July 16th, 2002 by Ken Bands That Touch My Soul

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have an extreme passion for music. One of my friends asked me one night, “What bands really touch your soul.” And it set me to thinking. What bands really do touch my soul? What bands really inspire me? The most obvious for anyone who knows me is Metallica. But there are others. Yeah that’s right there are! Now then what are they? I most surely love all of the metal acts that have come and gone. Pantera, Alice In Chains, Godsmack, Black Sabbath, and Guns N Roses. I also love the not so heavy bands that have existed. Blink 182 is just some of the best happy music I can think of hearing in a long time. The Latin groove thing that Ricky Martin does on his albums is good to. Yeah I’m a sucker for a catchy song. And then there is my very little experience in rap. I started off listening to rap in grade school. I did it though, because everyone else did, not because I liked it. Now that I look back I like some of it because it is part of my past. As far as current rap is concerned, Eminem is pretty god damn good. He’s not an overly spectacular rapper, I just enjoy his insights and quips on everything. I love how he embraced the backlash he was getting. But, none of those touch my soul. Not like the ones that really do it anyway.

3. Spirit Creek

Music to tame the beast. That’s what they are. Anyone who knows me, knows that I, at times, have a problem with my anger and what not. Spirit Creek is what I put in when I need to calm down and not be so hyperactive. The music is very soothing and takes away the fears and woes I have, if even for a little while. Lyrically Spirit Creek pretty much can’t be beat. I mean Doug Schoeneck I up there with the other great poet/musicians of all time. No, I’m not saying he’s BETTER than John Lennon, or Jim Morrison, I am saying he is just as good. And vocally, it’s the same story. You can just see that he feels his music. You can just hear the passion in his voice. That’s what sucked me in right away, I could just hear that he feels it. Other vocalists just sing because someone has to. Doug sings because he wants too, and he’s phenominal at it.

2. Megadeth

Music to feeds the beast. When I am so angry I cant take it, these are the guys I go too. Megadeth have the music that allows me to get all of the bad energy out of my system. When I listen to them, I can feel every guitar riff, and every drum hit. It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s a high. The main part of my appeal to Megadeth are the similarities I see between myself and Dave Mustiane. He had the same problems with his anger like I do now, and it shows in his music. That’s where I try to get mine out, in my music. Others would rather just go beat up anything that moves. Lyrically, a lot of Megadeth is about politics. But, unlike other metal bands, Dave is a self-professed proud American and political activist. Instead of just singing about “Anti-government” this “change the system” that, Dave actually gets involved, not caring what his peers in the “metal” community may think.

1. Metallica

Music that molded the beast. They were the first band I ever really got into. A friend of mine first gave me a tape of the Black Album and I never let it leave my side. I look very deep into Metallica lyrics and I find something I can attach myself to in almost every song. When they were in their political stage “AJFA”, they sang about corruption of government, the black listing of people because of a political affiliation, and the cruelty of Americans in war. After hearing them sing about it, I went and looked and formed my own opinions on these things and more. Then when Metallica decided to get personal with their lyrics, it just cemented the bond I had with them. “Mama Said” is the song of theirs I can most identify with. Musically Metallica have the ability to both calm and feed the beast in me. That’s what makes them all the better.

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