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Definitely, maybe

Published/Last Modified on Saturday, Dec 13, 2008 - 02:31:51 am MST

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Maybe it was my mom singing and playing the piano. Maybe it was my dad playing the trombone or strumming the guitar. Maybe it was the long car rides from Arizona to Missouri with James Taylor, Marty Robbins, They Might Be Giants or The Gatlin Brothers playing from the cassette tape in the stereo. Or maybe it was any number of family members who have musical talents larger than mine.

Music has been a big part of my life. From the days where I sang in the church choir to my unsuccessful about five-year run at piano lessons to my teenage ambition to play the guitar so much that I taught myself on a small Harmony, music has been in my mind. It’s just there.

And today, I begin to share my love of music with you in this blog — my first ever blog. This isn’t about me being a professional music critic, and this isn’t about trying to post every day of the week. This is about me, the music fan, writing about my favorite music at a moment, or maybe a musical memory.

I’ll likely write about the bands/musicians I love: R.E.M., Wilco, The Verve, Bettie Serveert, Blur, Teenage Fanclub, Bjork, PJ Harvey, Sam Phillips or The Smiths (to name a few).

I’ll likely write about new bands/musicians I’ve discovered in my quest for great music, with recent finds being The Kooks, Blitzen Trapper or The Last Shadow Puppets. Or maybe it’ll be songs, such as “Navy Nurse” by The Fiery Furnaces.

Maybe I’ll go into some other genres that I love but know little about, such as jazz. Maybe I’ll give you hints at where to find great music online. Maybe I’ll ask you about what’s on your iPod or in your album or CD collection (OK, I just did, so you can do that today — write below and tell me and the rest of the world 10 songs, bands or musicians that you love).

Or maybe I’ll get sidetracked and write about the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals or the Liverpool Football Club’s struggle to win the English Premier League (I love those things, too).

Whatever the topic, this is The Grindstone, the tale of a wandering, hard-working soul (to sort of steal a line from The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft) who has a thirst for music and the meaning it brings to life.

— Keith J. Allen, managing editor, Herald/Review.

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The Sis wrote on Dec 19, 2008 1:31 PM:

" If there was one top ten list that would just be a lesser copy of Keith Allen's it might be mine. I've spent the better part of my life stealing my brother's music so that my friends would think I was cool and on the cutting edge of the music scene. This is the place to find the the better recommendations, but that is my opinion...I encourage you to read on... "

the lizard wrote on Dec 16, 2008 11:38 PM:

" can i just stop and ask how great they might be giants are?
love that band. seen them in concert twice.
kudos to you, keith allen, for enjoying the fine lyrics of tmbg. "