Are you kidding me?
Life without music? That’s just not going to work, is it?

I’ll tell you one thing – my life would be a LOT quieter, for a start. And I’d have a lot more spare cash too. OK – that’s two things.

It’s strange that someone so rubbish at music in school should be as keenly interested now. I had not even the slightest interest in joining a band at school, like a lot of my pals did – some with a good deal of success, too. But I did start my collecting habit back then, in the early ’70s.

I would go to gigs at the world renowned Glasgow Apollo and saw some fantastic bands: Rory Gallagher; The Sensational Alex Harvey Band; Jethro Tull and Lynyrd Skynyrd to name a few.

Together with sport, music was the centre of my young life. It still is.

As the years passed, my own sons would play in touring bands during their late-teens and early twenties. My wife and I would invite touring bands to crash at our house following gigs. We’d feed them, give them clean beds … and lots of beers!

From around 2004 until about 2011, I blagged myself a gig as a writer for a national music magazine, Artrocker, and attended up to three gigs a week at times! I’d meet and chat with numerous up and coming ‘stars’ of the indie and artrock scene, many of whom stay in touch to this day.

It was an amazing time.

And since 2006, I’ve been running my own music centred blog at LOUD HORIZON. Initially, it focused on the promotion of new music and new bands, but in the past year or so, it’s been re-vamped to centre solely on ‘underplayed underground music from the ’60s & ’70s.

Kinda niche, huh?

I most definitely listen more to music than watch television – I have the radio switched on from the moment I awaken until I return to my bed at night.

And over the years, I’m pleased to say I’ve developed quite an eclectic taste. My collection has everything from Glam to rock and all its sub-genres, to punk, rock ‘n’ roll, artrock, kosmische, hip-hop, blues, jazz and reggae / ska / dub. Lots of reggae / ska / dub.

As you can probably tell from the above, I’m not really one for slow and soppy songs. And Soul and Folk generally leave me a bit cold, but anything else generally has me bouncing!

Ever since I can remember, I’ve surrounded myself with music. And in the present day, I mean that literally!

I think I’m probably stretching it to say the images above are of my ‘office.’ 😀
Counting the CDs that are hidden away in the drawers, there are over 3,000 albums in physical format in here. (I’ve been lucky in so far as many of the CD albums are promos, sent to me by bands and PR Coys when I was reviewing new music on my blog and in the magazine.)

Music shapes memories and marks a time and place in our lives. It’s a mood enhancer. Feel like wallowing in sadness? Music has the answer. Want to purge that sadness? Music has the answer. Want to party? Music has the answer. Want to chill? Music has the answer. Want to get something off your chest? Music has the answer. Want to highlight some social issue? Music has the answer.

Sorry! What was the question, again?

Oh yeah – what would my life be like without music?

Empty and soulless … well, see above. It’s pretty much ‘soulless’ as it is. 😉

But yeah – Life without Music would just be so dreadfully boring.