On 8/7/22, DLT Shazam’d “Babooshka” by Kate Bush. “It’s amazing how every time I listen to these 80’s and 90’s hits stations, there’s ALWAYS a song that comes on that I’ve never heard before, such as this one……🤭”

That led to me sharing Shazams of “Hounds of Love” and “Running Up That Hill.”

Our brief text conversation also inspired me to contact Kevin Willis, since I knew he was a big Kate Bush fan, back in the day. In fact, I’m not sure I’d even heard of her before a conversation with Kevin, back when we collaborated, sometime in 2019.

(That conversation had centered around our musical influences, and we had many in common—including Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Art of Noise, and Thomas Dolby—but I was not so familiar with Kate Bush. How did she miss my radar, during the 80s?)

Ms. Bush will definitely be featured on the site. But I’m not yet sure whether it will be just on the Shazam of “Babooshka,” or a full article about her music/career in general. Probably the former, for now.

But I’m also really hyped to cover her collaboration(s) with Prince…and the songs that resulted. To me, that’s more interesting than “Babooshka.” But we will see. Maybe I’ll ask DLT which she would find more interesting…

On 8/8/22, DLT texted, “Is your blog a suitable spot to discuss our former/on-going topic of “favorite albums of all time?”🥴 Also, would “albums that made us” be a synonymous list to “favorite albums of all time?” 🤭🥴

My immediate answer: “Sure we can definitely discuss our favorite albums of all time on the blog! Putting a little twist on it might even give it more interest. Example: ‘POLL: Best R&B Albums of the 60’s…According to MediaJunkies.’ Or even something like, ‘Our Favorite R&B Singers/Albums/Songs/Music of the Last 20 Years.’ Or, ‘Hip Hop in the 2000s…Is Any of It Worth Mentioning?’”

My further answer: “‘Albums that made us’ would definitely be a more intentional list and intriguing list than simply ‘favorite albums’…because it would be shorter, and each album on the list would be more meaningful than just being a ‘favorite.’ Such a list would probably be 6-8 albums for me. Say the word, and it’s a blog piece!”

DLT: “THE WORD!!!”😆😉

So I guess we’re doing this…

On 8/13/22, I raised the question, “How does creativity correlate with physical movement/motion?” What brought about this question?

I think I may’ve originally heard it as a factoid on a YT video. Then later that day, I was listening to an audiobook on Prince, describing how he couldn’t be on tour longer than a few months without going through creative withdrawals. He was constantly in the studio, even between tour dates, in order to keep his creative sanity. The man was just that prolific and teeming with ideas. This was Prince’s version of “staying in motion” in order to stay creative.

As for myself, I know that standing (instead of sitting), having lots of table space on which I can “spread out”, etc. make me feel more alive and alert, creatively. Also, my best ideas usually come while “standing” in the shower—enjoying the water running over me—or going for a walk.

(Hmm…I wonder if it’s got anything to do with the “enjoyment factor.”)

When I began doing online research yesterday, I ran across this article/paper that basically verified this theory.

“Sound is different from sight, because when you see things, it feels like they’re out there. But when you HEAR them, it feels like they’re IN HERE!” [Pointing to head.] Wonderful quote from “The World in Six Songs” by Daniel Levitin.

I never thought of it that way, but I totally get it. Music always feels like it’s coming at you, possibly even threatening to consume you. It may have to do with the way we experience sound, which is largely involuntary. You don’t purposely point your ear toward a sound source, so you can hear it—the sound just comes and invades your space. Your body is simply wired/programmed/meant to hear whatever is within “earshot.”

Movies, shows, and videos are different. They live inside a box; and you have to first turn it on in order to access what that box has to display to onlookers such as yourself. That box typically sits 6-10 feet away, as you “monitor” it—staring at the damned thing for extended periods of time, while simultaneously listening to what it’s saying, as well.

In other words, watching TV/movies/videos is an active endeavor we must choose to embark on. It uses up time, energy, attention, and whatever brain cells we have left at the end of the day. Music can be just as complicated, but doesn’t have to—and typically isn’t.

Does this idea have legs, or an obvious direction? (Maybe a bigger question is: Who really cares?)