Music is a very individualized experience. We share it with others to evoke particular emotions in them because of how impactful it is on us. Depending on how you are feeling that day—or not—you play music. If you are anything like me, the lyrics and their meaning are your favorites. In reference to my most recent blog post about how I draw inspiration for my photography from both paintings and literature, I believe that because inspiration is not always linear, it is critical to follow your instincts. I wanted to put together a list of music that inspires creativity for me, not just in the lyrics but also the mood, the back story of how it came to be, and possibly the person behind creating it. Within this short list, I extract themes I find interesting and applicable to the approach I take to my photography. You can also find this list on my Spotify! You are welcome to add songs that inspire you as well since I made it a collaborative list.
First on the list is a four-part live concert by the well-known pianist, Keith Jarrett. While the concert itself was entirely improvised and unquestionably beautiful to listen to, I am also drawn to the concert's back story. Keith Jarrett was scheduled to perform at the Cologne Opera on January 25, 1975. It was planned by the concert promoter who was the youngest at only 17 years old. A baby grand piano set up backstage was mistaken for the specific piano Jarrett had asked for. There was no time to replace it because the issue was only discovered right before the concert. This piano had a lot of issues and was only meant for practicing. It required hours of tuning, the pedals didn’t work properly, etc. Just a few hours earlier, when he had arrived at the Opera house, he had been made aware of the error. He almost decided not to play, and the concert promoter had to persuade him. After some deliberation, he decided. When he took the stage, he improvised the whole concert. You can hear him experimenting with the piano to determine which notes worked and then basing his playing solely on how the piano sounded. Since the keys would frequently stick and it was physically taxing to play on such a worn-out piano, you can hear him moaning as he played each part, which differs from the last. His already successful career was furthered by the "Koln Concert," which went on to become the best-selling piano recording in history. There are many themes you can take away from this story, but the main one I gained was that beauty can come out of what appears to be an "ugly" circumstance. Here, photography—and more specifically, conflict photography—applies. Making art requires making do with what you have even if it’s not “beautiful”, and a lot of the time, that is when the most powerful pieces are produced.
The song "Electric Pow Wow Drum" by the band The Halluci Nation comes in second. This is something I first heard when I was at Standing Rock in North Dakota. Before a protest, a school bus with large speakers attached and painted with graffiti would drive around the reservation playing this song repeatedly. People would begin dancing and uplifting one another for the protest as a crowd formed behind the bus. The bus would take the lead as the cars gradually formed a single file line to leave the reservation. I can still be instantly transported back there thanks to the intense and emotional atmosphere this song evoked. Since the beginning of their career in 2007, the Halluci Nation has gone through a few different members. The Halluci Nation, according to their website, "takes its name from a phrase coined by John Trudell, to describe the vast global community of people who remember at their core what it means to be human." The ability of this group to combine traditional indigenous powwow drums and electronic music to create something unexpected yet still educational inspires me the most. Not only does it connect the younger generation of Indigenous youth to their heritage, but also draws in non-indigenous listeners in order to, “… create multimedia that re-contextualizes stereotypical depictions of Indigenous peoples from films and television shows” (Cowie, D. (2021). The Halluci Nation (A Tribe Called Red). In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/a-tribe-called-red).
They make use of their platform to promote understanding of Indigenous rights. For me, this directly relates to photography because I have never wanted my work to be solely focused on the image. This group demonstrates that you can create something meaningful and provide people with the chance to learn, which is something I have always aimed to do with the work I do.
Third on the list is a song by one of my favorite bands, The 1975. I was 14 years old when a friend first introduced me to their music. It is difficult for me to pick a favorite from among their many albums. But in this instance, we are referring to music that sparks creative ideas. The song "I Like America and America Likes Me" stands out to me because the title is taken from a 1974 performance piece by Joseph Beuys. Beuys, a native of Germany, was brought in an ambulance to an art gallery from the airport in New York before being covered in felt by his assistants. Then he tried to communicate with a wild coyote by spending three days in a room with it. He ultimately departed New York in the same direction he had come. He had previously turned down invitations to visit the USA due to their involvement in the Vietnam War, but as they began to leave the conflict, he agreed to go.
“Beuys’ idea behind I Like America, and America Likes Me was to start a national dialogue. America in the 1970s, caught in the horrors of the Vietnam war, and divided by oppression of minorities, the indigenous population and immigrants, was far from the welcoming American Dream that the title of this performance suggests”
(Wolfe, S. (2022, July 11). Joseph Beuys - I like America and america likes me. Artland Magazine. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://magazine.artland.com/stories-of-iconic-artworks-joseph-beuys-i-like-america-and-america-likes-me/)
The 1975 made a clear connection to this topic, and Matty Healy discusses gun violence, consumerism, and mass shootings in America in their song. In order to convey the idea that his pleas to stop gun violence are being drowned out, the song is heavily autotuned. " I am scared of dying" and "Would you please listen!" are usually the only two clear sentences that can be made out over the stream of consciousness style singing. I was inspired by The Halluci Nation's use of art to draw attention to pressing social issues, and I was similarly moved by this song. However, it’s not just that but also the research and connectivity to past artistic performances, I love how it all intertwines—past, present, and hope for a better future.
The lyrics to the following song were once sent to me through email by my dad, which is the first reason it inspires me. The Rush song "Subdivisions," which I had previously listened to in the car with him, turns out to be much more when you read the lyrics.
“Growing up, it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass-production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone.”
We frequently learn as children to act in accordance with social expectations and to believe what we are told. that there is just one successful path. I was able to better understand the life I do not want as I got older and overheard many adults talking about things they could have done but didn't. I refused to take the typical job, attend college for a career I did not want, or give in to the fears of others. Reading these lyrics made me feel less alone as I was making decisions about a future that was not already pre-decided.
While there are many songs that I draw inspiration from, these are just a few. I put some others on the playlist from songs I’ve found while traveling. If you would like to add some songs that inspire you to create please add them here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7DNLDf6jb0vz13kYbY5TC1?si=nIArGjUnTIu7hbCOBAYUsw