NATURE HAVING A NAP FOR A WHILE, WHEN THEY WAKE UP THEY’LL ASK US TO SING AGAIN
My android phone digital clock marks 3 am, the air starts to drop to the most comfortable level at this moment. I wanted to close my eyes, but it turned out that “my inspiration” invade violently and began to speak. Rhythmic, like a mother, scolded her child who was playing in the mud. Then I got up to press the electric switch, lappy on-off button was neatly squeezed slowly. It’s perfect .. “trakkkkkk”.
For some time, I did not write to talk about the thing saturate within me, namely music oh yeah! or concerts or mini gigs. It has been a long time since I have physically chatted with my friends who are struggling in a band. I miss that atmosphere, tho.
A few months ago there were some virtual interviews but the spirit seemed to fade away. Yes, we are in a cruel pandemic. This pandemic will leave its scar. Some are beautiful. Some are painful, awful. Is it our love for music is gone, faded? swept away by the wind coated with an uninvited virus.
I was pensive for a moment like a captain of a ship that lost its way in the middle of the ocean. Like losing a compass and binocular. Expect clues and hints from invisible stars. My wild eyes focused on a round naked table in a corner, a dark corner.
My instinct was strong enough to tease every occupant on the table, My eyes were then mesmerized by a white thingy, perhaps it was the brightest color in the gloomy dawn.
Wow! it is CD a band from Singapore known as After The Sky. And my soul whispered excitedly. Again!?
“Oh this CD was given by this band during an interview with them at a hotel some time ago”, I said. But it not verbally comes out, it is a normal conversation between oneself. Like all of us, sometimes a white wall can be a good listener, and believe me that a wall is a real true friend in the universe. It listens to every word we speak. It also the best secrets keeper ever.
For a few seconds, I deeply pondered, the CD cover is decorated with illustrations like a cloud of smoke. Maybe the illustration has its name. It is black mixed with blue with a yellowish tinge. It is like a mixture of voices. Sometimes it’s like a soft scream and whispering, melodic one. It was gentle like saying hello from a distance. Dissatisfied with the front cover, I turned the back of the CD. There were a few lines of writing. It is the title of each song on the CD. Neatly arranged.
Nothing But Colors
Beneath Your Ground
How Soon Before I Surrender
Perimeter Of Safety
Mystery machine
We lost Ourselves To Algebra
The Disappearing Act
Come Get Some
Things You Can Tell By Just Looking At Her
When Loneliness Know My Name
Like awakening from a beautiful dream, I quickly open the CD and play it on a laptop. Headphones are connected, old lappy does not seem to cooperate. It takes about one minute to produce a melody from the CD. Then, the music devilish erupts through the headphones. Volume at maximum. Now my soul is no longer dead, I am accompanied by a good melody and somehow my soul is started dancing again. Yes, not a mistake in choosing this CD. These band songs are enough to dodge and escape from every evil whisper and invisible mosquito tease.
For sure, I am not talking about this CD or band. But for some reason, I am focused on revealing my every single move and behavior at the moment. I seem to be in a vaccine producing lab. I need to be careful, read every laboratory description so that the vaccines produced will be strong enough to fight the virus. Well, It sounds like that but it’s just a parable that I don’t think is relevant. Huh, ignore this line.
If we can call this an issue, well.. the main issue is to share my feelings, my expression for my friends those who are involved in making-music, studio owners who are among them working on this. Their chunks of time are music and so on.
We are dealing with a pandemic, and no one can deny that the industry is quite ruined. No concerts, no gigs, no performances, and no income for full-time musicians. Then for a moment, I thought, is this going to drown many of my friends who struggle to produce or work through music. Will they stop? Stop doing what they love the most.
The virtual medium may be the only alternative for this industry but the gap is quite wide. It can not be reached by small bands or new musicians, big bands or artists also affected even many complain. Many of their complaints can be seen in mainstream news. My friend, have you given up?
Does this pandemic become a turning point in your struggle? Or otherwise? All this maybe, just maybe. It may be a sign that nature is taking a nap, just for a few minutes perhaps. When they wake up, they’ll ask us to return to produce rhythms and melodies. Because the voices are everywhere. Hold on! They said. But, what if we take a lesson from this pandemic from different angles. Positive one.
This pandemic happens in every corner of the world, do not be mesmerized by the evil pandemic to step away or quit or whatever it is from the thing you love. It is worth it to hold on for a moment, the sun will surely shine again. It’s like a romance movie about a couple that has a lot of obstacles, at one time the couple parted ways for a few years, and at one point they miss each other. What do we expect? Should they keep their egos by pretending to no longer love each other? We are wrong because it does not have to end that way.
Guess what? The couple finally met again and confessed their feelings. One beautiful day, they walk out on the street again, on a beautiful road with tall and shady trees on each side. The romantic melodies and the naughty wind blew softly along with the scent of flowers along the way. Isn’t this a beautiful ending?
So let’s just assume that this pandemic is not a story with a sad ending because this pandemic carries a thousand voices that may come with its millions of inspirations and ideas. This is the right time to write a song, talk to the wind, and give some love to the sun.
Without warning, the song came to an end. Frankly, I was lulled. My innocent wild fingers dancing translating every word come from my innocent little heart. The music is gone, I mean I listen to the whole CD already. I feel full like a baby satisfied with a feeding frenzy, then I have to stop here. We are always open to anyone to support even in difficult situations like this. So, keep making music.
Take Care.
