Perfect Day

This week marks the passing of a legend within the music industry, Lou Reed.

The newspapers in Belgium were filled with front-page tributes, memorials, and testimonies to how Reed touched/changed/transformed the lives of many who grew up in the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Both with and without the Velvet Underground, Reed definitely took music for a walk on the wild side and left an indelible imprint upon millions of listeners, as attested by the 22 million views of the video below.

Though highly played in circulation, "Perfect Day" still resonates with me on many levels, and especially on days like today when I spent it with my very special daughter doing things together, laughing and enjoying the day.

It was indeed perfect.

Lou Reed (1942-2013)

Whole of the Moon

The past couple of days I have been quite attentive of the moon because it has been a rather striking full moon cycle. Often, because of light pollution, or cloudy skies here in Belgium at this time of year, the moon can be, to borrow the phrase from Pink Floyd, “obscured by the clouds.” However, this time, the skies have been quite clear, and given that I was up quite early today, I was able to see its brilliance as a great way to start the day.

Last evening, attending a musical rendition of the poems by the Zen Master Ryokan, one of the poems dealt with the idea of the prominence of the Autumn moon. Though the moon is with us in all four seasons, it is the moon of the Fall that often receives poetic and philosophical praise, not to mention finding its way into music, such as Neil Young’s love ballad, “Harvest Moon.” Though I thought of posting that song, especially since my mom had just written me about the stunning Harvest Moon they saw in Texas this week, another song came to mind.

The Waterboys are a bit of a mongrel band, changing personnel quite often, with the exception of founder, singer and chief lyricist, Mike Scott, they are Scottish, Irish and English with a full range of instruments. Known for their “big” sound, the Waterboys have a very distinct signature, not to mention Scott’s highly recognizable voice. The result is a unique blending of vocalizing and sound, and I hope to get to see them live one day as I can only imagine the improvisation that most likely occurs at one of their concerts.

The song, “Whole of the Moon,” has long been a favorite of mine. However, thinking of the moon these past few days, it did come across with a re-newed emphasis. One of the ideas that Ryokan gets across is that though there is just one moon, it can appear to us as many, because of our perspective, because of its phase, or because of our mindset (I just typed a neologism of “mindsight” just now…I think I like it…). The moon is singular, our perception, illusive and multiple. This comes across quite clearly in the song. One person may see on the crescent, while, despite (again a Pink Floyd nod) the Dark Side of the Moon, another may in fact, at all times see “the Whole of the Moon.” Perhaps it is a variation of a glass half-empty or half-full.

Yet, that has always struck me as incomplete for whether contents of the glass are full or not, the glass remains the same…

Roadsinger Came to Town...

Several years ago, I was in a difficult employment situation, one that left a lot of my colleagues without jobs, without explanation, and a general feeling of malaise.

My personal life was going through a major transition, at its most negative point.

Things just seemed bleak.

And then, the Cat came back. Cat Stevens, who had become Yusuf Islam many years back, had come back to singing after over 20 years of ghostly silence with a previous album and a children's album. Re-born as simply Yusuf, the former Cat Stevens came back with a beautiful song to lead of his most recent album, "Roadsinger." I remember listening to this song over and over, and over and over, and then some. And, I remember crying quite heartily when I heard it.

As Yusuf says, there is so much hatred and tears in this world, so where do you go...?

I went to music.

I have retreated to music many times in my life, and this was one of the times I needed it most, and from out of the mists of the Past, in came Yusuf.

Perhaps I am reminded of Yusuf because of someone I met this weekend, a gentle and kind man, dedicated to Peace and understanding, and most of all laughter and to the smile.

Kaz taught me many things I already knew this weekend, but sometimes, we have to begin at the beginning again to realize how far off we have strayed.  To begin again is the greatest gift.

Yusuf is an inspiration for that, and Kaz is a fellow "Roadsinger," who came into town and gave the gift of Peace.

Thank you Yusuf and Kaz...