Late For a Gig
On Tuesday night I had one of my regular radio gigs; just an hour on the sports station I work for here in Melbourne (SEN). For someone who prides himself on his punctuality and organisation, I was running a little late by the time I left my house. Instead of arriving at my normal time of six forty-five, it looked as though I would be getting there closer to seven. Something of a minor concern considering I’m on-air just after the seven o’clock news.
Driving to the station and doing some travel time calculations in my head, I could feel a little anxiety make its presence felt. I considered the potential consequences of not being in that chair when the red light went on. Not a good result. To say the least. Apparently silence is not good for the ratings. Or the radio career. In this instance my anxiety translated to muscular tension, increased heart rate and breathing, an overall feeling of agitation, slight tightness in the stomach, a little sweating (sorry) and although I can’t be sure, probably increased blood pressure. Yep, that whole driving while measuring your blood pressure thing… not really a great plan.
Musical Valium
Knowing that I couldn’t change the situation, I decided to avoid the high speed stunt driving option and chillax with some John Mayer instead. For me he’s like musical valium. From the moment I pressed the play button I could literally feel my self-created anxiety begin to dissipate. That’s right; self-created. Situations don’t create anxiety, we do. I do. You do. A situation (running late for live radio for example) might be the catalyst for stress, but it’s you and I who are the creators of that stress (via our reactions). Not only was the song Free Fallin’ but so was my blood pressure. Johnny Boy took me from anxiety to a place of calm in a matter of one or two minutes. A little harmonising with the great JM and I found myself in a different place. Geez my singing voice is awesome. In my head. If only it sounded that good on the outside. 
Music to Manage Emotions
I don’t know about you but I find music to be an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to managing my emotional state. For me it’s always been the quickest, safest, cheapest, healthiest and most effective ’state changer’. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I’ve never felt the need to use alcohol. Ever. Music can pump me up for a workout, it can move me to tears or it can gently massage my anxious self into a state of total calm. I find it easy to lose myself in music. I have been playing guitar since I was six and when my guitar is in my hands it’s like I’m a musical zombie. A very relaxed zombie. 
When I was a kid, every night I would go to sleep with a record (remember vinyl) easing me into La-La Land. Queen, ELO, Dr. Hook, The Eagles, Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Foreigner just to name a few. And yes, I’m that old. My late-night music forays were safe, familiar, comfortable and calming.
Musical Therapy
We all know that music has the ability to make us “feel good” but it’s only been over the last few years that we’ve really begun to explore and understand (scientifically) the numerous potential health benefits of a little Mozart, Pink, John Mayer or perhaps even some Glee Club action (the new feel-good TV show that revolves around music). And when I say health benefits I am not speaking metaphorically, I am being literal. Musical therapy is being used in a variety of settings, for a variety of reasons with great success. Music has the ability to affect a person’s nervous system in a matter of seconds, with the net result often being a rapid shift in the individual’s physical, emotional and psychological states.
Self-Medicating with Music
The key with creating our own version of musical therapy is to learn what works for us; taking into account the desired outcome (motivation, relaxation, pleasure) and our personal likes and dislikes. Just like we don’t all respond optimally to the same eating or exercise plan, neither should we all consume the same musical diet. While I consider some obscenely loud AC/DC to be my ideal training partner, my father considers it to be… intolerable noise. Shit, I think he calls it. Positive result for me, negative for him. While a little Barry Manilow or Kenny G might move my mother to tears, it’s more likely to move me… out of the house. Clearly, which music will inspire, motivate, annoy, excite or calm varies greatly from person to person.
Here are a few good reasons to inject a little more music into your world (heart, head, spirit, body):
Music can…
- Relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Affect your nervous system (positively).
- Be an effective stress management tool (when used methodically).
- Lower blood pressure.
- Slow our heart rate.
- Put you in a more creative, positive and productive state.
- Help you stay motivated and focused (for exercise etc.).
- Ease the perceived pain for chronic sufferers.
- Speed up the healing process.
- Calm babies.
- Give us joy and pleasure – producing positive hormonal (endocrine system) changes. When we experience pleasure our body produces ‘happy’ hormones; the same hormones that help us fight disease and sickness.
- Make us smarter! The “Mozart effect” is the most popularly known example of this. This was a study which demonstrated that listening to classical music, more specifically to a Mozart piano sonata, increased the measured results on the Stanford-Binet IQ test by eight to nine points.
- Increase energy levels.
- Help us to learn better. Bulgarian psychologist George Lozanov found that students who listened to instrumental music while learning a foreign language had an increased speed of learning and a greater degree of memory retention than those who did not.
- Sleep better. Adults with sleep problems who listened to 45 minutes of soft music at bedtime reported a 35 percent improvement in their sleep, according to a study published in the February 2009 edition of The Journal of Advanced Nursing. Not only did they sleep better and longer, but they also reported less daytime dysfunction.
So now that you know what pumps me up and chills me out, what (who) do you reach for when you need a musical pick-me-up or calm-me-down? Also love to hear your general thoughts on this cool topic.
Ciao xx
If you would like to listen to (and watch) my fave John Mayer chill-pill, click here.
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So Craig we can’t lift weights to Copacabana then
Ooh I love music therapy. When I am feeling stressed I find something I can turn up loud and sing along to works a treat. Things like John Farnham’s You’re the voice, Abba, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, the “special” version of the Angel’s Am I ever gonna see your face again, and Supertramp’s Dreamer to name a few (apparently I am as old as you Craig…!) I am a great singer (in my own mind)..so good my kids used to tell me to shut up…I just sang louder and worse…they have stopped doing that, though I suspect there is a lot of eye rolling!!!! I feel so much better after it too.
Were you late, did you get there on time…err no I wasn’t listening to you on SEN…I usually listen Saturday mornings (hope Jane is feeling better…give her a hug from me
you make me laugh on a Saturday morning…thanks for that)
Oh and yes vinyl records…my 16yo son had my Toto album out listening to Africa and also one of my KISS records too.
Hugs
Chelle xxxx
For you Michael I will pump iron to Barry…
I loved Toto Chelle.. gold x
Hey Craig !
My earliest memory of being truly influenced by music goes back to when I was about five years old, sitting in the middle of the loungeroom floor bawling my eyes out while soulful violin music was playing on the “wireless”… yes, I am showing my age too ! My Mum walked in and asked “Whatever is the matter?” to which I replied “It sounds like someone just died” !!
Cliff Richard’s “The Young Ones” transports all of my senses back to my teen years, and most of John Denver’s songs take me to a place that must be out of this world. (Because it’s so totally serene)
His “Rocky Mountain Suite” aka “Cold Nights In Canada” influenced me to choose Jasper Alberta (the setting of the song) as THE place I had to see in Canada, and he was sooooo right !!
On the other hand, I recall a crazy drive along Whitehorse Road with my second youngest son in the passenger seat, (he was about 16 at the time) all the windows down, sunroof open, the pair of us singing along at the top of our voices to the Aussie soundtrack of “Hair” !!!
Today I had my 12 month old granddaughter here, first child of aforementioned son who is a talented piano player. Radio was on, as always (yep, we have a radio these days, not a wireless !) but she was totally oblivious to it, too busy playing, until “I Don’t Like Mondays” came on. The first bar of that piano riff made her whip her head around so fast she almost went dizzy… she instantly recognized the sound of the piano !
Yep, a world without music would be a sad place indeed !
{{HUG}}
Tina……..*this is the dawning of the age of Aquarius, the age of………*
I’ve been latching onto some of the tracks used by the international phenomomen that is Les Mills (choreographed group exercise classes). BodyCombat (martial arts inspired) and BodyJam (mixed dance styles) being my favs right now. Shut up – I know I suck at it, but I’m getting more of the sequences. I love it so that’s all that matters, yeah? I think that’s why they’re so popular – the music is motivating and uplifting, and then there’s the group atmosphere.
Also love Pink, Madonna and Black Eyed Peas. And my fav song (for the lyrics) is Miley Cyrus’ The Climb. No need to elaborate on why, is there?
Oops… that was my second attempt because I typed it all out once and lost it, but the second time I forgot to say that I love most musical genres and have an infinite number of “favourite” artists, from Elton John to Neil Diamond to Queen to Billy Idol to Jewell to Norah Jones to Eva Cassidy to Matchbox 20 to Pete Murray to………………………
{{HUG}} Tina
Damn, Craig- Just when I thought you couldn’t get any cooler. My antidote to a stressful drive is John Mayer’s Gravity (the guitar tracks on that one are an out-of-body) or really anything else he’s ever done. Also love: the White Stripes and all of Jack White’s extracurricular music, Kings of Leon, Rufus Wainwright, Schubert, Luther Vandross, Queen, Latin (Salsa) bands, my list is all over the place. Interesting to know the info above on how music physically and emotionally benefits us.
I so love music when I am upset i listen to sad songs and have a cry with them then i listen to the uplifting ones and Im in control again. when i went to the gym i used to love listening to the soundtrack of Rocky it got me motivated to move those weights and go that bit faster on the treadmill. I would have to say my favourite at the moment is listening to Susan Boyle on “Britains got talent” singing I dreamed a dream. Thanks youtube. It makes me feel that nothing is impossible. Its funny how certain songs come along at stages in our lives, i remember Maddonna’s “You’ll see ” comming out when i broke up with my partner after his little wanders and it made me feel vindicated. I loved Toto as well and dare i say it the Bay City Rollers ah those were the days. Yep, Im old i dont care i feel young inside its just the body breaking down and out that gives me away.
Well Im off to dye the hair to hide the greys a girls got to hide somethings.
I love music, and keep my favorite CDs in my car, where I can listen to them without commentary from the peanut gallery! (My kids have their own cars, so I don’t HAVE to take them anywhere!) My favorite pick-me-up genre is Southern Rock (takes me back to my Georgia roots!), especially .38 Special and a rather obscure Florida band called Stranger. I also love something I can sing to! (My kids actually tell me I’m pretty good! I think they’re just trying to get me to do karaoke with them! Not happening!) Yes, Craig, I’m in your same age group, but my musical tastes haven’t grown up a whole lot! I have everything in my car, from Styx to Journey to Foreigner to the Scorpions to Great White to Firehouse to Dokken to Dio to Judas Priest to Nickelback. Quite the musical journey! Wanna take a road trip?
Wow! I’ve got an intense case of wanderlust all of a sudden!
Have a great day all!
Sandra
Hey TIna..
I went to see Elton John here in Melbourne and he walked off stage after two songs because he said he swallowed a moth and couldn’t sing any more. That was a very expensive ten minute concert for me! Having said that… I do love Yellow Brick Road..
That’s quite the mix Lisa!
Can’t go past the Rocky soundtrack for a little inspiration Gail..
I’m packing my stuff Sandra!
How about a list of that music, I’ve already noted a few from the above comments that I’ll be downloading to my ipod. Any other great suggestions welcome, I’ll be back for me. I like Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis, Oh My by Gin (for that great beat makes you want to get up and dance – makes the heart beat faster), Michael Jackson, Missy Elliot, motivation from Emenem would you believe “you only get one shot don’t miss this opportunity” Thanks for this topic, love music.
Colleen
Hi Craig,
Yep, it is amazing how music can affect one’s mood. Last night, to celebrate the completion of her homework, eight-year-old daughter and I danced around the house to Prince’s ‘Let’s Go Crazy’. It wasn’t pretty but it was fun.
My favourite John Mayer song is ‘No Such Thing’ – always good value but it must be played very, very loudly. Pete Murray, The Whitlams and an obscure group called ‘Pink Martini’ (Their album ‘Hang on Little Tomato’ is brilliant) are also way up on my list. Oh, and a bit of Ministry of Sound and Moby never hurts.
But my all-time favourite song: ‘My Baby Just Cares for Me’ by Nina Simone. Gorgeous voice, wonderful piano and makes me smile and cry at the same time.
Hmmm. You’ve inspired me to dig out my old cds. Cool.
Enjoy your Friday.
Christina xxx
Life without music couldnt exist!
I love music, I supose that is why I love RPM my lie is basically wake up, IPOD, GYM, Get to work IPOD all day and then in my spare time I listen to beats and make up spin sessions to them!
doesnt matter what happens music lifts you, motivates you and feels for you! Just getting over Lady Hawkes Delirum, – awesome speed track, love dance music and a really hard beat… am now getting into easily bruised! Ah back to the IPOD:)
Hi Colleen…. I forgot about MJ – I love the Smooth Criminal video – freaky.
Don’t you mean LPs Christina?
x
Oooh, I love talking about this stuff, because it is so, so subjective. Everyone has different tastes.
My tastes are rather mainstream and boring, unfortunately.
If you look in the Music Dictionary, the description for “bogan” would include my name, for I am an unapologetic, irreversible AC/DC fan. Yeah, got my tickets … I’ll be there in Feb.
However, on my iPod lives an eclectic mix of music. When I need to dig deep for that extra rep or another interval I turn to P!nk, The Black Eyed Peas (Pump It is good), Katy Perry (Hot’n'Cold), Linkin’ Park, Eminem etc. When I need to “chillax”, it’s The Waifs, The Who (oh, Magic Bus is my favourite … the guitar, the unusual percussion … love, love, love it), and, of course, John Butler. All very standard but it does wonders for me.
Love to read other’s suggestions … there’s some very cool tastes out there.
Have a nice day … and a super weekend everyone.
Em
( ) x
not sure what this says about me but since I was a 12/13yr old and discovered mum’s headphones i have been into acdc/guns & roses/pantera/and my personal fav iron maiden (still had all their vinyls with the wicked covers before the fire). for some reason heavy rock speaks to me. have often wondered if i shoulda been born a bloke cause i hate chick flicks too. hehe me as a man – scary. mainstream wise i loved prince (he whose name must not be spoken) mainly cause some of his obscure tracks are downright dirty and my mum used to freak out.
Oh and I forgot to mention Lily Allen’s fabululous song called F*ck You!!
Great song to listen to when you’re a bit annoyed.
Can I say that Craig???
I sure Prince a few years ago Hellen and he was amazing..
You can say whatever you like Em; you’re big now…
Hi there Craig,
It was fabulous to have you comment on this artform that I live and breathe everyday. You are spot on when it comes to stating what music does for people and children especially.
Over a week, over 250 children (newborns – 8 years) with their parents cross our thresholds up here in Albury, Wangaratta & Corowa to learn about, be inspired by, rest to, dance to, play to ….MUSIC! For 9 fabulous years I’ve never had a trouble getting out of bed to come to my place of what I do every day. It is so satisfying and musical. How lucky am I?
I have been so fortunate to have a great time with babes and their Mum’s and Dad’s who have not missed a term of music since their babes grew up to be 5, 6 , 7 and 8 year olds who are now playing groovy tunes on glockenspiels, keyboards or singing in the choir. These kids have been having such great fun playing and singing as a group or with their parents their whole short lives to date! What a great way to start!
Anyway – thanks for a great post. And I haven’t forgotten about sunding you a copy of “Blackbird”. My old copy is in tatters, so I’ll hunt around for a better copy to send you!
“People who make music together cannot be enemies, at least while the music lasts.”
Kathryn
Kate – not sure which generation you belong to but what did we do pre-iPods? I seem to recall personal CD players (discmans) and those cassette walkman’s. I’m borderline Generation X/Y so I remember cassettes.
Apple certainly hit on a winner with iPods hey. Revolutionary. Changed the way we listened to music.
EM??? What the? You are far, far from qualifying as a ‘bogan.’ Don’t talk like that.
Hi Craig
Great post.
I totally agree, music does all those things and can be so powerful, the music, lyrics the whole kit and caboodle!!
I must admit I wouldnt work out half as hard without my ipod on, it is rock music for me and sounds like we have similar taste, yes I like foreigner too Urgent Yeh!!!! Def Leppard, AC DC, Van Halen, Rainbow (sad I know but great) I also like Pink, Duffy etc great lyrics and music again.
Thanks for a great post
Maxine
Hey Em,
I learnt the hard way not to play my Lily Allen cd in the car. Having an eight year-old demanding a definition of ‘wet patch’ is not fun. Please don’t ask what I told her.
Christina xxx
Hey Jules, Im hearing you I am actually in the older gen but apparenlty refer to things in the Y gene!
Apparently the big test is… How do you tell the time? If by a watch you are old (and as I have never even heard of John Mayer…) if by a mobile generation Y.. I am actually Gene X but think like Gene Y ..ie check the time on my mobile..
Apple certainly did hit a winner not only in music but also great stategies for communication (avoidance) motivation, everything! not to mention it also doubles as a USB so is a tax deduction – does it get any better?
Liking PINK, Colby – Beautiful, Jordan Sparks, No Air….. Katy Perry.. kissed a girl…(didnt really but i liked it;).. Will have to listen to John tonight… to get to sleep
In a few days it will be 34 years since I received my first radio at the tender age of 7. One of my first memories of music really speaking to me was the muscular guitar riffs of Jimmy Page, particularly “Whole lotta of love.” I loved 3XY as a kid – back in them olden days of AM radio only.
I still love my hard rock and heavy metal after all of these years, and even though it’s a cliche music is a great pumper upper for sport. When I used to play baseball I usually had some team mates who I drove to the road games and the hard rock I inflicted upon them used to get us fired up.
Music has helped me through some tough times and is way better than crap like booze and drugs.
It the immortal words of AC/DC
“Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t noise pollution
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t gonna die
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t no pollution
Rock ‘n’ roll is just rock ‘n’ roll”
Cheers
Oh Christina that’s hilarious!!
Now I really MUST know what you told her.
I love that song too …
I won’t play that CD with my little guy in the car either … he’s already come out with ‘Oh, shit’ when he dropped something.
He sooo didn’t get that from me (shut up!)
xx
Aside from my dogs, there is very little else that can soothe me or uplift my spirits in a matter of moments. As far back as I can remember I loved music… of all kinds. My earliest memories are of Europe – The Final countdown, Billy Joel – Piano Man and of course Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ‘tl You Get Enough. I think ‘Off the Wall’ was the first ever piece of music I owned… It was a double cassette and I listened to it over and ove rand over…. “oooooooow” (that was an attempt at Michael’s famous yelp-thing incase you were wondering – and I am sure you were).
I have a very eclectic taste in music but what love most is something that produces a physical reaction in me; shivers & goose bumps, tears, butterlies etc. A couple of these special ditties for me are Vanessa Mae’s “I’m a Doun”, Dire Straits “Going Home – Theme From ‘Local Hero’” specifically from the Alchemy Live CD, Damien Rice’s “9 Crimes” and Eva Cassidy’s “Songbird”.
For something a lil more upbeat, at the moment i’m loving Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up”, Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing”, Ruby Blue’s “Ramalama (Bang Bang)”, Kings of Leon’s “Be Somebody” and Cilli Peppers “Hump De Bump”.
As for what gets me moving & sweating it’s got to be some sort of techno with an awesome beat and a tune that builds and builds! Makes me work harder and harder & I don’t even consider complaining about how hard i’m working as I’m too busy on some other planet getting into the song.
Thanks for this post Craig, I think I have to go and plug in the iPod at my desk and uplift everyone at work!!
Nic xx
Hi Craig
My husband and I are in a folk group (English traditional, Celtic, Irish etc) and we both play instruments and you know…if you have had a hectic day (or bad day) at the office or home…once you put some music own or play musical instruments, it’s amazing how you easily forget. They say ‘laughter is the best medicine’ but music is way up top too!
I also love jazz, classical and I love doing my housework to M.Jackson’s ‘Beat it’!!! My favourite, yeh..showing my age here is John Farnham…I love his rendition of the Beatles ‘Help’!!!!
Cheers
Hey Craig !
Wasn’t it a cricket that accosted Elton, during that plague we had ? I wasn’t there that night, fortunately, but he did mention it the next night when I was there !
I neglected to mention that I also love John Mayer’s voice, and did I omit my first love from my list… Liberace ! Used to write to him from the first time I saw him on TV when I was barely able to write… and what’s more, he replied to me too. I still have a letter he wrote to me in 1956… wotcha reckon that might be worth ?!!
I’ve just purchased a USB turntable so I can convert some of the 500+ LPs in my hall cupboard to mp3s.
Jules… what did we do before iPods ? Weeeellll… back in MY day *imagine croaky voice* I used to walk around with a tranny stuck to my ear… and I still have that too ! Got it for my 13th birthday… good old Astor !!
{{HUG}}
Tina
Hey Em,
You really want to know? Oh dear. I feel a bit guilty given Craig’s Liar Liar post the other day.
All right. I told her that Lily Allen obviously didn’t know the rule about no Milo in bedrooms. Poor Lily had spilt her drink and had to sleep on the mess – that’s why we have that rule.
Yes, I will surely burn in hell for that one. I can smell the sulphur already.
Christina xxx
ps. Tina – having a tranny stuck to your ear has a slightly different connotation nowadays. Just thought you should know
Hi Guys.
This is my first time posting on here, I’m normally lurking in the shadows reading this in the lunch room at work off of my phone.
I figured this topic means a lot to me, so I’d throw in a word or two.
I work odd hours and high stress.
Working behind a bar on weekends and nights can really affect your social life, sleep patterns, eating habits and pretty much anything else that makes your mental/physical state function normally.
I work full time hours at the times any of my few friends have off, and I don’t really sleep ideally (shift work puts me anywhere between 14 hours and 3 hours of sleep on any given day)
My friends tell me to leave the job and find something new, but I love it, I’m passionate about my career, and I see myself going places with it.
The stress does get to me, and that’s where the music comes in.
There is nothing in the world to me that’s more important to my emotional and physical well being than my MP3 player nowadays. With a 9 hour turnover between shifts, fitting in life with 4 hours sleep, I need music to pump me up (Queen being one of my favourite pick me ups on the way to work). In a similar sense, after a 10 hour shift on a friday night, my heart still racing from a busy bar, I need something in ease my mind into sleep before I get home, so for the walk I choose a soft mellow classic.
Music for me acts as a relaxant, a stimulant, and overall, a friend who I know will be there for me right when I finish work. It keeps me sane, keeps me comfortable, and keeps me up and ready to do my job when my body just wants to give up.
From the immortal words of Jim Steinman “Remember everything that I told you, well I’m telling you again that its true. You’re never alone cuz you can put on the phones and let the drummer tell your heart what to do”
Off to work now guys, hopefully my next comment will be a bit better worded, and a bit less rushed.
I had a tranny to, I loved it thought I was so grown up. My sister had a walkman and I used to borrow that.
but I do enjoy all types of music. As I type this AC/DC is playing “its a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll (bag pipes now) da da da (LOL)
My favorite album is “bat outa hell” Meatloaf and I still love it. I love Skyhooks & Sherbert & LRB (Little River band, for those of us who aren’t that old) David Bowie, Rod Stewart, ELO, Led Zeplin, Alice Cooper, oh the list goes on…. I’m afraid I’m still stuck a bit in the late 70’s & 80’s but I do enjoy Pink and some of the other new stuff, but my memory is fading and I cant remember any of there names
Cheers Sue
Wow – great work Guys…
Big hi to Ben J, Korey and any other Newbies..
I have a wide variety of musical tastes (my hubby calls my music the comedy mix though, how rude!).
For me, you can’t go past Chisel/Jimmy Barnes, Matchbox (saw them last year and have tickets for Rob Thomas in Feb!), Kings of Leon, Pink … oh the list goes on … BUT my all time favourite is Celine Dion …. when we were in Vegas I tried to get tickets to see her, but the only shows I could get into were on the day of my wedding! It was touch and go there for a while, but in the end I chose to get married over seeing Celine! Thankfully she toured Australia the next year and my wonderful husband bought tickets for us and sat through the concert with me …. I think he would have rathered have his teeth pulled, but I sang along to every song and enjoyed every moment of it!
Hugs
Nell xxx