The Mystery Dance: A trip through human emotions on the wings of power chords and self indulgent Moog solos

This is a blog of both epic, and useless proportions. Many of us, myself most definitely included, have what can only be described as a disheartening lack of musical ability, but I do not fret, for while I may be an embarrassingly bad singer, or player of songs, I listen to music like nobodies business. I can only assume anyone reading this feels the same way, or was just looking for a sweet Moog solo, or maybe was looking for an Elvis Costello tribute site (which it will only be once in a while) or feels they owe me something because I’d done them a favor at some point in the past, regardless, I’ll take readers where I can get them.

The hope is that people can relate, and agree with my take on the right music for the right mood. Or that they do not agree SO strongly they feel the need to hurl insults at me in big bold letters via the comments section. Fear not, I'm open to your ridicule. Hell, I'm willing to drive down the street blasting Sigue Sigue Sputnik there's few expletives I haven't had screamed at me from passing compacts.

If you're serious about getting the most out of this blog, it's about more than the words. Crank up the iTunes, or other computerized music player that's notably less bent on world domination and listen along with me, or listen to your own tunes, but listen to something. Wait, unless you are reading this at school, or a library, or perhaps while at work and are otherwise unable to rock your face off. I'm not looking to get anybody fired, or expelled, or worse, forcibly removed from a library... I'll tell you what, if you can't actually listen to music, at least hum quietly to yourself, or sing a song in your head. I suggest Nena's 99 Red Balloons. The German version of course, because nothing's cooler than listening to an 80's icon sprechen' the Deutch at a mad frantic pace and suddenly busting out a 'Captain Kirk' right in the middle of the verse. It's also good to know that Star Trek needs no passport.

I've been asking myself for the last few days, as I've been considering starting this endeavour, why oh why do I want to put so much time and effort into sharing my opinions on music? Honestly, I don't. I want to spend this much time and effort for YOU to share YOUR opinions on music. 95% of the music I listen to I inherited from my dad, my brother, my friends, former bosses, former loves, my lovely wife, anyone and everyone who I've come in contact with throughout my first 30 years on this planet. So little of what I listen to I came by 'honestly', and I feel no shame in this. Above all, the love of music transcends the minutiae of it's individual parts. It's not about a guitar riff, a certain lyric, or an unforgettable hook as much as it's about where you were when you first heard a song that you now love. What were you doing when you first found yourself singing along?

Oh, and there will be lists... By god almighty there will be lists... If there is one thing music geeks and bloggers by and large will ALWAYS agree on, it's that putting numbers next to things gives them meaning. In my opinion, sacred meaning. For example, here, now, in my first ever post, I feel it's appropriate to divulge my Top 5 all time artists/bands. As with any living thing, the list changes and adapts for different points in time. The top 4 however, have been the top 4 for over 10 years. #5's still got a bullet, because she only qualified for a top 5 spot a few years ago. See, to get into the top 5, you have to have put out a minimum of 100 separate songs. This does not count live albums, or greatest hit re-releases. It DOES count imported tracks, B-sides, or other 'underground' pieces. But 100 is the number, so no matter how much I enjoy them, The Police for example will never, EVER be a Top 5. If they WANTED to be a Top 5, they should have sucked it up and stayed together. Not that simply having 100 tracks will get you in the Top 5... The Rolling Stones could put out 2,000 more songs and would STILL never even crack the Top 10. It's not about quantity, and it's not about quality. It's about... well... quantality!

So here they is, in as-of-this-moment order:

1. The Beatles
2. Elvis Costello
3. U2
4. Genesis (Specifically the Peter Gabriel years)
5. Tori Amos

There's so much more to say. So many reasons these 5 artists have contributed so much to the soundtrack of my life, but that's what future blog posts are for. For now, I'll leave it here. Read, enjoy, discuss, and if you disagree, tell me about it. After all, I have another 120 gigs of hard drive to fill with MP3's!