INSPIRATION THROUGH MUSIC.....

Continuing with Inspiration Week, today I am looking at what music inspires us.

For me, music plays the biggest part in my life, whether its through my Ipod on the bus, or singing out of tune to my patient fiance!  I blame my parents, my dad has been a DJ for forever, and my mum has an eclectic music taste to say the least and me and my brothers have been brainwashed with music ever since we were born!  Which I plan to do to my son too, already his love for Coldplay and Elbow has him singing in the street at the most inappropriate times! 
  So, aside from Madonna, what music inspires me?
Mainly Metal, Indie, Electronic, Rock, and Acoustic, as well as Dance, Rock and Roll, Pop, Ambient and Alternative.  I prefer music that no one really knows about, I feel like Im the only one thats ever heard it and it feels more meaningful to me, ranging from Craig Armstrong, to M83.  For a more obvious choice, im inspired by Pink Floyd, Genesis, Muse, Coldplay, 30 Seconds to Mars, Mansun and Placebo!  I am always open to other peoples inspirations, where others lack the ability to do so, as here is where I have stumbled across some amazing tracks and artists such as People in Planes and Depeche Mode, both of which have been introduced to me in a more broader way, making me appreciate all music, good or bad!!
  The only music that doesnt inspire me in the slightest is Country, RnB, Hip Hop and Rod bloody Stewart!!
I love the way music brings nostalgia, emotion, hope, laughter and spine tingling moments, there is nothing better in life than stumbling across a song that makes you jump for joy and tell the whole world about!!  I am glad that as i got older, my love for music became increasingly broader, wider and passionate, and I have my parents to thank for this!! 

Here, others share their love and inspirations through music:

I'm inspired by all types of media but probably more by music than any other form of expression. I am moved by poetry, films and books but definitely more inspired by music. I have a very eclectic taste and own cd's covering classical, jazz, rock, heavy metal, trance, drum 'n' bass, garage, hip-hop, blues and chill-out. I listen to music depending on the mood I'm in and can feel inspired by most of it, but if there's one song that regardless of how I feel can move me to feel like a vulnerable sensitive little soul, it's Clair De Lune by Debussy. There's just something raw and beautiful in the lonely piano keys that literally made me cry the first time i heard it.
Chris Stone

There are two types of folk I don’t understand; those who don’t like animals. And those who don’t like The Beatles.

People who like neither animals nor The Beatles, well thankfully I don’t believe I have ever actually met one.

Even if I wasn’t a Beatles fan, I’d still be a Beatles fan, if you know what I mean.

If you cut me open, I’d probably bleed Paul, John, and George.  And quite possibly even a few drops of Ringo.

I don’t like to say I’m obsessed, or a fanatic.

But I guess I am.

My passion for them has led me to meet many wonderful people, visit many wonderful places and see Paul McCartney in concert countless times.

I say countless, it’s actually 107…

When I was young, their melodies inspired me to write songs. They still do.

My house is filled with delectable Beatle collectibles; thousands of records and books, dolls, badges, games, stockings, a tea set, even a 1960s Beatle poker machine!

Friends like to tell me which part of my collection they’d like me to leave them, which may prove a tad difficult, as I plan on being buried with it all

Karen Freedman

My music collection so far............

Not overly impressive but this is about 12 years worth of cd collecting, my first being East 17s Up All Night album, Madonnas Something to Remember and Pulps Different Class!  The eclectic music taste begins!!

Here is my mini vinyl collection:

With the state of the music industry at the moment, its hard to keep up a collection of compact discs and especially vinyl, with music shops closing and downloads overtaking, I am one not impressed girl!!  I do download the odd track only because you cannot purchase the real thing, (thats cover, plastic box, cd and all folks!!) but I hate doing it.  I like holding the product and putting it in alphabetical order in my already anal collection!!  I still buy albums of course, but its been a long time since I got excited about going into a record shop on a Monday to buy my favourite bands' album, then rushing home to play it on my cd player!!
  However, I do love my Ipod, it does exactly what I want it to do where my Walkman failed!! Turning the tape over when the A side had finished on the bus was not a good look, rewinding and fast forwarding took forever to get to my favourite track, and dont get me started on accidently recording over the songs!!  When I fnally progressed to a portable cd player, which was only about six years ago (!), I spent so much money replacing them as most of them would make the cd jump as i walked along and I usually sat on them or damaged the inside by blowing the part your not supposed to!!  So my trusted Ipod, doesnt jump, skips to my favouite parts immediately, shows me what I am playing, no need to embarrass myself by showing the world what cd I am taking out to change it to and it holds as many songs as i want it to!!

I am sure many of you can relate to the old school way of playing our music and see the way the world has changed, but music will always be my first inspiration, in the words of Boyzone, no matter what!!!

Inspiration week tomorrow contiues with my biggest inspirations part two, plus how our family and friends play a part in inspiring us............