This young lady can sing directly to the heart and you can feel the angelic vibrations of her voice touch your very soul. I give you LeAnn Rimes.

Here is yet another amazing song from the beautiful LeAnn Rimes.

This next piece is truly inspirational and will lift you up. Let your spirit fly as you listen and sing along. I give you, “Don’t give Up”

This next song may move some to tears.

This song is very moving in many ways but I’ll let you the reader be the judge.

This song makes me long for my home far away and those I have left behind. I give you ladies and gentlemen… Beautiful Rita Springer and her song, “Worth It All.”

This is truly amazing and very moving.

This next and final song is one of my favorites and has really help me along the path I walk in this walk of life and it is my hope that it will move all that hear it as well. I give you Colors of the Wind.

Or what if she comes down the stairs in black boots, black pants and a black fishnet shirt covered by a black zip-up with chokers and wrist bands? Then maybe her iPod would be playing “The Ghost Of You” by My Chemical Romance.

Music has become so influential that listening to a certain genre can change and affect every aspect of your life, everything from what you wear to what you drink. It is not often that someone, especially a teenager, will transcend the border-line stereotypical influences because of the music they listen too. Personally, songs of sadness and life seem a better choice than songs of men and their ‘candy canes’ and ‘booty bumping’.

It can be scary when someone is seen wearing all darker colors, or crazy colors, in tight clothing with long or spiked hair and wrist bands with more belts than someone would take the time to count, but I would prefer that over what I see today: boys and girls of 12 and 13 walking through the mall in large groups all wearing tight pink shirts and low cut pants, or shirts displaying profane rude terms with pants hanging low enough to show seventy-five percent of their under garments. Of course, this stereotype does not only apply to people who listen to rap and hip hop; but also to people who even listen to opera will dress this way.

Yet I’m not being fair. The metal, punk, post-emo, alternative kids have their own cliquish look as well. ‘Emo’ kids are also expected to wear tight pants and shirts, with make up and their hair covering half their face or constantly in their eyes. They also seem to favor some sort of facial piercing and glasses. Bands of choice may fall along the lines of HelloGoodbye, Fall Out Boy, and Dashboard Confessionals. Dark colors is the pallet of choice, and, as their name sake (emo is used in place of the word ‘emotional’), they often care very much about small mundane things.

What else is amazing about these two different groups is the animosity they seem to hold for each other, whether it be an argument about what music they listen too or where they shop they seem to be polar opposites in every way. In reality, they are very much the same. Both groups conform to different looks and attitudes, but in the end they are all still young adults wanting to fit in with someone and something.

Hopefully someday our society will begin to shed the expectation that listening to a certain kind of music means you look a certain way; we are on the road there but the destination is still very far away.

For as long as humanity has existed, one aspect of life has stuck with us and never let go, then again we ourselves would not let it go because no one can seem to live without it. No, I'm not talking about everyones favorite neighborhood chemical Oxygen I'm speaking of Music. Humans just LOVE music, and for good reason.

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
-Berthold Auerbach

But what makes Music so amazing? Well there are short and long answers, but there is no correct answer Music is simply too vast, too unified but so vastly different, everyone has their opinions on Music and that's exactly what Music is, an opinion, in many forms. One musicians idea of what will entertain and excite is just as much an opinion as one musician who's idea of what will enlighten and entertain, and both are equally correct as they are wrong because there is always a balance of the two in forms of opinion, but one thing all musicians and listeners can agree upon is that music, it it's simplest form and no matter what his/her artists intention, evokes feeling and thought.

“You can never get silence anywhere nowadays, have you noticed? “
-Bryan Ferry

From the timeless and entrancing sounds of Classical Music from composers such as Beethoven and Mozart to the in your face powerful Barock and Roll (Ba”rock” and Roll in honor of Barack Obama) of Alice Cooper, Rolling Stones,Zeppelin and AC/DC. Music, from the above, clearly shows it has many forms to suit it's many followers which in essence is the entire world, and seeing as no human (besides Joe Six-pack and Joe The Plumber of course) is entirely the same it to must evolve with us. Because of the synergy between Music and Humans it is clear why Music has stayed with us and always will, it is a form of expression on the highest echelon and is endlessly capable of changing it's way of expression to suit our change (“Change” get it? Someone promised us that) and state of being. We want what we want, pure and simple, it's how we were engineered and it is how we operate, Music is no different we have engineered it and continue to pioneer it's new forms to grow just as we do and to take on meaning in life, just like we do.

“Music happens to be an art form that transcends language. “
Herbie Hancock

As Music is unending, and capable of changing to suit needs it can, has and will be used in numerous ways. One such example being the drums of war, using sound, music to invigorate and bolster the morale of soldiers who fight for their ideals and cherished people. Your body responds very strongly to what you hear, if you sit down in your room and pick out a song and sit on your bed the body will respond accordingly to what is being heard. For example, and I know this is basic knowledge but I'll try to sell it as something new I promise, sitting in a chair and listening to lets say ... Trivium – Anthem (We Are The Fire) your heart rate may increase, you may feel tingling, maybe even an urge to start moving there are a variety of things that might or might not occur but something usually does, this is one of the powers of Music, the power to effect your body in numerous ways, you might not even notice the changes you're so used to it by now.

Moving away from past points, what about the power to express thought and opinion? As said before, music is more then capable of doing such things. Just as the beat of the Music can make one dance, so can the lyrics make ones thoughts race, this ranges from simple ideals, to Religious ideals and of course to Politics it might even convey a simple message, or it might depict a tale or an experience Music has no limits, such limits are only perceived by the mind.

“Without music, life would be a mistake. “
Friedrich Nietzsche

Such forms of expression in music are not subject to limits, as said before, but particular genres convey these more so then others. Such examples would be certain forms of Rap, Punk (personally I dislike Punk) and Soul (ironically Soul could be depressing for your soul) but, as before every genre conveys and is capable of conveying a message. What that message might be however, is up to interpretation of both Artist and Listener. Below is Greydon Square.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. “
-Plato

Religion to is not without the power and perks of Music. Religions of all sorts have used Music to preach their ideals through the power that is Music, not limited to that of course it can be used for recruiting of followers, weather this is a good or bad thing is not a question to ask right now however. Music is not without it's criticisms however, as there is so much Music it is prone to repeating itself to a degree causing a repetitive dull cycle of somewhat rehashed songs. Earlier into the past even, while we are on the subject of Music and Religion, Christianity had it's criticisms with it their critique of course was that “Music was invented by the Devil” or “Music is influenced by the Devil!” putting a choke hold on Music in general for their time of rule. Of course if we touch up on this once more “The Devil” apparently decided to visit a great musician in his dream and influenced a song so beautiful it brought the man to tears when he had awoken, he desperately tried to recreate what he had heard that night but never fully recreated it, this song is known as The Devil's Trill.

“It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony. “
-Benjamin Britten

Back to the evolution of Music, starting from simple sounds and instruments to full blown symphonies and modern finely crafted instruments. A huge list of Sub-Genres exist to help label something that cannot be labeled, but it is in our nature however to do this. Metal, Speed Metal, Power Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country, Rap, Punk and the list goes on and on. When we are sad, so is the music as what is going on within us and around us effects the music we create greatly, look back into history and listen to a few songs when depression was strong, you should be able to note that the lyrics and sound relate to the sadness of the time.

“The advice I am giving always to all my students is above all to study the music profoundly... music is like the ocean, and the instruments are little or bigger islands, very beautiful for the flowers and trees.”
-Andres Segovia

And now we come to a close, a brief trip into the understanding of the all encompassing power that is Music I do hope you have enjoyed the read, or at the least the music. Music, is sound, sound travels with Vibration, Music is simply a string of Vibrations that evoke. The universe thrives on vibration and thus Music thrives on you, us and the Universe itself. Synergy in Music and Humans, Synergy in our ideals.

            For the past seven years, those tracks, and scores of other, have remained tucked away in the vaults and shrouded in mystery. In that time, one official live album has come out (From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah), but no new studio material has been released and nothing from the January Robert Lang session has surfaced publicly. Jimi Hendrix died at the same age as Kurt Cobain and with roughly the same size catalog; yet, in the seven years since Kurt’s death almost one dozen Hendrix repackagings, box sets or remastered albums have been released. The absence of a Nirvana box set, or even greatest-hits album, is an anomaly in an industry that thrives on reheated leftovers.

            Much of the problem is due to the fact that Kurt’s life –and the business of Nirvana- was a mess prior to his suicide. At the time of his death, no legal agreement existed that specified how Nirvana would be run as a business.. Furthermore, Cobain died without leaving a valid will, thereby giving control of 96 percent of Nirvana’s publishing to his widow, Courtney love. In 1997 Novoselic, Grohl and Love signed a partnership contract which requires that all three vote unanimously one decision such as the release of Nirvana songs. But Love recently filed a suit against Novoselic and Grohl to break up the partnership of Nirvana and gain control of the band’s business affairs. She argues that since the 1997 contract grants veto power to each of the three members parties, it has essentially "deadlocked…decision making". In court papers filed in Seattle in May, 2001, Love claims that Nirvana’s catalog has languished due to the dearth of new releases and that the band’s reputation has been damaged as a result. Her lawyers argue that since she owns most of the publishing rights (and thus wield ultimate veto power over any new release), decision making should be consolidated under her control.

Ironically, this is not a legal case about money, or so Love argues in the opening paragraph of her petition with the court. She doesn’t seek to change the percentages the various parties collect from Nirvana sales, and her attorneys have argued that once the case is settled, all sides will benefit financially from future Nirvana releases.

While the issue of who controls Nirvana is still being decided by a court, the parties are working on an out of court agreement that will see the release in the meantime of the often-talked about Nirvana box set. Universal has planned the set for the late fall, and most observers predict that it should still arrive by then. Among the tracks planned for the box set is "You know you’re right", one of the tracks Nirvana cut during the January 1994 session at Robert Lang Studios and the band last complete recording.

Aside from the songs recorded at the January 1994 session, fewer then a dozen Cobain tunes exist that have not been issued in any form, and only a handful of them are more than demos. Most likely a multi-CD box set would have to include some of the band’s many alternative takes and live oddities since there isn’t a wealth of unreleased studio material.

All of which makes "You Know You’re Right" that much enticing. Similar in structure to "Heart-Shaped Box", with quiet verses and a loud chorus, the song was performed only once in concert, in October 1993, and apparently forgotten until that January session. Adam Kasper, who produced the track, describes it as a "pretty cool tune", while Krist Novoselic goes so far as to call it a "great song". Even Dave Grohl, who rarely talks about Nirvana to the press, told the BBC it was a gem and should be on any new release.

On that matter, even Courtney Love is in agreement with Novoselic and Grohl. Her petition calls "You Know You’re Right" "an unpublished potential hit of extraordinary artistic and commercial value". The fact that the two sides agree upon anything is at least one small ray of hope in a seven years war.

Enjoy!

“The Scientist” by Coldplay

I first heard this song watching the movie “Wicker Park”. I don't know which I love more the movie or this song. But, coupled together, the combination makes for a perfect romantically, aching, timeless love story duo.

“Almost Lover” by A Fine Frenzy

I often play this song over and over when I'm thinking about potentially starting a relationship with someone. It helps remind me that you must always be careful and tread with an open, yet wise heart toward any potential new love situation. It reminds me how hard getting over someone can be with its passionate and beautiful lyrics and melody.

“Stolen” by Dashboard Confessional

Not only is Chris Carrabba absolutely gorgeous, his voice is filled with passionate, romantic beauty skillfully enabling him the ability to sweep lovers away in blissful visions of happily ever after.

“Falling Slowly”

This song is from the movie “Once” a love story that was quite unique in that most of the scenes consisted of songs, though, I do not think it was classified in the musical genre.

And last, but definitely not least, nor the end of my countless list of favorite songs:

“The Teardrop Explodes” by Solarcade

I thought I'd add this song in because I happen to be friends with the singer, Paul Van. I've known him for about 10 years. I actually knew Heath Cooley, who was the former drummer for the band and through Heath, I met Paul. Paul has sung with top performers like Depeche Mode before joining this band. And, about a year ago, Solarcade opened for the Killers. From the very moment I first heard this song, I was enamored by the group's incredible talent. I hope you enjoy it too!

For more inspirational musical reading:

• Changing the World
• Five Music Artists to Fall in Love With
• Colbie Caillat An Amazing Myspace Success Story
• Diamonds in the Rough Independent Artists

Our guide stood up, slipped over the side, and beckoned us over. We followed him, adjusting our goggles as we trod water, waiting. There was nothing visible from above, and we hoped that he had found the right place.

He gave us the thumbs up sign, and, following the instructions we had been given, we took as deep a breath as we could manage and followed him down into the cool water. And then we saw the cave entrance. About a metre and a half below the surface it yawned invitingly. The guide beckoned us on and through. Holding our breath we swam on into the cave, and felt his hand holding our head down so that we didn’t scrape it on the roof of the tunnel. Only a mercifully short two or three metres later he released the pressure, and we followed him upwards.

To break water and gasp for breath inside a cool, totally enclosed cavern, lit translucent blue from the light filtering through the tunnel. A magic, fairytale cavern hidden from the outside world. With a carpet of sea-water, through which we dogpaddled to reach a tiny sand beach and then a miniature rocky shore, all under that huge arched roof.

And then the cave breathed. One moment we were in crystal clear air seeing into the far corners of the cave, and the next we were surrounded by a light warm mist. And then it disappeared, and the cave was restored to us. The guide explained that the mist’s appearance and vanishing was caused by the swell of the ocean outside alternately compressing and releasing the pressure inside the cave. But the scientific explanation was too prosaic – for us, the cave actually breathed. It was a living, breathing entity with a life and soul of its own.

We followed him to the highest point of the little rocky shore, against the cave wall, and sat while he uncovered some cans of beer which he had obviously cached there beforehand. He explained how there was a very small opening high up in the roof, through which the air was continually kept fresh, and how a very small trickling spring of fresh water seeped through the rocks at the highest point.

“It was those gifts of the old gods which kept Hina alive while she was waiting” he added.

We waited. Obviously there was more to come. Waited while the cave breathed around us. When he was satisfied that he had us all on the very edge of expectancy, he smiled, and began: -

“In the long far-off days, before my grandfather’s grandfather’s time, even before the Christians came to the islands, in the days when the old gods danced on the sea, there lived a girl of wonderful beauty.

Her name was Hina and she was sixteen. She was the daughter of the great and powerful Tu’i Vava’u, chieftain of all the islands round about.

“Her brown eyes shone like cowrie shells, her breasts were as full and promising as melons, her laugh like the little ripples breaking on the sand, and her dark hair cascaded down her back like the breakers on the outer reef. She could dance to charm the tiny crabs out of their nests, to entice the birds from the trees, and to break the hearts of men who watched. 

“And Finau loved her to distraction. He was only the son of one of the minor chiefs, but Hina loved him in return. And many were the secret glances and whispered words which passed between them on every occasion which offered itself.

But the Tu’i Vava’u had promised her in marriage to ‘Ulukalala, one of his allies. ‘Ulukalala was a mighty chief, powerful in battle, but already fully fifty years old. And Hina wept when her father told her of her fate. She could not explain about Finau – the Tu’i Vava’u would have been too angry, but that night she managed to slip away to where Finau was waiting in the coconut grove, and told him.

“ ‘Never,’ he cried, ‘never shall ‘Ulukalala take my love! Come away with me!’ And together they crept down to the shore where Finau had his canoe, and paddled out on the moonlit sea. And the high gods saw them and took pity on them and on their love.

“They sent Tonu’uno the grouper fish to help Finau and Hina. The great fish swam alongside the canoe. ‘Follow me,’ he said, ‘I will take you to safety.’ And he guided them to the nearby island of Nu’apapa. ‘Here you will be safe’, said the fish. They left the canoe and dived down beside the cliff. Lo and behold, there was a tunnel into the island, and swimming through, they came up into a cave. This cave.

“Here they felt safe. And here Hina stayed for a long time. Every day Finau would dive through the tunnel back to his canoe, which had been guarded all night by Tonu’uno, and paddle back to Vava’u. There he worked his plantation, and gathered food which at evenings he would take back to Hina in the cave. And they made love, and she danced and played music for him on a clam shell which she had fashioned into a flute.

“But the Tu’i Vava’u was in a high temper because his daughter had run away. He called a meeting of all the chiefs and matapules of the island to seek where she could be.  ‘Ulukalala demanded to know what had happened to his bride-to-be. And then, alas, up spoke Peka the bat, sly, cringing Peka, who could never face anyone by broad daylight. ‘Oh mighty Tu’i,’ she said, ‘I cannot say where your daughter might be, but I do know that she has often been meeting in my coconut grove with Finau.’

“Then the Tu’i Vava’u was mightily angry. Brandishing his war-clubs, he sent for Finau. And the braves and warriors found Finau working in his plantation, and dragged him before the Tu’i Vava’u. And he confessed his love for the beautiful Hina, but he would not tell them where she was.

”So the Tu’i Vava’u took Finau and sat him, bound, in an old canoe filled with dried coconut fronds. He set them alight, and pushed the canoe off from the land into the ebbing tide. But Finau did not betray his love, even as the flames took him in agony, and the burning canoe sank beneath the westering sun.

“And the high gods saw all that had happened, and took pity on Hina. They sent Tonu’uno back into the cave to tell her of the fate of Finau. Hina wept as though her heart would break. ‘Do not send me back,’ she pleaded. ‘I would rather be with Finau than anywhere else on earth, in the sea, or in the sky.’ And her prayers were answered. Tonu’uno took her back into the waters, little Feke the octopus sat on her head so that she might not catch her hair against the roof of the tunnel, and as she came out into the open ocean, she turned into ‘Ika the fish, and swam away to join her Finau in the land beyond the westering sun.”

Britney Spears made a career off of flaunting her sexuality. For her, it is necessary to flaunt as much sex as possible. Therefore, for her lack of singing ability Britney needs to come up with explicit videos and raunchy songs to keep her bringing in the cash. After all, isn't that what many of her fans and non-fans look for? Sure, we have enjoyed Britney's inability to lip sync and dance at certain times so that we could make fun of her but after a while she managed to make us feel sorry for her. Now we want her to come back stronger than ever so we can see her back to her usual antics.

My prediction is that “Womanizer” will succeed on the charts. After the video aired it has managed to find its way up to the charts as high as the top 30. Her next cd may be a compilation of catchy tunes like the “Womanizer” or maybe it is thought provoking as we all tried to get into Britney's head and figure out what went wrong. Maybe “Womanizer” is about her ex-husband K Fed. Maybe it is something that went through her head one night. Who knows. What I do know is that she has come back to who she was before with this song and it is at best a catchy tune. You will find yourself singing along with it on the radio and chances are you will sound better.

Listen To Your Listener

   Think about your listener. What would your listener want to hear? Would they want to hear a stressed out, heartless song about pancakes? No, or maybe they would, who knows? Chances are they are going to want to hear you express yourself in an intimate way. Your particular individuality on the current landscape of personalities and lifestyles is exactly what they want out of your music. They want to incorporate it into their landscape of personalities and lifestyles. Bottom line, listen to your listener, but don't forget about yourself. There should be a balance.

Listen to Yourself

   What do you want to accomplish with your song? What picture do you want to paint with your lyrics, and melody? What kinds of setting or situation do you think your music will be most appropriate? Is your music party music? Is it calm music? These are all relevant questions when trying to understand what you yourself want out of your music. Personally, I would always want to portray my true self, and the heart and soul that can be tapped into when giving thanks, and meditating upon the original concept or story I am trying to tell. I think people are attracted to a song that has a good storyline, or a lesson to be learned. Identify with your everyday personality, and chances are you will be identifying with a lot of other people too. Just be yourself.

Keeping The Balance

   It's important to just not think, and to live in the moment. I shouldn't worry about keeping the balance too much because I know within my conscious mind, it's almost as if it's a muscle memory built into my minds eye. The new technology of consciousness as a collective memory will continue to elude the common musicians communication of intangible experience. So don't worry to much about keeping the balance. Just have fun, and be true to who you are deep down inside of your soul.

  So next time you're stressed out, and you're trying to get a song written. Go for a walk, do some breathing exercise, if you believe in God, say a prayer. Or better yet, turn it all around and use your bad experience to write a satisfying song to help you remember rainy days. Just remember...

"Clear your mind and something will come to it."

During my adolescent years, I was introduced to Glam Metal by my classmates. Arists like Bon Jovi, Guns n' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers and a lot more popular bands during that time. Back then i always question myself why these kids listen to these bands and try to play their music as if it was a need than doing it for rebellion, expression, or simply having fun. The approach was technical and mechanical as well. It made me question or think if this is rock, why the hell is it so dull? So with my musical driven passion, I tend to discover new things from older people that usually hangs around our village. That was the first time that I encountered and was introduced to the most dangerous band "Sex Pistols". During those times, we traded cassettes and thank god I had a disco non-stop of Sybil, original tape that the misfit liked, and asked me if i wanted to trade it over to a banned tape of Sex Pistols. Without hesitation I said yes and there it was. It all started from there. In the past, we did not have internet to search on these artist so we go out a lot and talk to people who have been to other countries like London and Germany. Our research was soo keen and it even lead me to ordering tapes from my parents who usually travelled a lot.

And then came the local scene. We had this store called Khumbela botique back in the 80's and it sells mostly bags and band shirts. My cousin and I went there with our grandpa and saw this tapes that's under the "Twisted Red Cross" label.  Knowing grandpas, they're pretty much not open to these kind of stuff but surprisingly when we asked him to purchase some, he did bought a quite handful for us. To be exact, we purchased 5 cassettes each and a shirt. Since then, it moulded my principles and attitude towards life. Punk taught me how to really be an individual. The genre's rawness just makes you feel saved from mediocrity of pop culture. Until now, I still use this as a tool of broadening my scope especially towards music. A lot of people don't know that "Punk" is the most widerange of music there is. Kinda like the abstract and impressionist artists. It makes you think and judge the book by its cover if you are not much of a thinker.