Ron Mertens' blog » Music

Inspirational music to start working

Ron Mertens — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:35:39 +0000

Sometimes it’s hard to start working on a new project or task. You’re simply stuck. It’s much easier to check your e-mail account or facebook. I like to use music to get started: something inspirational that really invigorates me and makes me wanna work and success.Yesterday I listened to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack (by Hans Zimmer). I think that this is one of the two best movie series scores ever (together with Howard Shore’s LOTR). If this doesn’t get you going, I don’t know what will (maybe Yann Tiersen’s Les Retrouvailles?)

Talking about the Pirates, the new movie (On Stranger Tides) will be released soon. This time the music will have more Latin influence, check out ‘On Angelica’ here.

Kurtzweil – the movie…

Ron Mertens — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:51:10 +0000

If you know me, you probably know that I’m a big fan of Ray Kurtzweil. When I started playing the piano, I always wanted a Kurtzweil digital piano… I almost bought one actually (but never did). I later learned that Ray is actually friends with my uncle… He then started to send me signed copies of his books (what a nice guy!) – which I read. We even met one time in Boston. He’s a bit of a nut – but a brilliant nut!

Anyway, now there’s a movie about him, called “Transcendent Man“. It even features music by Philip Glass (who I also like, and sometimes people say my music is a bit like his). That’s one movie I gotta see…

7 months already!

Ron Mertens — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:31:05 +0000

Abigail is 7 months today! It’s amazing how quickly it all went by, and yet how slow. She’s a totally different baby than she was just a few weeks ago – much more fun to be with, she’s laughing all the time, and everything seems to be new and exciting.

I’ve also stumbled upon something fun – food barter. I’ve given my old computer in exchange for an excellent lunch at Mitzy’s (that’s where I’ve taken the photo above) and had a great fix-my-open-office-in-exchange-for-lunch at Karin’s (another great cook!). Finally my long years of computer training pays off!

Other than that? We’re thinking of going to see (hear?) Rona Keinan next week. One of the best recent Israeli musicians. So in the past few days I’m listening to her albums again – she’s really good!

Back from the festival

Ron Mertens — Sun, 18 May 2008 05:52:53 +0000

So we’re back from Jacob’s ladder festival! It was really great! I really like that country and Irish folk music, and there was some good shows in there.

It’s also cool that we know so many people there! This year Rani joined (I thought she deserves a mention – she’s one of the few who read this blog…).

We had a lot of fun! Can’t wait for next year…

Island

Ron Mertens — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 17:50:27 +0000

About a month ago we were invited to a cool evening. The idea is that you choose 10 songs – the 10 songs you can take with you if you’re stranded on a deserted island. The date was set for yesterday…
First of all, it was a great evening, and it’s a cool idea for a party. It wasn’t easy to choose my best songs. There are many considerations – songs that you love, songs that mean a lot to you personally. Songs that remind you of other people or times in your life. Songs that make you cry, or jump up and down in joy.
During the evening, we had to explain our list of songs, and to play one song. Obviously I wasn’t that good (I don’t like talking to a large group of people). Michal was better – and actually won the “judge’s pick” – there were 3 judges, and one ‘host’. It was a well organized event I tell you!

Anyway, for those of you interested, here are my top 10 songs, and also a short explanation of why I chose them:

Strange form of life by Bonnie Prince Billy. Bonnie (Will Oldham) is one of my favorite singers, and I think he’s the best American song-writer I know. He’s doing alt-county style, very lo-fi and very very good. This one is off his latest album, and is so beautiful I can just listen to it all day. He has published many albums over the years, and the amazing bit is that almost all of them are great. Bonnie has been to Israel in 2007, and gave an brilliant show, and this song also reminds me of those exciting couple of hours.
Tilibaka, by Francoise Kristian Cormery. Francois is a friend of Nondas (my friend from Greece) and a great musician. When I vetted songs for my disc I listened to a lot of discs, and when I got to Francoise I said – hey, I gotta have this atmosphere with me on the Island. I don’t think you can find his disc on the internet (I couldn’t do it myself) but take it from me – his music is painfully beautiful.
All smiles and Mariachi, Lambchop. Lambchop is another one of my favorite bands. I remember about 10 years ago that I heard of them – 13 players, doing alt-country stuff. I ordered it from Amazon, and got this yellow disc, with strange art. I was in for a shock. I thought that 13 players will make a mess, but this album was a so mellow and quiet and just perfect, from beginning to end. This song is my favorite off this album. Lambchop has released several good albums but lately changed their style and I’m not too hot about their new stuff.
Marbles, Tindersticks. Tindersticks is the first band I really loved, and this is off their first album, which is a masterpiece. I just love this song with the noise and mess and strange lyrics. When I listen to this song I just go back to being 18 (or so), the first time I listened to music and said wow, I love this, this is different than anything I heard before that. Because of the Tindersticks (and with help of fellow fans) I entered into the world of alternative music.
When it’s deep, Korin Alal and Inbal Perlmuter. An Israeli song, which gets me really sentimental, but it’s personal so I won’t go into details…
Choris Anapno, Michalis Hadjiyannis. My friend Nondas (who’s responsible for 4 songs in this disc, and most of my favorite musicians and songs) sent me a few Greek CDs, and this song is my favorite I think. It’s just a rock (or even pop) song, in Greek (I have no idea what’s he’s talking about in this song). Beautiful and fun. I also think that on the island I’d like to be reminded of other people – and not just my friends, so it’s good to have songs in different languages (I counted – there are 7 languages in my disc, including Russian for 10 seconds on the next track).
Yuri, Oi Va Voi. Oi Va Vio are so much fun. They have been to Israel 3 times, and we went every time. We love them. I remember that after our wedding Mitzy said that every time she played Oi Va Voi both Michal and I had a huge smile on. This song is from their second album, which personally I think is rather weak. However this is a fun song, and they played it twice during their last gig, and the second time was one of my funnest memories I have.
Lau Samoa, Eva Eva. Eva Eva is a Samoan band, and what better to take with you to your deserted island. It’s cheesy (Michal *hates* it) but it just takes me back to one of the best 3 weeks of life in this pacific paradise. You close your eyes, and every time they sing “Samoa” it just brings back the coconuts and beaches and sand and Vailima beer…
Wings of love, Albatross. Albatross is my friend Shay Leon, but this song is not here just because it reminds me of Shay – it’s one of the funniest songs ever written, and I love it, and it’s on my top 10.
Kyla Vuotti Nutta Kutta, Vartinna – Our wedding song, which is a Finnish traditional wedding song and is so beautiful and touching.

We also had to choose an eleventh song (not sure why) and I chose ‘Anniversary’ by Smog.

It was really hard to choose those 10 songs. So many things were left out! Calexico (which I just can’t seem to pick one song off them, it just can’t be done). And Belle and Sebastian. And Cowboy Junkies, and Nick Drake and Nick Cave, and the Legendary Pink Dots – the band that got me into composing music, but I wasn’t sure if I’d had a piano in my island so maybe it’s not a good memory to have.

But then – it’s not for real! It’s just a game we played, and that’s that.
So! This was great fun – both the evening, and the whole process, kudos for Gal and Guy and all the guys organizing and playing and compiling!!

Good book / Good movie

Ron Mertens — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:36:03 +0000

I just finished a really good book – ‘A tale of love and darkness’ by Amos Oz. It’s an autobiography, beautifully written, and very touching. I really enjoyed it, and it’s recommended.

On another note, a couple of days ago we saw The pirates of the Caribbean : At World’s end. Everybody said how awful this movie was, but we wanted to see something fun. I guess with such low expectations, it was bound to be good – and so it was. I love these movies. Silly and without any coherent story, they are still fun. I love the music, and it also reminds me of the old ‘Monkey Island’ games I used to play when I was younger. Arrgh! Talk to me like a pirate.

Oi Va Voi!

Ron Mertens — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:58:56 +0000

Yesterday we saw our third Oi Va Voi concert, and it was really good. These guys know how to rock, and make a lot of fun. There were a lot of personal changes in the band, and a lot of new music – but it was still a lot of fun. The did seem a bit too ‘confident’ if you ask me – it seems like it was more important to them to make a ‘show’ than it was a few years ago. I also think the new musicians are not as cool as the old ones, but maybe I’m just nostalgic
Anyway, great fun! Yuri Gagarin rules!

Willin Fools

Ron Mertens — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:52:25 +0000

Yesterday we went to one of the best concerts we’ve ever been to – Willin Fools. They’re an Irish-music band, with great music – they got us dancing and bouncing for almost the entire gig. A lot of fun! If you’re in Israel, you can still catch them – they playing a few more times in Tel-Aviv (and maybe in other places too).

We also met with Meni (A wonderful Irish dancer we saw dancing a few times in Jacob’s ladder festival), and Abe (The drummer from EverGreen, whom we also heard in lot’s of gigs). We’re part of the gang now!

Jacob’s ladder festival

Ron Mertens — Sun, 06 May 2007 14:13:38 +0000

We just came back from a great weekend – the Jacob’s ladder festival. It’s an anglo-saxon folk festival – which means the music is mostly irish/english/country, and most of the crowd is from those countries – which means that you almost only hear english around you. Feels like a real vacation. The music was great, too. I really liked the country bits, and there was also a beautiful performance by ‘La Vashe Kiri’ – an israeli band playing east-european music (romanian, armanian, kleizmer, that sort of thing) – that was the highlight for me, anyway.

I even got Michal to do some square-dancing with me, and it was cool (for the short while it lasted).

Will Oldham!

Ron Mertens — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 08:45:11 +0000

So we went to the conert of Will Oldham (AKA Bonnie Prince Billy) yesterday! I really really enjoyed it. I’m a long time fan, and have almost all of his music. It was a great concert. He played a few songs from his latest album (which is great), and a lot of older songs, and even my favorite (well, I guess so) song of his (Lost blues) which was exciting.

He was just as weird and wonderful and brilliant as I thought he will be, and it was one of the best concerts I’ve been to. A big thanks to the guys that convinced him to come to Israel!