When Worlds Collide
Proof that you should never say never:
A few days back, I caught the new creature flick The Cave, and, like a true obsessive-compulsive film geek, stayed to watch every frame of the closing credits. As terms like "gaffer" and "best boy" scrolled past, the unmistakable sound of prog-metal came pouring out of the speakers.
Actually, galloped out of the speakers was more like it. Like all progressive rock -especially the harder-edged stuff- this music suddenly filled my head with visions of sword-clutching valkyries, mist-covered battlefields, and Nordic women on horseback. You could practically hear the sound of fifteen-sided dice hitting mom's dining room table.
The song was overwrought, pretentious, and melodramatic to the point of comedy, except that -and here's the rub- I actually kind of liked it. In fact, "liked it" is a bit of an understatement. Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour, or its association with a fairly decent horror film, or some sort of blood sugar imbalance, but the song sounded fucking great. It had all the best elements of metal -a pounding, hammering relentlessness- topped by a swirling, Celtic guitar line, all overlaid with lush, wailing female vocals. It was like some really, hellishly-rockin' version of Riverdance.
Anyway, watching 'til the end, I discovered that the song, "Nemo", was by Finnish superstars Nightwish, and, -once I was able to flush images of a Pixar clownfish out of my head- I flashed back to the very first meeting Joni and I had with BtJ musical director Chris. Over coffee at My Father's Place, we had drilled him mercilessly about his background and musical taste, culminating in a listing of his five favorite musical acts.
His numero uno? Nightwish.
My thoughts on prog-rock are well known, and, the rare exception aside, I've found precious little in that genre to be inspiring or captivating. Nothing personal---it just ain't me. All of which makes it even more interesting, and, in a way, heartening, that I dug the tune so much. That I can discover, in the unlikliest of places and genres, a new song to love.....well, that's what Bigger than Jesus is all about.
I plan to hunt down a Nightwish CD the next time I'm out. I'll file it right next to Tommy Tutone...and I mean that in a good way.
A few days back, I caught the new creature flick The Cave, and, like a true obsessive-compulsive film geek, stayed to watch every frame of the closing credits. As terms like "gaffer" and "best boy" scrolled past, the unmistakable sound of prog-metal came pouring out of the speakers.
Actually, galloped out of the speakers was more like it. Like all progressive rock -especially the harder-edged stuff- this music suddenly filled my head with visions of sword-clutching valkyries, mist-covered battlefields, and Nordic women on horseback. You could practically hear the sound of fifteen-sided dice hitting mom's dining room table.
The song was overwrought, pretentious, and melodramatic to the point of comedy, except that -and here's the rub- I actually kind of liked it. In fact, "liked it" is a bit of an understatement. Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour, or its association with a fairly decent horror film, or some sort of blood sugar imbalance, but the song sounded fucking great. It had all the best elements of metal -a pounding, hammering relentlessness- topped by a swirling, Celtic guitar line, all overlaid with lush, wailing female vocals. It was like some really, hellishly-rockin' version of Riverdance.
Anyway, watching 'til the end, I discovered that the song, "Nemo", was by Finnish superstars Nightwish, and, -once I was able to flush images of a Pixar clownfish out of my head- I flashed back to the very first meeting Joni and I had with BtJ musical director Chris. Over coffee at My Father's Place, we had drilled him mercilessly about his background and musical taste, culminating in a listing of his five favorite musical acts.
His numero uno? Nightwish.
My thoughts on prog-rock are well known, and, the rare exception aside, I've found precious little in that genre to be inspiring or captivating. Nothing personal---it just ain't me. All of which makes it even more interesting, and, in a way, heartening, that I dug the tune so much. That I can discover, in the unlikliest of places and genres, a new song to love.....well, that's what Bigger than Jesus is all about.
I plan to hunt down a Nightwish CD the next time I'm out. I'll file it right next to Tommy Tutone...and I mean that in a good way.
