My first memory of music was this song. I was three years old. My mom loved Paul Simon, and every time she put on this song I would run into the family room and dance like a maniac. I had no idea what it was, but I wanted to boogie. Maybe it was the beat. Maybe it was his voice. Or the melody. Whatever it was, I was hooked.

The next thing I knew I was absorbing it all: listening to Nirvana in my friend’s basement, having my dad buy my first cassette of Snoop’s single, “Gin and Juice” (thanks for not asking questions, Popps!), going to my first concert in sixth grade on Easter to see Foo Fighters (thanks for taking me, Popps!), and being introduced to “OK Computer” in college by none other than my mother. Cassettes turned to mix-tapes and Walkmen, then CD collections and shock-resistant players, and now music is more or less universally available with Spotify and the like. It’s been a good run so far.

As I’ve grown up, I think I’ve developed a more intense celebration of music and everything that it means to me. When I was younger, I rarely listened to the lyrics nor did I appreciate the individuality of some of these people and the gifts that they had. I took them for granted and just wanted to listen.

But now, I see the vulnerability and the soul of these artists laid bare for us to learn from. I think of Kurt Cobain, sitting in that chair during the MTV Unplugged performance, playing “All Apologies” four months before his death. Biggie rapping, “I’m ready to die and nobody can save me ” as I wonder if he believed he wasn’t going to make it past 24.

But then I think of Neil Young dancing with the one he loves under the light as the full moon rises. Warren Zevon living life to the fullest screaming “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” Music sings of love and terror, tearing and healing, highs and heartbreak, lows, life and death. The harmonies keep us coming back and the songsmiths make each one of us sing like poets.

My main inspiration for this blog was music. And music is my daily inspiration of life. I hope that my passion for music can provide some sense of joy, relief, or inspiration to you. I will post playlists (tons and tons of playlists!), songs that I’m infatuated with, lyrics that blow me away, ratings of live shows, new bands to watch, old treasures, and all sorts of other crazy ideas.

The spectrum of music provides us an enormous city to explore, avenues to run by, streets we slow down for, some safe and secure, others frightening and eye-opening. But it’s our city shaping who we are and who we hope to become. As Black Star put it, “Escuchela…la ciuidad respirando.”

And I’ll be here, boppin' to the beat, singing off key, dancing in the mirror, the comb my mic.

Play it again, Paul.