Musical Autobiography

I would like to start off with saying I do in fact have a roommate and a mother that are obsessed with Bollywood. My first interaction with Bollywood was at the Indian Festival I attended in Greenville some odd years ago. With that said let me elaborate on my life and my musical experiences. My mother is from Mississippi so I am familiar not only with old country songs and bluegrass, but old gospel songs. She also comes from a Scot-Irish family, much to my dismay at times I was forced to listen to The Chieftans and other kinds of Gaelic music. My father is from Pennsylvania and comes from a long line of Germans. So, as a child I was put into a German magnet school in Charlotte, NC where I learned everything in both languages. I learned many songs in German (a lot like "Mary Had a Little Lamb) my favorite one being about the cat in the snow. As a teenager I grew obsessed with modern rock music from Germany, particularly industrial, with my favorite band being KMFDM, and yes some Rammstein. By the way, I'm still obsessed.

Also as a teenager I grew interested in anime (Japanese animation). Being a student of music and music being my main form of expression I was automatically drawn to the music of these shows, which in turn lead to an interest in Japanese pop music. This obsession, however, is not as prominent these days. I grew up in a Unitarian Universalist Church, a religion that thrives on music. I performed everything from hymns in the choir, show tunes from Cabaret and Chicago in the talent show, and performed a piano arrangement of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" for a service. We also visited many different churches where we participated in chants, one that sticks out in my mind was a Buddhist chant, and hymns during their service.

The most interesting thing I have seen recently was at a show in Atlanta this November. An opening band that was primarily industrial/drum and bass oriented incorporated Japanese drumming into their songs and show. Other than my German and Irish roots and classical training I have not been exposed to much from the African world and some of the Asian world. I hope to be inspired in my own music making by what I learn.

(If growing up in a place where people do The Chicken Dance at weddings, parties, fairs, block parties, talent shows, school concerts, pep rallies, or any type of social gathering. Then I would like to add this to my array of cultural experiences.)