Tribal Music vs Brain Music

I am going to write a lot this time because it has been a while since i wrote before.

Let me first preface this by saying that i am in no way attempting to write in any sort of standard scholarly format. I have always tried to write in a way that best describes the way i think about things in my head. since i have been mentally multitasking for the last two weeks, I might have a more varied post. If i have multiple points that i expand on quite a bit, i will try to repost them as separate blog entries.

I have always been into thinking about thinking. sometimes living in my thoughts comfortably and happily, and other times when things arent right, or when something is new in my brain, i try to separate my observational part of my brain from the active part of my brain and observe. separating my consciousness: this is why i have had brief moments of stress-induced schizophrenia in the past. i wont elaborate on that right now...

I have thought to myself, who is myself? what is this me that i speak of? who am I? who iz ME?

i was hanging out with my fiancee, Sam at the columbus circle fountain and went on somewhat of a trail-blazing stream of thought, dividing separate aspects of myself into a sort of primitive diagram. i will draw up this diagram and put it up here eventually. (oh god, this is a whole essay waiting to happen, which i will do at a later date...)

another thing i have been thinking about is "what is the function of music to us as humans?"

Based off my diagram, i have come up with a few different functions of music. The first function is the most primitive one, and coincidentally, also probably the hardest to comprehend.

I often ask myself, "why do i like this?" especially when i am really grooving out to something that is incredibly basic in terms of its use of harmony and rhythm. unlike most people who go to music school, I don't disregard a certain kind of music just because it doesnt appeal to the brain. ok, so an example: electro/house. in a previous post, i mentioned my fascination with Wolfgang Gartner, who is a brilliant electro producer. the fascination is purely physical, similar to the one when a gorgeous woman walks down the street in a thin dress on a windy summer's day. there is some sort of animal instinct that says "DANCE" similar to the instinct that says "FUCK." obviously, since i am an evolved human being and understand the concept of ego and super-ego, i can choose whether or not to act on my primal, animalistic urges.

i wont get too psychological because i am not a psychologist; i am a musician and an engineer. i am also not a writer or philosopher (but i am hoping to change that.) my goal in life is to be a renaissance man. a well-rounded well-educated creative individual who solves problems, creates brilliant art, and advances society as a whole. i dont read a lot of books, but i read wikipedia and the new york times every day (obsessively.) i read the new york times because i want to know what is going on. the choice of the new york times over any other newspaper is one that is obvious to intelligent people who live in Manhattan (I dont want to sound pretentious, but i also dont want to explain my choice of newspaper in this essay.) the reason i go on wikipedia is because i am a person who likes to have questions answered.

i have no sympathy/empathy for people in society who have no urge to ask questions or try to have their questions answered. often when an argument comes up, i will say to two people "I will not participate in an argument that could be solved by wikipedia." in this day and age, arguing over the birth dates of a basketball player or a young, attractive actress starring in a movie about wizards is a waste of time.

ok, so back to my point on the function of music. the first one, as i have stated, is a physical, tribal, communal, dance-inducing one. many people in society regard this as the highest function of music. i will not argue what the highest function of music is because it is my job to keep that belief to myself. it may be that i think that there is no highest function of music, that they are all equal.

equality. (another tangent)

equality is something i think about a lot. i tend to think about words that are used as reasons to send 18 year olds off to die for our country. equality, liberty, freedom. all words with multiple meanings that can be skewed to fit your context. I believe that people are not equal and that they are equal at the same time. it depends on the context of the conversation. individual people are not equal in intelligence, creativity, physical ability, or any sort of objectively measurable way. it is stupid to think that this is the case. if people were all equal in this sense, the world would not be exciting. it is the inequalities that exist in this world that create beauty. the inequality between man and woman, between different cultures, between different intelligence levels, between different sexual preferences. inequality in many ways is more beautiful than equality. "Ben you are racist!" no i am not. it is a shame that you are programmed to think that my belief that inequality exists (and is a beautiful thing) is a racist belief. it seems that those who most often preach (and i mean preach) tolerance are some of the most intolerant people i have met. before i end this tangent, i must say that i do believe that everyone is equal in terms of basic human rights. every person in america should have the right to all of the things explicitly given to them in the constitution. if you want to understand specifically what i interpret the constitution to mean, then feel free to come over, have a few drinks and argue all night.

ok back to music. another function of music is the part that engages the brain. this function is the reason why babies are encouraged to Mozart if they want to become smart someday. Music blatantly has an effect on the brain. i treat music like a drug most of the time, treating my music library as a pharmacy, trying to diagnose my emotional state, and spending time trying to find just the right remedy to treat my emotional disease.

oh have i ever mentioned that i treat emotions as a disease? well kind of. i think of myself as part human, part machine, a cyborg who decides his own fate. emotions are part of that human thing. some are harmful and useless to the task at hand (if the task is more utilitarian), and others are catalysts for tasks that are more "human" tasks. humans are innately emotional-driven, illogical creatures that learn things so they can get control of their animal side and become productive members of society. i sound like a total utilitarian right now. "how can you create art, you robot?" you ask. but i never said i get rid of emotions altogether. i live for emotions, for the good emotions. this is why i love music. music is a drug with no side effects except ringing ears (on occasion.) all art is a drug in some sense. this is how i run my life. i am a complete junkie. but i love it.

music treats the brain and the body. Mozart makes your kid smart; Beethoven makes your kid into a triumphant badass (...waiting for science to back me up on this one.) but understanding what music/art in general does to your mind/body will make you much more capable of controlling your emotions, or making your emotions go totally out of control (which is fun too.) i have had music overdoses before.

since i am a music scholar, i make a lot of music for my brain. HORSE FORCE is brain music. i wrote a sonata using bits of noise i collected from the internet. ROCK HOLE is a blend of the two, lyrically brain music and rhythmically tribal body music. my new project that i am working on with my Viking friend (STRIKING VIKING) is pure tribal body music. it is music you listen to before you fight someone.

anyway, i got quite a bit out. i hoped you enjoyed my Willy Wonka boat journey into the depths of my brain.

PCZ OUT AND EQUALITY FOR ALL

-Horse Man