When I first started getting obsessed with recorded music as a teenager, I saw the recorded music I enjoyed in a magical light. A tune on the radio was a beacon from beyond, like some special jewel that had been labored over by mad geniuses working under extreme conditions in faraway lands. An album was a carefully-crafted statement, meant for thousands of repeated listens on headphones in order to ascertain what must be a very important message. I knew songs were recorded in studios – you could read that right on the LP sleeves – but it still seemed to me that these fabled places must be hallowed ground.
I've now visited sacred ground such as Abbey Road and Capitol Studios. I've owned a professional recording studio and helmed Tape Op for over 20 years. I've seen parts of the music industry from the inside; and at times I've found it far less than magical – even disgusting and senseless on occasion. But I still get joy, wonder, excitement, and power from music. Music nurtures me; it raised me, protected me, and comforts me. Music has taught me so much about the world, about my own feelings, and about other cultures.