Ask Derek: Music that Inspires Me
Whether it’s for rehearsal or for some quiet time, I like to listen to music that suits exactly what I’m doing and helps keep the creative juices flowing. Here’s what inspires me most…
What music inspires you? Share your top picks in the comments below.
Category
Hough n' Stuff
19 comments
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Oh man, I'm the opposite. I'm a total metalhead. Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Speedwolf; they all get me going. Metallica holds a special place in my heart, as the lead singer and I have shared similar problems in our lives. They're amazing live and they're so full of passion and energy. -
Mumford and sons (luv there song White Blank Page) Taylor Swift, Skrillex, One Direction, Bingo Players, Enrique Iglesias, Kris Allen, She and Him, Ballas Hough Band, and Jesse McCartney! -
... ahh, I always get that wrong, it's a "Boy with *A* Coin." I wonder what *the* coin I keep thinking about must be? -
One more link! :-) This "Boy with the Coin" Iron and Wine video is especially cool because of the dancers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHw7gdJ14uQ -
I should add though that most of the time, I listen to a lot of music by The Avett Brothers and similar artists. I loved their "I and Love and You" album. I also loved a lot of their live clips of some of their songs from the "The Carpenter" but I was disappointed when I heard them on the new album. On the album, it seemed like they lost a lot of their beautiful simplicity and soul when they coupled their voices with more noisy and flashy background instrumentals. Here's one of the clips I love:
http://www.npr.org/event/music/159510462/the-avett-brothers-hot-tea-and-honey
Iron and Wine's "The Boy with the Coin" is also great ... I think it brings out some sort of Spanish flamenco calling in me from my ancestors :-) Also their "House by the Sea" brings out that feeling in me too. Radical Face's "Ghost" album also has some songs with this kind of gripping intensity that really gets me.
Although ... I definitely have a pop CD in my car right now from like, ummm, junior high, I'm not going to lie :-) So I guess you could say I am also an eclectic mix of things. The fun dance beats and that deeper stuff. I could go on and on about this, like I'm sure you could, but anyway, maybe something I wrote in here will lead you to a song you love too. It's amazing how there is so much good music out there from so many different realms. Music ... it's like ... spiritual. It's so wonderful, how it speaks in this language that cuts right through, right in, opens us up, inspires our creativity, makes us dance, brings us fully to life! And brings us to a place where we can, Yes! Live with passion! -
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(When I tried to copy and paste those song links myself, my computer couldn't find one ... in case yours couldn't find them either, here are YouTube links to the songs too.)
For the the Yo-Yo Ma song, I prefer listening to it in the car with much better sound vs. YouTube video clip with Santa and reindeer, haha, but at least this is a way to share the whole song with you now! :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqhXc7bBzi8
Here is a clip of Yankee Bayonett by the Vitamin String Quartet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oiJ2gWwGAg -
I just added three great new stations on my Pandora, thank you! :-) It made me think of a few I have on my Pandora that you might like too. James Todd has this queit beauty, Vitamin String Quartet I like also, and for that epic, movie soundtrack of life feeling, I have Joshua Bell, whose done a lot of amazing scores. I copied links to two of my very favorite songs below, I especially love Yo-Yo Ma's "A Christmas Jig / Mouth of the Tobique Reel." It has this build up and pure joy that always makes me want to dance and be merry. Happy weekend your way!
http://www.last.fm/music/Yo-Yo+Ma;Natalie+MacMaster/_/A+Christmas+Jig+%2F+Mouth+of+the+Tobique+Reel?ac=yo+yo+ma+a+christmas+jig
http://www.last.fm/music/Vitamin+String+Quartet/_/Yankee+Bayonet+ (I+Will+Be+Home+Then)+(Originally+Performed+by+The+Decemberists)?ac=yankee+bayonet -
What inspires me?
Disco gets my feet movin' to the grovin' every time! No matter what mood I am in... Disco brings me to my feet and I well..... try to dance ...if you can call what I can do dancing.. LOL -
What inspires me?...Kim Churchill's music. Amazing talent lyrics and music. Young in age...old in soul! Check it out Derek.
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I love all kinds of music! Country music is my first love, but I like the oldies, like Rod Stewart, Whitney,
Soundtracks to different movies, pop music, etc. Depends on my mood, but all kinds of music! Can't wait to see what you dance to for your country music dance next Monday. Am sure I will love it. -
My taste in music could probably be summed up in the entire Footloose soundtrack. When I'm in need of some quiet time/sad I'll play a bit of oldies like Carpenters, the Eagles, Westlife; any sort of slow music, like "Almost Paradise" from the Footloose OST, or even country. I absolutely adore Rascal Flatts! Either that or I'll opt for saxophone music like those by Kenny G. I simply love the sound of the sax. Gives me a sense of peace and calm. When I feel restless the music beat goes up a notch, usually I'll play stuff like "Footloose". Then there's a whole playlist of Ballas Hough Band and Enrique Iglesias songs (the upbeat ones especially), which I bop around to while waiting for the train and on the ride home. And finally when I feel like putting a fist through the wall I'll shut myself somewhere and put "Never" on full volume while leaping around Kevin Bacon style (though I'm most certainly not as sleek as him!). -
I love classical music, jazz, and show-tunes. When I'm active, I like music that moves. When I'm just relaxing or reading, I like quiet music like classical guitar, harp, or piano music. But when I'm writing, it needs to be quiet because music distracts me, makes me want to dance, reminds me of figure skating programs I've created and I lose my concentration. -
Yeah! Imagine Dragons is great I'm so eclectic in music taste to I tough I was the only one I just don't have a favorite specific band or artist my playlist is basically any song that speaks to me or that makes me what to dance to it or that I really like I am currently into this song Titanium by David Guetta & Sia but I fell in love with it cuz I heard it on piano by Christina Grimmie right there when she played it on your show -
Good stuff Derek! You have great taste in music. I just recently discover Imagine Dragons too, they rock! If you haven't heard of Other Lives or Animal Kingdom you should give them a listen! THEY ARE AMAZEBALLS! <3 -
I just discovered The xx on Spotify. They are kinda chill indie, nice to listen to while I am at work. I also like Mumford and Sons and other folksy (is that a word?) sounding alternative. My younger brother turned me on to jazz when he started playing bass in his high school orchestra. -
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I tend to sing in the car, loudly, with the windows down. I'm not the best singer--sorry Asheville ! But it is fun. -
It depends on my mood & what I am doing, if I am doing housework, I like very soft background music, if I am getting ready to go out, I love dance music but you introduce me to a song, that I love to play if I am just relaxing ONLY A MAN by Jonny Lang.
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