Some people seem to always have to be listening to music, from the time they wake up to the time they go to sleep.
A friend asked me recently what my favorite thing to listen to while driving was. My response surprised him.
"The sound of the road."
He looked at me like I had a screw loose. He's right — I probably do.
I didn't always appreciate the sounds of the world around me — and sometimes I still don't. The souped-up muffler truck that seems to be incessantly driving around the neighborhood? Well, that sound I could really do without. But I enjoy the sounds of wind. Of water. The sound of the pavement under my wheels. The random sounds you might hear in the course of a day. And, of course, the myriad of birdsongs we are lucky enough to hear in Maine.
I am not sure what this love comes from, but I know I need it. And somehow, it contributes to my music in some way, though I don't incorporate it directly. And some musician friends of mine are the same. Maybe, to us, it's like the blank canvas of the artist, our starting place.