Imperfect Women is excited to announce that Adam Hook will be joining our writing staff and sharing his passion for “all things” music with our community. Here is a little bit about Adam:
I was born and raised in Colorado and from the earliest images in my mind, I remember being a fan of music. My mother and father made sure that music was a large part of my life and this has stayed with me throughout the years. One of the first times I remember getting excited about this art form was when my mother played Jethro Tull’s Aqualung. This was life changing for me because the sounds that came out of the speakers were unlike anything that I had heard previous to that glorious moment. I suddenly had to consume every piece of music I could get my hands on. It started with listening to my parent’s records and eventually I surrounded myself with my own musical tastes. This began with punk rock music because, being from a divided home, I could identify with the songs that were shouted out of the speakers and into my waiting ears. Eventually, I branched out into other genres from hip-hop to alt-country. In addition, writing has been a passion of mine since I first read Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. His words leapt off the page and I knew that I had to be a writer! I am a father, husband, sometime poet and music junkie. Be sure and check out more of Adam’s writing on his blog, Soaked in Sound.
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By Adam Hook
I wake up in a cold sweat and look around the room. It takes me a moment to realize that I’m safe at home in my bed. It’s happened again. Memories flash through my mind like lightning strikes. I remember being in a dark room surrounded by wonderful sounds and the silhouettes of dark figures moving in time with the rhythm coming from all sides. My need has been satisfied once more; my fix has filled the emptiness that has recently plagued the center of my being. I have a disease. This disease does not have a colorful ribbon and there isn’t a organization dedicated to cure it. This condition does not have an awareness month, or an annual marathon to raise money to fight the battle against my ailment. You cannot see my illness because it doesn’t present physical signs; besides the occasional shudder, or bobbing of the head. I am an addict; I am a music junkie.
The needle touches the record transmitting the much needed sound to stave my withdrawals and I feel the edge softening. I need a constant stream of melody to satisfy my compulsion. I am always on the lookout for new artists. I consume every bit of music I can get my hands on and still it is not enough. Every waking hour is filled with harmonies, guitar riffs and drumbeats. The people that I surround myself with do not comprehend my affliction, so I must seek out those that understand; those that have similar needs. We meet in concert venues and become one: feeding off each other in order to indulge these cravings for wondrous noise. We become a tribe for those few short hours honoring an ancient ritual that is not understood by outsiders. The feelings we experience paint the walls and add to pages of our collective histories. We exit the building telling stories of what we witnessed, hoping that our oratory will spark the fire in the listener that constantly burns within those of us that share this obsession.
If you do not understand my words, dear reader, imagine a love that cannot be defined by any language that is uttered. A passion that escapes the body in it’s attempt to find a more appropriate vessel to encapsulate itself; but ultimately fails because it cannot be contained. This is how I feel about music. I write these lines to try and explain the unexplainable. It is my hope that, with my limited words, you will get a glimpse into the intimacy I experience with music. Until next time, I hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as I enjoy writing them. Thank you for your time.
Great column Adam. Reminds me of when I was younger and how music carried me away. Time to pull out some tunes and turn the volume up. Thanks for the reminder.
I look forward to reading more of your work!
Ok Adam,
You got my attention with the mention of Aqualung and Jethro Tull.
As a young girl and to this day I turn up the sounds, grab a salt shaker or broom handle and pretend I’m on stage, singing and dancing my heart out. It never fails to renew me.
Welcome to Imperfect Women, I’m looking forward to more from you.
Adam,
Great article and welcome to IW. I also am addicted to music,(although I have to admit nothing written after 1979 gets to me like the old stuff). Jethro Tull is second on my list of great bands (sandwiched between the Beatles and Rush). My son bought me a phono for Christmas last year and I got to pull out my old vinyl and it gave me a rush of memories including the times that music erased any problems I was having that day. Please keep writing about music. This article made my day. .
Nice article Adam, looking forward to reading more from you! I love the oldies, never got into rap, but those bass sounds of that type of music could be heard from kids driving by in their cars. It does wwant to make you move! 🙂
Welcome to IW!!!
Welcome to IW, Adam. I am a music lover also and I can’t wait to hear more from you.
Welcome to IW!
Thank you for the kind words, everyone!! I am a HUGE fan of music of all kinds and I am hoping to translate that passion here. I am already excited about posting something new! Again, I appreciate your comments. And @Jeff The Beatles are one of my favorite bands! @Snickers…I don’t listen to the ‘gangsta’ stuff, but I can understand rap being an aquired taste. Maybe in future posts, I’ll write about my favorite hip-hop groups. OK, well I’m getting long winded, so once again, THANK YOU!!!
Welcome to IW, Adam. I love your writing – so expressive and full of authenticity. I can identify with so much of what you write. Being young and truly discovering music and its ability to tap into our deepest emotions is a special time that we never forget. I do like a lot of hip-hop and alt-country is sublime. On a side note, your appreciation for “Crime and Punishment” makes me want to go back and read it again and try and appreciate it more. Keep discovering new music – it’s easy to fall into a rut once kids and other responsibilities come along. I think it’s great that your enthusiam has remained so strong. Looking forward to more from you!
Good read Adam!
I’m a hip-hop “junkie” so I’ll definitely be reading your articles. I’m right there with you, in 2004-2006 I made a bout 200 Hip hop beats using fruity loops. Unfortunately i quit to finish college and pursue a sales career, but I think about getting back into it pretty much every day.
I write these lines to try and explain the unexplainable.
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Wonderful article. Actually, I think you described it quite well.
I am all over the place with music. I am looking forward to reading these posts and widening my horizons.
Nice article.
I have to admit that I love “Elevator Music”. I do not want to get off or leave the store if the song is not finished.
Welcome Adam to I.W.
Just listened to Women of Ireland played on Irish Whistle (played in Robin Hood with Russell Crowe) and I was so moved. Certain songs or music really get to your feelings and they also remind you of places, people, circumstances in your life. They also reflect the mood you are in.
Welcome to IW, Adam. I love your writing style! You really conveyed your love of music.
I think moments of our lives are defined by music. I can hear an old song on the radio and I can be back in that moment of my life.
I look forward to reading more of your articles.
PS. I am sixty years old and I love Eminem.
Great article, Adam! I prefer the “older” music (think 50’s & 60’s), but enjoy a lot of different genres. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Nice. I do understand how you feel, Adam. I am not addicted to music, but I feel the same way about beautifully written language. I like to collect interesting words, or smart phrases, something I know most people aren’t exactly excited about. What’s really fun is to find someone who shares your “addiction.” And to prove my own- I actually copied these wordas from your essay before i’d finished it:
“This disease does not have a colorful ribbon”
I like that.
Welcome to IW!
My music tastes seem to run to beautiful female voices. I am in a Carole King and Emmalou Harris phase right now!
I cannot thank everyone enough for the kind words. It’s nice to know that so many that have commented have a wide-range of musical tastes, so I think that we’ll get along well. @Ann – since you are in a beautiful female vocal phase…you should listen to Cat Power. She has a very subtle tragic voice that I think you would like. If I had to suggest a specific song, I would say, I Hate Myself. I know, I know, the title is a little sad, and so is the song, but he vocals are just accompanied by her guitar – result: shudder. Anyway, thanks again for all the comments and I look forward to talking more about music in the future.
Cool. What a timely post. I am in the middle of making a cd of adult songs my kids would like. I mean, kids don’t have to listen to the Wiggles all the time do they? Suggestions? I’ve got everything from Yakity Yak by The Coasters to Firework by Katy Perry. Anything fun and appropriate will do.
@Teresa – That is great! When my daughter was a baby, we had a CD for her that we would play on repeat. It was the only thing that could get her to sleep! Well, I would suggest bands like, Great Lake Swimmers, Ray Lamontagne, Sigur Ros, DeVotchka, and Elvis Perkins in Dearland (one of my favorites). How old are they? The bands I’ve listed above have some average lyrics and themes, so nothing inappropriate, IMO, but I would still preview them before, just in case :). Oh a GREAT local band that I listen to a lot and talk about on my website is, Haunted Windchimes. I’m sure I’ll be posting articles about them in the future, here. If you wanted, you can go over to my website: soakedinsound.com and I have video of them from a recent concert and I posted a review about the latest Great Lake Swimmers release and have some audio there, so that will give you a feel of what they sound like. Thanks for asking!
Sorry I did not have the hyperlink in the bio. It is there now and here you go.
http://soakedinsound.com/
Thanks for the link Pam. 🙂
Thanks, Pam! 🙂
Hi Adam and welcome. My oldest grandson is named Adam, and he is into music. He plays bari sax in his high school band and bass guitar in the youth band in our church. Just must be sometime about being named Adam.
Teresa: I love The Coasters.
Welcome Adam! Love, love, loved your post! Couldn’t have come at a better time for me..I’m out of the musical loop & need to hear something other than Raffi 🙂
Hi Adam,
As I am reading this I am listening to Foreigner with the sound up. Nothing gives me a rush like good music from good old bands.
hello adam! welcome!
I knew Tull would come in handy for you at some point in your life. Great writing. Enjoyed it!
Oooh that is so awesome. Thanks so much, Adam. I will definitely look into those bands. My kids are 7, 6, 4, and 2. I’m no music connoisseur so I will be checking your website to get myself educated. Yay!
Adam,
I love the way you write. Music is such an “anchor” to past times and emotions. Hearing Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen or Earth Wind and Fire can bring me back to my college days and the freedom of being 20! Hearing Enya can bring me back to the week my Father died and such unbelievable sadness. I love almost every type of music from Jazz to Reggae to Country and it’s easy to have your own little “concert” at home and change your mood in an instant. Great article.
Great Lake Swimmers!!! They’re literally from my “neck of the woods”. Adam, I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Tracy Mcneil? She has 2 albums, and there is a vast difference between the two. She’s not as polished as the Swimmers or Ray Lamontagne, but she does share a similar musical style. She’s currently living and touring in Australia.
Hello everyone! Thanks for the kinds words! It was just brought to my attention that the Spotify playlists that I have on my website: soakedinsound.com make you download the app, if you do not already have Spotify. I apologize if some of you have tried to listen to music from my site and have had this problem. I am trying a different route, so we’ll see what happens. Thanks again, everyone!
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
Thanks for you kind words. I appreciate you following my blog; that means a lot! I’ll be posting very soon! Thanks again!