#2 - *MUSIC AS MAGIC*

"It's a Kind Of Magic!" from It's a Kind Of Magic, by Queen.

How boring would our lives be without Magic?

Magic is something that everyone needs at some time or another in their lives.

Why?


 I will try to explain.

Magic is something that can either be fully explained or fully enjoyed - rarely can it be both. Magic is something that can enrich our lives, or cause us pain (especially if we don't understand why).

(Have you guessed yet?)

Being a Magician is a funny thing - the more you know, the more you need to hide from the audience. People do not want maths and explanations when they are simply there to see a show. Sure, some of us are curious about Magic and how it works - but a Magic show is probably not the place for that, unless the Magician is particularly entertaining or charismatic.

We don't need to know everything in life - to understand every single physical law that the universe has - in order to enjoy life. That is why Magic is so important -  usually the Magician(s) are often the only ones who are aware of how a performance is crafted (where their hands should be, what their voice should doing etc.), and so when other people witness it, it often looks (and often sounds) like Magic.

(What about now? Any closer?)

Magic, when it really touches us in our hearts and minds, can change the colour of our day - or even make pain more bearable. A child's world is full of Magic, the Natural world is full of Magic. We are surrounded by Magic. Every sound that has ever been made is (when you stop and think about it) Magic. How can it not be?

These things may all be explained by Science, but as humans we recognise when a certain  piece of Magic strikes a chord with us - when it resonates with us. We can explain all the reasons WHY we feel this way about it, right down to the chemicals and the science of it, but that doesn't explain why it feels like it does. Nothing can. And that is the secret of Magic. That is why we have (in the past) thrown money at Magicians whose work we like.

(Do you see what I'm doing here? Does the phrase 'piece of Magic' seem suspicious?)

Freddie Mercury was probably the greatest Magician of all time - he was a fantastic pianist and vocalist, and a wonderful songwriter to boot. Also, he was the consumate performer - perfect. His Magic is living on long after the man himself has passed. The Magic that he made is still impacting on our lives. Is that NOT immortality, my friends? That is some very intense Magic indeed.

We need Magic, because it represents (and is the focus of) 2 very important ideas in the human experience:

1. The idea that "not knowing the inner workings of something" isn't always bad. (Scientifically-minded people need to remember this)

2. That we aren't the only ones who feel like we feel. (Emotional people need to remember this)

Magic is a gift from the universe, which we can use to become better people - or even just to relieve stress in our lives.

(TIME'S UP! Pens down, the 'answer' is below)

Okay, most of us would have realised by now that I was using the word Magic when I obviously meant the word Music (feel free to read the above passage again with this in mind). Some people noticed because it was capitalized the whole time, which marked it as a literary concept. Others noticed because it didn't actually make much sense and assumed I was either an inexperienced writer or trying to make a point, and they were right on both counts. Others would have realised it straight away because of the name of the article. And so on.

And everybody realised at different points. The same piece, the same batch of words - read differently by everyone. A customised reading experience for every single reader.

And that's what Music is. THAT'S why it's magical.

And that's why it's important. It's why ALL art is important.

Because it is a socially acceptable buffer for every single different person, and their emotions - even the unreasonable ones. This is very good for society.
In a bad mood? Play loud music.
In a quiet mood? Play Trance.
Feel intellectual? Listen to whatever music it is that challenges you mentally.
Want to PARTY HARD? I humbly submit Andrew W K, the Internet God of Hard Partying for your audio perusal!

(Watch out for the part where he uses the word 'party'. It's a corker.)

WARNING: This song is way more catchy than it has any right to be

There is a piece of music out there for every possible human emotion. And as new emotions get invented ('90s angst, anyone?), so do new types of music (Grunge, anyone?) to reflect this.

And if you can't find music to express your emotions with, you can WRITE IT.

I mean, why do you think songs get written in the first place? Very rarely do people BEGIN songwriting purely for money.

Consider this: Once upon a time, 2 young chaps called John Lennon and Paul McCartney didn't know how to play instruments or write original songs. Then, one day (for whatever reason) they started doing it together. Add a drummer and another guitarist, fast forward, and then - BLAM! - you're The Beatles.

I'm not saying you'll be The Beatles, but I AM saying that anything that you write is just as valid as anything that The Beatles wrote.

Because in my opinion, it's all a kind of magic.

I've been Paddy, and this sentence is my obligatory Mike Patton reference for today.

(Liam "Paddy" Padmore is a Devonport-based musician, who has Magic [sic] of varying types available for free download @ www.soundcloud.com under the name "PadmoreMusic")