The Music of Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has an interesting involvement with the music world. From playing with Flea in P to his memorable quotations from 'It Ain't Me Babe' and 'Pretty Boy Floyd' in the movie Blow. He played guitar on the Chocolat soundtrack a truly mesmerising soundtrack by Rachel Portman. His considerable musical talents are on show in Sweeney Todd also.

Perhaps the most interesting track with Depp involved I could find was his slide guitar playing on Oasis's Fade In/Out.

Check out the link beneath this for a small selection of songs vaguely related to Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp Playlist

Blah blah questions answered.

Air, behind Air, before Air.

Today's music relaxed yesterday.

This weeks playlist for your listening pleasure  (click open in new tab!)

Air, the French electronic duo, responsible for the 'best comedown music ever' or so we've all been told by some eager soul at some stage. The dreamy electro chill sound of Air is truly a treat for those who remain ignorant to their existence.

What lay before Air? I always wondered what had inspired Air as when I first heard them, they were a breath of fresh ........ I have since discovered a number of bands, who may or may not, definitely did or most certainly did not influence them depending on who is bending your ear.

The first band I researched along this line were Tangerine Dream. A bunch of starry eyed Krautrockers straight out of Germany incidentally enough. Their music was labelled 'New Age Music' to the chagrin of the band who disliked the term. They have released over a hundred studio albums. I wish you well in beginning your journey. The last year of their so called 'Virgin Years' saw the release of the album 'Hyperborea'. I have included the title track on this album for its sheer dreamy brilliance. The 8 minute journey is one best enjoyed alone. Tangerine Dream used play some of their indoor concerts in total darkness, the only lights in the arena being the flashing LEDs on the bands equipment.

Pictured above is Jean Michel Jarre. I included the picture as he just looks so cool. Jarre like the duo behind Air is French. He is recognised as a pioneer of synthpop and ambient new age. His music seems an adequate expression of what one might imagine what the halycon days of Paris in the seventies were like. I have included a live performance of 'Magnetic Fields Part 2' from the 'Magnetic Fields' album, released in '83 and reaching 6th in the UK charts. The contrast to Tangerine Dream is obvious, it is a little lighter and a little poppier.

Also included on the playlist are 2 tracks by Jean Jacques Perrey an early exponent of the key board predecessor of the synthesizer. Born in 1929 he released an album as recently as 2 years ago.

Air are a modern treasure a truly different and interesting band floating in a sea of JLS inspired mediocrity. I think it is interesting to see the vague similarities in the work of these artists who went before them. I hope you enjoy the playlist. If you have any questions etc

A Tentative Call For Sympathy

With a sad wanton lust to share my uninteresting thoughts on music with a vague unknown audience I am beginning 'to blog'. I feel like I am losing my virginity again, I am terrified and over excited.

My uninteresting thoughts on music generally comprise a collection of my musings on a song, I get a little over obsessed with songs, particularly the lyrics. If you are a little sad and obsessed (like me) with those little meanings and connections between lyrics and songs and life and artists please read on. Pressing the follow button would get me a little wet, but I'm not sure we are ready for that yet.

I will include a link to a playlist containing the songs for your listening pleasure with every post. I am going to start slow and just ramble on about one song today.

Nosferatu Man Playlist 1

Paul Brady - Crazy Dreams - Hard Station (1981)

Paul Brady is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter. I don't know much about the scope of his work, he played with 'Planxty' and 'The Johnstons'. If I am honest this is the only song of his I have ever listened to.

I came across the track when browsing through a friends music library that I had transferred to an external hard drive of mine. It was a case of love at first listen. Brady's voice falls over his melodic guitar playing like warm chocolate cascading down a chocolate fountain. It is a tender song detailing some of the conflicting feelings prevalent in what I presume may have been Brady's own love life.

The first verse has always struck me as very poignant and meaningful, he sings of it being ''10 below out on these city streets, Oh the feeling in your heart is even colder''. He has described the weather as being very harsh in the opening lines and the way he contrasts it to that cold feeling in your heart, that can be so much colder has always impressed me.

'You're tired of dreaming someone else's dreams, when they really don't include you any longer'. I guess this line is pretty self explanatory, it is a this point I always wonder who Brady is referring to. Is he singing to somebody in particular or is he using 'you' and 'you're' yo refer to his own feelings. Describing how he feels or felt at a certain time, is this song a declaration or a reflection?

'It's still 2 hours 'til this plane gets down, I can hardly bear to wait another minute, Your sweet lovin's all I need, And darling it's been building up inside of me'. This 'darling' would appear to be the lady he has directed the songs earlier lyrics at. The cold heart he refers to, could it be her heart? I find this a little challenging to believe as he now seems so very much in love with her. Maybe he was referring to his own heart and how he feels cold and empty when away touring maybe? Another part of my overworked brain reasons that he could again be his heart that is cold and the darling he flies to is simply any girl he meets. His heart is cold as he is living someone else's dreams and his only release is a tryst.

Thank you for reading, skimming, skipping straight to the bottom to leave a malicious comment, or whatever it is you are up to.

Feel free to leave any comments or questions, I will endeavour to respond to them all, that is to say if I am busy it may take a few days and if I am not busy I will probably respond in way too much depth and leave you feeling a little weirded out.