Stumble it!
Shortly before one of my favorite bands, Radiohead, released one of my favorite albums, KID A, I remember reading an interview with their lead singer, Thom Yorke in Rolling Stone. He previewed the albums stark contrast with their previous work. As the interview progressed it became apparent that many of the signature Radiohead sounds would be missing on this album. Chiefly, Yorke pointed out, gone were the guitars–or at least guitars that sounded like guitars. The interviewer pushed to know why the band felt the need to make such a drastic departure. Why ditch the guitars he asked. The Radiohead frontman made a comment I’ve never really been able to forget the gist of: ”I guess all of us just hit this point where we’ve become embarrassed that we play them. We need other sounds. Sounds that we’re not embarrassed of. I mean, everybody can play the guitar.”
What struck me at the time is that the boys of Radiohead weren’t just any old guitar players. They were innovative, deeply creative, and technically brilliant. If anyone had a right to KEEP playing guitar, it was them. But somehow the baggage of those shitty bands around them, the Radiohead wanna-be’s, the knock-off’s, the un-artful imitations made them hit the wall. Not only that, but also they felt they had taken guitar playing as far as they could while still being inspired. It was time to set aside the thing that had defined them and they had also, in part, helped define.
The album that came out of that, KID A, was incredible, and it was, as the interview had promised, devoid of anything that sounded like a guitar. They managed to reinvent themselves and did so beautifully.
Last year, and several albums later, they came out with the latest and greatest–an incredible work called “In Rainbows.” Interestingly, the guitars were back. It wasn’t exactly the original “Brit-pop” sound they had help pioneer. But there were actual hooks and recognizable riffs. Fans were happy, and so was the band. Stepping away from the thing that they simultaneously loved and were embarrassed by, gave them license some time later to return and fall in love again.
Sometimes the sounds that we are familiar with–that we have given ourselves to completely–lose their luster. Either we find ourselves no longer inspired by them or others have polluted the well we’ve drank from. It seems, somehow, cheapened. And we are embarrassed of those sounds. We need to put them down for a time and simply hear or play with other melodies, other symphonic expressions. But all in order to fall in love again…
And I wonder if this is happening…somehow, somewhere in me…is this the process I’m in? Am I learning new languages so to embrace my mother-tongue more fully later on? There are clearly no guarantees, I’m sure of that. But perhaps…I suppose time will tell. Until then, I’m not so concerned with the sound making instrument–simply that I make sound at all…I hope that the music is still great.
Filed under: inward journey | Tagged: britpop, Christianity, doubt, electronica, faith, faith tradition, in rainbows, kid a, losing my religion, mother-tongue, music, ok computer, postmodern, radiohead, song, spirituality
I can relate to this on many levels brother.
I had been thinking about this for a bit–and then talking to a good friend yesterday I sort of articulated it in correlation with Christianity…it made so much sense as a working metaphor for where I am, perhaps where many of us are. Thanks for commenting Mak! When do I get to meet y’all here in P-town? I was telling someone recently that I feel as if this is becoming a little Refugee camp for dissapointed dreamers who want to learn to dream again….
We really want to move there – we just need jobs. In the meantime, we’re hoping to visit soon – maybe August if we can get the $$ together.
I think you and my husband would get along swimmingly – and it doesn’t hurt that I dig you too
I agree Brittian, I think so many are in this place…my problem is that I’m not really sure what to do about it.
I don’t know what others might do–but I’m hoping to just keep making music…(both metaphorically and literally). My search for meaning, for a more whole vision of myself and the world around me continues–the instruments change but the song stays the same.
I think part of the process we underwent in DC is actually sort of a snap shot into what a long term re-invisioning of meaning might look like. Wide eyed…opti-mystic, agnostically hopeful, and listening–to the city and travelers around me. Recently a group of us have begun to read through “A Theory of Everything” by Wilber, it’s really refreshing. Also going through Friedman’s “A Failure of Nerve” which is helping me to remember that solutions are not the quick fixes I look for so often, but rather long term internal shifts. Reading these types of things, and with others undergoing similar processes has been incredibly helpful. I might add a dose of normality is, I imagine, helpful as well. Birthday parties, wine tastings, BBQ’s, impromptu concerts, meals–all of which lack an game–there’s no point…no trying to get to the next thing…just learning how to be with people again, how to be with myself again….learning how to play music that inspires myself once more…
Anyhow…August then!! Sweet.
I love Kid A…
I remember buying Kid-A and being so disappointed:) Sorry, Brittian, but that album has to be one of my least favorites. I will say that I found a few songs that I really liked. Call me traditional, but I’d have to stick with The Bends. I haven’t heard In Rainbows yet but I have heard great things about it, so I’ll have to check that one out.
That’s ok Spencer–KID A may not be for everyone. It’s not like it has to be a universal experience….
I suspect that many will feel the same about the “music” that comes from the spiritual place I’m describing as well…
…you’re right. It’s not like it has to be a universal experience.
The place you describe in your post seems like a wonderful place to be. It’s as if you are able to open up your senses to new and exciting experiences that validate the “other” parts of life that might have otherwise been ignored and unresolved. I love being able to leave my “center,” or “mother-tongue,” and spend some time absorbing different realities and then incorporate them back into who and what I am. I think in these points of our lives we experience true identity.
I absolutely see this as a metaphor for some of my own spiritual processing. I look forward to “falling in love again.”
I wonder if sometimes we do this socially, too–sometimes trying to cling to relationships that are past the point of inspiration. Sometimes that’s good, if it means keeping a commitment, but sometimes it seems like it can be damaging to a future, better place for all involved.