ASAP ALL STARS

Thoughts for the week

“MUSIC”

Christine

Music has always played a large part in my life and has influenced the person I am today. From a small child music was always part of my family’s life.

My teenage years were influenced by Punk Rock through my brother’s love for it. However, my love and passion was always Soul music. Of course I respected such great bands from the world of Punk Rock, such as The Stranglers, Buzz Cocks, Joy Division, New Order. Punk Rock changed the music scene and influenced fashion so much in the UK.

A Punk Rock style movement is what the UK’s music industry is lacking nowadays in my opinion. Similar to Rock and Roll, it changed music forever. Northern Soul/Modern Soul Crossover has played a massive part in my life and will live on for many years to come. Then in my early 20’s I got into Dance Music and joined my first band producing dance tracks. I still love Soulful House Music and respect good mixing DJ’s especially those who mix using vinyl (a dying breed unfortunately).

I was part of the Rave Culture in the UK and loved it. The roots of Dance Music are heavily influenced by the Soul/Motown beat and this is where my love lies. I have great respect for good lyricists, as the lyrics of a song for me must mean something. I’m so lucky to have been involved with some great musicians, producers and lyricists in the past and hopefully in the future.

Music makes sense – when sometimes life doesn’t.

Dawn

In the words of the song ‘Music was my first love” and it will be my last, music of the future and music of the past’.

For as long as I can remember I was always listening to and singing along with the radio. then when my parents went out, I had the sole use of the record player and my parents LP’s, so I was heavily inspired by what they listened to, I remember the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Simon and Garfunkel, and Ella Fitzgerald being some of their favourites. Then as I got older, my own tastes began to develop. I had the chance to show off my talents in various shows as I went to Stage School.

As an adult my tastes changed again, and in my travels abroad I would always pick up songs from whatever country I was working in and my developing passion was Latin style having been in Portugal, Spain and Italy for sometime and fronting 2 Portuguese Bands.

I hope I have brought some pleasure to the people who have listened to my music, I certainly enjoy performing it.

Rachel

Music for me has been extremely important to me since early childhood in the 70s.. I was brought up to an eclectic mix as my older sister introduced me to the greats such as David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Supertramp to name but a few, whereas my parents would listen to other greats such as ELO, Bread, and Peter Gabriel…

The songs I tend to sing all evoke memories from my early childhood up until the present day, and when I sing these songs from my past I am immediately transported back in time to an era of Flared Trousers, Arctic Roll, and Findus Crispy Pancakes!!!!

Music is extremely emotional to me. My mood can change in an instant depending on the songs I hear, but I get a great feeling of contentment when I can sing a favourite song and the audience gets the same feeling of nostalgia…

I couldn’t be without music and there’s a lovely quote that I have on my business cards:

“Where words fail, music speaks” and to me this epitomises how I feel about song.

Col Coleman

Music, where do I begin?

Anybody who has seen a show of mine will know I try to cover most styles of music. There is nothing worse than going to a gig and not hearing anything you like!

Music has no religion or race and it comes from the heart and has no limits. It can make you smile or cry and to everyone have a different meaning.

I love music and always will and that is the driving force behind what I do!

Jamie Vincent

Music is my business and my pleasure but not my whole life, it’s interesting that people say to me ‘you must listen to music all day and night’ but in fact I rarely have music playing in the house and never in the car.

When I want to develop a new song for my performances or for my guitar clubs and lessons then I go to my music room and spend hours working on one song before I will allow it to go into my set or teach it in the club but that is the work I have chosen.

There are so many other things in my life that are important to me music has to take its place.

I know this will surprise some people but not those who really know me.

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