me-centric world view to turn music into something we take for granted, which is a shame. As I write this post, my son is peacefully sleeping, having been lulled to that state by Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' and the Proclaimers' 'Whole Wide World' (ironically, he awoke as I was typing that and not even Boney M's 'Rasputin', 
normally a juggernaut of conciouness-killing, could get him back down). I would really like him to end up as a 'musical kid', but I've read Maestro, so I'm not too fussed if it doesn't happen. So, what's the story with music today? It seems that the world (by which I mean American Chart music) has moved towards 'R & B' music, which frankly has little to do with the blues all to do with rhythm. OK, I admit it, I don't like the sound, I'm baised, but where is the meaning?
Music, to me, has always been a statement, a significant, formative part of identity. I listened to Billy Joel as a youth and learned how to be cynical. I listened to Queen and learned how to be a dreamer. I listen to the Barenaked Ladies and the Proclaimers now and learn how to laugh at the world. What am I learning from P.Diddy and Soulja Boy? How to flash my bling and my hos and record an album for 6 million dollars?Alright, I went overboard questioning what's happened to 'music today' - after all, music is as infinite in genre as literature or art and generalisations are the bane of us all, but I do have a real problem. I'm running out of music. I look at my shelf of CDs, my hard drive of MP3's and all I can think is 'Woohoohoo, it's all been done'. I keep going back to old favourites all the time where I'm sure that a few years ago, I was discovering new music whenever I logged onto Napster.
That said, the Wiggles are surprisingly cool... Thanks Avery! I'm sure that as my son grows up, we'll share musical tastes and make some discoveries together, but right now, I need a musical hit. I've lived my life to music, I can't bare to be without it (something that many other teachers seem to get confused about - peace and quiet scare me, I much prefer some noise if I need to work, or be in a classroom) and it feels like I'm running out. Suggestions?Oh, right, the reason you come here, the new addition...
Billy Joel, Muse of Music
So, William Joel Jr, promoted to divinity - why? As noted above, he sings with meaning and taught me about cynism, but there's more to it than that. Billy Joel is a songwriter in all senses of the word - he composes, he writes, he produces. A consummate performer, he charges outrageous prices for his concerts because, frankly, he's that damn good. And it's always worth paying for. So much stage presence, so many life-changing 
songs (including the ones you may not know, like The Entertainer or Angry Young Man, not just River of Dreams or Piano Man) in so many different styles (check out his classical album, Fantasies and Delusions if you don't believe me) - no musician in living memory has accomplished so much in my humble, Pantheon-defining opinion. I leave you with his words and the promise that till the day I stop blogging, I'll be an Angry Young Man.
songs (including the ones you may not know, like The Entertainer or Angry Young Man, not just River of Dreams or Piano Man) in so many different styles (check out his classical album, Fantasies and Delusions if you don't believe me) - no musician in living memory has accomplished so much in my humble, Pantheon-defining opinion. I leave you with his words and the promise that till the day I stop blogging, I'll be an Angry Young Man.There's a place in the world for the Angry Young Man
with his working-class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
and he's always at home with his back to the wall
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