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I do this because I believe music can make the shit times better.
Henry is a Music to Curator - he curates the Music to Stay Up Late At Night playlist - it's a beautifully put together list - the music is often familiar and yet when you hear something new - it's always great. But for me - my favorite thing about his list, is the writing. He writes with such an authentic voice that you can't help but feel as if you're sitting there, next to him.
He recently lost his dad and dog in the space of a week - and...well - this was his entry for the week:
“It was a couple hours after midnight, last Saturday. My father passed away in a hospital after two years of struggle with a very difficult disease. It was one of the worst moments of my life, completely unexpected for me and so difficult to handle that for a few moments I thought I would faint, I still haven’t fully understood the magnitude of the event, I still haven’t completely accepted I lost my father.
I wrote him a letter to say goodbye during the cremation ceremony, it had this song as its soundtrack, I managed to play it while someone read it for me before we gave his body the last goodbye, my voice would just not function among all the tears and I really thought the text was more important than me reading it aloud.
I was just starting to grief when this last Wednesday I got called by my sister to tell me that my dog had had some sort of convulsion and wasn’t responding, he was found various tumors and hospitalized, the veterinary told us he would have a couple of months to live.
On Friday his health suddenly began to worsen and on the afternoon he stopped breathing and died, he had been on my life for sixteen years, we grew up together, he was one of my closest relatives, a part of the family, for more than half my life.
This Saturday I went to a Gorillaz’s concert, for which I had purchased the ticket several months ago, I cried when this song started to sound on the speakers, the rain poured as it blended with my tears and I felt my father was observing me from the sky, I could only cry, try again to cleanse my soul of all this sadness, let the grief continue and continue crying every time I feel like it until I no longer have the urge to do so when I remember both of them.
This song and text are meant as a small homage to both of them, it’s difficult to describe everything I feel. I just want to honor their memory for a moment.
May they rest in peace.”
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About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the dark forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top. They would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
After my dad died I was very sad - I couldn't play for a while and when I did, the music that came out reflected my grieving state. I wrote an album of solo piano music called Music to Grieve to - from which the idea of the Music to community originated.
If you'd like to know more you should read Nicole's fabulous article on why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
Latest Posts
Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
24 September 2022
What’s the point? You ever find yourself asking that? The point of this playlist is to bring succor to people who are grieving. That’s it. We listen to and feature songs that we hope people can resonate with and perhaps elicit a cathartic release – at the very least – to help them feel less alone…
Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
18 September 2022
It’s still September. We’re still talking about Suicide. We’re doing this because the experts tell us that the more we talk about it – the more we bring it into the open – the less likely it is that people will go through with it. And yet – people still do…
Open Letter – Mr. Phelps
11 September 2022
Yep – if you didn’t know – September is Suicide Awareness Month – it’s also National Suicide Prevention Month and in fact right now – between the 8th and the 14th – it’s actually National Suicide Prevention Week. If you are in any doubt as to the impact suicide has on society – spend a minute here: Suicide Statistics – the rate inches up every year – and as a middle aged white male – well – I’m slap bang in the highest risk group…
Andrew
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to write creatively without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As a creator / contributor at musicto I believe that music can make the world better.
What I'm doing now