Category: Music Is Magic

  • Sound of Silence: The Better Cover

    Sound of Silence: The Better Cover

    I never got goosebumps listening to Simon & Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence. Until now. This song, by the band Disturbed, came out a couple of years ago and I remember hearing it on the radio and, yes, getting goosebumps. Recently, I came across this video from their appearance on Conan’s show. S&G’s version is beautiful.…

  • Neil Peart: Sadness and a profound Thank You

    Some of you know that I am a long-time fan of the band Rush. Found them in college (thanks Jim!) and bought all their albums in several formats. They have been a large part of the soundtrack to my entire adult life; various times, various songs, various reasons. The drummer, Neil Peart, recently passed away…

  • Music Is Magic: Stairway To Heaven performed by Heart & Others @ Kennedy Center

    I grew up listening to rock music. Specifically, classic rock back before it had earned the ‘classic’ moniker by refusing to die. Stairway to Heaven was a favorite of mine and many others. It didn’t get a lot of airplay on the main radio stations as it was over 8 minutes long — much longer…

  • Music Is Magic: Foo Fighters with Kiss Guy

    In the last few years, some bands have been bringing up audience members during a concert to play a song. I don’t know if they do anything to make sure the person knows how to play, but I have seen videos of people that didn’t know how to play and the road crew pulls them…

  • Music Is Magic: Grace Potter and Joe Satriani cover Cortez the Killer

    Cortez the Killer is a song by Neil Young for his album Zuma (1975). You can see his live version of it here. It also is worth your time. I didn’t know the song when I came across this video. Having discovered Grace Potter from her Nocturnals music, this popped up in my YouTube feed.…

  • Music Is Magic: Learn To Fly

    I keep a collection of videos of musicians that, to me, are really moving. This “Music Is Magic” series covers those videos and why they are important to me. See the end of this post for a link to the video playlist. I haven’t gotten too much into the Foo Fighters, but I really like…

  • Music Is Magic: This Is Me

    There are a number of videos that I have come across that capture magic in music. Now, this isn’t an original thought, nor is my list of music magic the same as anyone else. But I have started a collection of musical moments, most of them live, that get me in the feels each time…