scott Weiland told Stephen Elliott of Spin Magazine that I found to be heartbreaking. It has stuck with me unsettlingly the last few weeks, and eventually pushed me to write this entry. As this is my last post for Off the Air, I wanted to leave you all with something to think about: the artists behind the music.

I’ve been lucky enough to have spent all of high school contributing to Youthink’s music section, and what a ride it has been. During that time, I’ve done a pile of interviews, spent hours pouring over transcripts, and stared at countless blank Word documents, trying to find the right words to write. I’ve always felt it to be a daunting task to tell the stories, convey the emotions, and illustrate the passions that an artist has shared with me. At the same time however, I find that it is extremely gratifying to get to know the artist who is behind the music. I’ve gained so much respect for so many artists because I can listen to their album or see their show, and know what it took for them to actually get there.

Back to STP. Most of you will have heard Between the Lines, the airwave-dominating single off of the band’s latest album. STP’s self-titled, self-produced effort, released on May 25th, is the band’s first album together in 10 years. During that decade, Weiland struggled with a drug addiction that ended up with him leaving STP as well as splitting up with his wife. In 2007, he lost his brother to cardiomyopathy, a serious disease of the heart muscle. He also had a successful but brief stint with Velvet Revolver until he parted ways with the band in 2008. Shortly thereafter, STP reunited to tour and then record this new album.

The music is great and the reviews are solid, but the band isn’t the same. Neither is Weiland. “I still try to put on the same kind of show as when we started and it’s hard,” he admits to Elliott. “After a show, I play Halo, watch a film or read from my Kindle...I call the kids and they cry and say, ‘When are you going to be home, Daddy?’ It’s a job. It’s not a party anymore.”

That quote was what did it for me. There doesn’t seem to be any reward, other than a monetary one, left in the music for Weiland. I saw the guys on their reunion tour in 2008; they played with an incredible amount of energy and put on a fantastic show. Although Weiland said that it was the chance to “make a million bucks” that drew him back to STP, when I look back now and try to imagine what it must have taken for Weiland to get up on stage night after night and perform this “job,” my respect for him grows so much. He has gone through hell but is still rocking out as hard as he can push himself to do.

I can’t listen to Between the Lines now without thinking of the fragility that is holding STP together, the turmoil that the band has endured and the struggles that Weiland has overcome.

I’ve found that it’s worth the time to learn a little bit about the artists who put everything they have into the music that you are listening to. At the end of the day, musicians are people, and people can be pretty interesting.

It’s not hard to get to know some things about your favourite band, or the artist you’ve never heard of who is coming to town. The immediacy of social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter allow artists and their fans to be closely connected. As well, at smaller shows, it is possible to talk to the bands after a set, as they may be hanging by their merch table or just taking a breather and having a drink. You might find out that the artist who you’ve recently fallen in love with is a complete jerk, and that could change your tune about the music. As I said, musicians are people, so why support someone who isn’t a good person? Or, you might find that the tattooed, bearded, intimidating guitar player could actually be a friend. I can guarantee you that your appreciation for the men or women on the stage will make your listening experience so much more gratifying.

So before I head off to the “real world” of university, I want to leave you with a couple of reminders...

• BUY YOUR MUSIC – I don’t care how you do it, but don’t freeload, please. Show some respect!
• Pick up a couple LP’s – Vinyl is divine. Trust me.
• Listen to a WHOLE album – You’ll find so many good songs that don’t see radio play
• Go to a music festival – If you don’t mind other people’s bodily fluids, you’ll love the atmosphere!
• And, if the last 800 words were too drawn-out for you to retain, get to know the artists behind the music!

If you want to follow me to Carleton University in the fall, stay tuned for my new Youthink blog, Campus Chronicles!

Also, if you aren’t tired of my musical musings, hit up This is a Fire Door, my music blog on tumblr. It’s nothing but an outlet for my thoughts on CDs, artists or anything else musical, and has a pitiful number of entries thus far, but you may find it mildly entertaining.

Keep on rocking! Off the Air is out.