Is it just me, or is this music thing completely absurd?
Right? I mean, it's pretty funny when you think about it. When you deconstruct what we're doing with music, with rock and roll, just letting it all hang out. Because we're pretty bottled up as a people, emotionally speaking. Personally, I'm from the Midwest, which has quite the reputation for repression.
But we gotta let it out. So we go and write all these feelings. But wait, don't stop there: write your feelings to a melody! Sing them! Into a microphone so it's REALLY LOUD! Record them for posterity so people can listen to your feelings over and over again!
BUT NO, DON'T STOP THERE!! Go out and perform it live as well! A lot! Over and over again!! Hang out with your friends, take a shot, snicker about this or that goof with the scarf, then get up on that stage and just express, man!
You know how when you're watching a musical, and a character transitions into song and – depending on your level of disbelief – it can seem pretty fucking weird? Well, don't I basically do that? Sure, there's a “stage”, the evening is set up for a performance, but look at me, I'm just five feet away from you chirping all these melodic feelings at you! I'M LIVING IN A FUCKING MUSICAL.
But hey, it's not so bad, I happen to love musicals. And really, wouldn't we be expressing all of life's reflections in some other way if it weren't for rock and roll? Sure we would, it was called poetry and that shit gets REAL weird, and quick. Sure, like a musical, it can seem pretty doofy when we deconstruct what we're doing at any given rock show, but imagine it WITHOUT the melody… now we're at a poetry slam.
So, for as odd as it seems that we're running around singing our thoughts and ideas at each other, the music is actually the veil to separate us from having to relay these feelings and REALLY MEAN them. The music is the stage that keeps us separated in the moment, thank God. It's a performance, it's set to rhythm, it's very oddness sets it on a different plane, aiding in that separation we need.
I guess what I'm saying is I'm so glad I live in a musical. If you happen to come out and see me at a show, please disregard what I've said here; we will continue to pretend that what we are doing is very, very normal.
Tim Kasher's Adult Film is out Tuesday October 8 on Saddle Creek.
