Music, Tracks, Tunes

No matter what term you choose to use, they all mean the same. The wonderful thing about music is that there really is something for everyone - rock, classical, soul, pop etc.
Our favourite tunes can bring back memories of times past and can inspire any number of emotions.

My taste in music has been the subject of much debate over the years, due to my varied cd collection. Now, in the age of mp3 i am even worse. There are certain artists that have remained at the top of my list despite growing older.

This is going to sound incredibly sad but i will always have a soft spot for New Kids On The Block. They were the first group that i really liked, when i was young, and my parents had to buy me all the albums (On tape then!). I also recorded every interview and performance that appeared on tv. Those videos are still at my parents' house somewhere!

I would love to say that this was my only foray into the world of boybands but, say, it wasn't. Albums from The Backstreet Boys, Nsync and Ultra (Anyone remember them?!) are in the back of my cd cupboard. My only defence is that i was very young and every girl goes the boyband phase.

When i came to my senses, there was a period of time where i honestly had no idea what music i actually liked. As a result, i purchased mainly compilations and soundtracks such as the Now albums. The Dawson's Creek soundtrack 1&2 are around somewhere, along with several film albums like Cruel Intentions, Scream 2, Coyote Ugly and the list goes on. These were brilliant for people like me, who like heaps of different songs but no one particular artist.

When my Nan, on my mother's side, passed away and a school friend died of meningitis, i fully embraced the persona of an angry, emotional teenager. This is when The Offspring came into my life. At the same time i listened to alot of Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Staind, Puddle of Mudd, Kid Rock, Simple Plan.......
Of course i'd turn the volume right up so that the whole street could appreciate these groups also!!
Eventually, i settled on Good Charlotte and Greenday. Even now i will play their stuff around the house.
My partner did not share my musical taste when we first met so i set about converting him to the Greenday movement. I even had his mum listening to them at one point and she'd sing along to Time of Your Life! The most special thing about them to me now is that the first song my baby sang was 'When September Ends'. She was so tiny and cute but literally knew all the words. It was adorable.

Muse are another band i just love. Partly because they are from Teignmouth, which is close to me, but mostly everything they do is brilliant. Plus i enjoy The Twilight Saga books and films and their music is perfect for them. I was lucky enough to see them live a while ago. Fantastic experience!

Although we would all like to think we choose what we like as 'individuals', i don't believe this is strictly true. Mine, in particular, come from a number of outside influences.

The boybands was all to do with tv and magazines telling me that i should and friends, of course. The Offspring etc were basically me saying 'I'm an angry teenager and i want everyone to know about it!'.
To be honest though in general i have always liked bands that actually write music and play instruments. Nothing makes you feel tough like banging out an explicit lyric or 2 either.

However, there are 2 people in particular who had a huge impact. The first was my Nan, on my dad's side. She taught me to play the recorder and the tin whistle, then later helped when i was learning the clarinet. She was the one who showed me how to read sheet music.

My Nan and i were very close and she would take me on holidays, but also to the theatre a lot. Sometimes we would go to plays but most of the time it involved music. We saw The Mikado together and i also remember sitting in her living room watching Fiddler On The Roof and The King and I. As a child i loved The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and all the Disney animated films.

We were lucky enough to go to London twice, first to watch 'Oliver!' and the second time to 'Cats'. I am so grateful to my Nan for doing so many things with me. I bought her the video of 'Cats' one Christmas and she was so pleased i was made up.

Most of the songs from that musical make me happy as i remember the good times we shared. All except Memory. We chose to play it at my Nan's funeral and now i cry every time i hear it. I have to avoid listening to it.

My other Nan loved Cliff Richard and Daniel O'Donnell . Thankfully i managed to escape them but Millennium Prayer was played at her funeral. She was very religious, hence why we picked it. At Christmas it's a problem as it pops up everywhere.

Hearing these songs makes me feel like i am losing all over again. It's ok though because after the sad times i think of the love they gave me and i smile.

The other main contributor is my Dad. Whether it was driving up to my auntie's or touring around Ireland Dad always had his music on.

As a child we still had a record player. (Old aren't i?!) My older brother and i would always play Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. If you've never heard it you are seriously missing out! The record player is long gone but Dad still has the records and i now have the album on cd.

Dad is completely to blame for the presence of Queen, Thin Lizzy, The Who, Dire Straits and Eric Clapton. In my collection. I've tried, many times, to blame him for the Stevie Wonder but that's all me. It's good housework music ok?!!

It was during holidays in Ireland that Dad played The Levellers, The Waterboys and Deacon Blue. These are the groups i remember the most fondly. I listened to The Levellers and Runrig today actually. Without fail, they cheer me up when I'm feeling low. Most of my happiest times were spent in Ireland with Mom, Dad, Nan, my 2 brothers and my sister listening to this stuff.

The Saw Doctors need a section all to themselves really as they are far and away my favourite group of all time. Apart from the latest album 'The Further Adventures Of', i have them all and play them constantly in my car. There are so many songs that they have written that have a special meaning to me but if i had to pick it would be 'Sing a Powerful Song' and 'Never Mind The Strangers'. They make you feel good just listening to them and you can't help but sing along loudly!

This summer when it seemed to rain all the time it was apt playing 'Will it Ever Stop Raining?'! Plus I've been to Kilkee and Ballybunnion so i can picture us all there. I do miss Ireland.
Recently added to my favourites is 'To Win Just Once'. They dedicated it to Shamrock Rovers Football Club (via Twitter) when they made history by being the first Irish club in Europe. I was so pleased for them and it was an amazing achievement. It really made me believe that anything is possible. That's what the song does for me.

My daughter is so like me it's scary. She loves her boybands! JLS and One Direction - eurgh!! Thankfully she's going off Justin Bieber but now it's all Jessie J and Katy Perry on YouTube!
She redeems herself by listening to the Air Guitar albums and she knows all the words to The Saw Doctors songs! :)

I wonder if, when she's my age, she'll be listening to them and smiling, remembering our fun times together belting out tunes in the car? How wonderful would that be?!

Music truly does transcend generations. It's age-less.

If in doubt "Play it again Sham!"
And "just give me the good news, you can keep the bad." - The Saw Doctors

Follow them on Twitter @sawdoctors