The lines of interactions

Today’s blog is more off topic. It is about relationships that one develops with another. Yes, I refer to music in some form but this is more of a diatribe on life.

“Life’s fantasy, to be locked away and still think that we are free. So live for today because tomorrow never comes” 

This is a line out of the song 'Die Young' by Ronnie James Dio. It basically says embrace life, even though you think you are trapped, you are still free. I love this. Life is all about your interactions with others.

It amazes me some of the people you meet.  On one side you can meet a person and instantly hit it off or you meet someone and hope that their limbs are ripped from torso in mere moments.  It is the chemistry of relationships.

Music is much the same way.

There are not too many people in the far flung reaches of this earth that do not have an opinion of the music you listen to or the relationships you have – whether they are through love or torturous hate.

There has always been an affinity of distaste between pop culture and metal. Both genres at the opposite ends of the spectrum and sort of a grey muted middle. From Bieber singing Baby, Baby, Baby to Cradle of Filth offering up vampiric vestal virgins the gap has widened for years. No fans could have a foot in both camps and neither could they respect the others music.

In recent years there has been a shift in dynamics in regards to this and most has stemmed from the Nordic country of Sweden. Yes the country that brought us Abba, Roxette and A-HA also has brought us the most brutal metal ever created such as Mayhem, Death, Meshuggah and Soilwork.

In recent years a crossover scene has emerged out of a town in the south of Sweden called Gothenburg.  Such bands as Sonic Syndicate, Amaranthe, At the Gates and In Flames have changed the way metal and pop has evolved. Swedecore, Melodic metal or pop metal, whatever you want to call it has bridged the divide and has musings from both sides of the musical valley listening in awe of what these bands are producing. A collaboration where without one you could not have the other.

But what of human relations? Does one wander through life looking for that true soul mate that they could find on the other side of the world, through adventure or danger or do they look at the place they grow up, not expand the search and enjoy for what they have or through everything do you end up alone? There is the best of all worlds in either arguments.  The same as the music genre.

Humankind’s ability for internal growth stems from 2 things: Routine and new experiences. On one side of the coin going through the motions of everyday life and the ability to make informed choices develops the maturity of a person, it instils responsibility and respect. The flipside of this – Our new experiences, delving into the unknown can change our perspective on life, create love that was not there moments before and let us dream. However you cannot have one without the other for fear of boredom or heart palpitations. 

I have met the most loathsome people in my life, people who I would be quite happy to never see as long as I live again. I have also met the most amazing people too. These are the ones I surround myself with. The people who I want to be with, the people that make me feel good. But it’s these horrid souls of people who help create me, help mold me and shape my opinions. For without you, I would have never known adversity, know my strength or how much my convictions are upheld. 

Your hate creates my love.

The people I have met in my life have made me who I am;

To the man who beat me – You made me stronger, To the bullies – You made me resilient, To the people who tried to kill me – I am still here.

To my family – You gave me love, To my friends – You gave me a reason.

To my life. I have a purpose.

So in retrospect, you need 2 outlets; Love and Hate, for the one to survive you must have both in your life. You can hate the life you love or love the life you hate, or you can embrace both.

At the end of the day, we are all human and we need interaction on some level, good or bad.