By SOPHIE FERNANDES – Guest Writer
Most babies go to sleep to lullabies like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Rock-A- Bye Baby.”
I, on the other hand, drifted into dream land to the sounds of John Cage and Stockhausen. These artists, along with hundreds of others including Stevie Wonder, Os Mutantes and The Beatles, made up the soundscape of my childhood.
This early eclectic exposure helped me to have a sensitive ear and to be open-minded to all types of music.
My dad is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the clarinet, violin and bass guitar and can easily learn how to play any instrument he gets his hands on. He is also dedicated to the Athens music industry.
If he’s not working at Wuxtry Records, he is playing with one of his six bands: Circulatory System, Old Smokey, The New Sounds of Numbers, Moths, Dream Boat or Freehand. Other times he works with his record label, Cloud Recordings, or makes an appearance at a local show. He’s an upbeat guy with a stoked smile on his face.
But having an opinionated, music aficionado dad can have its downside. I remember being chastised by him for liking the music my friends listened to. Hannah Montana and Justin Bieber were banned in my household.
The artistic environment that surrounds my brothers and I influenced us to test our own abilities. My younger brother is an aspiring artist whose drawings are known throughout Athens and my older brother is a talented actor.
I am still exploring and trying to discover my own creative outlet. I want to learn to play the bass, but I have to conquer my fear of not living up to my dad’s musical prowess.
My relationship with my dad is different than most. Our bonding time consists of going to shows together, searching for enigmatic LPs at record stores or just sitting at home listening to our latest find.
It would be tragic if I was not interested in music because this is where my dad and I relate. My dad will continue to help me grow as a person throughout my life, and it will always involve the spinning of a record.
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