The sound of the orchestra is one of the most magnificent musical sounds that has ever existed.
In my head, I have the most sensational singing voice. I perform concerts to thousands in the shower. The reality is I can hold a tune. The dream is a West End musical one day – no, really!
One of our books has been made into a musical, ‘The Great American Mousical,’ which I directed at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. And another, ‘Simeon’s Gift,’ has been adapted for a symphony orchestra and five performers. I’m also a very proud member of the board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Do I want to write a musical? No. I like to do musicals.
I got successful awfully quick, and I wanted it… But I do think there is responsibility to move the musical theater form forward. I think you always have to be aware of the work that came before and build on that.
‘9 to 5 the Musical’ is perfect for anyone that’s ever wanted to string up their boss, which is almost all of us.
The way popular music is categorized and formatted cuts down on everyone’s options. And although people don’t talk about it, there are a lot of issues of race determining musical categories of what’s rock, R&B, or even folk. It ends up restricting creativity.
When I was a kid, I went through a lot of musical phases, and one was when I’d learn everything that The Beatles ever recorded. After I started drums, I fell in love with their music so much that I just wanted to learn everything.
My mum was very good at making me take up musical instruments, so although there was no popular music she made me learn the recorder when I was three, the violin when I was five and the piano when I was seven. I took up the guitar myself when I was 14.
Listen, if you said to me, ‘Adam Shankman is going to direct you in a musical and you have six months to learn how to tap,’ I’d practice till I was blue in the face. I would do it because I’m so headstrong and think I can do anything. But just to show up and sing a little ditty, no.
Most people are fascinated to see someone play an instrument in an inspired way. We are moved by witnessing musical brilliance, and it was this notion that led me to purchase the GuitarTV domain 10 years ago.
There will always be a part of me that wants to do a movie musical. I feel like you’re doing yourself a disservice when you say something like that, because you never know if that thing is gonna come along and be right, but I’d be lying if I said that that wasn’t true.
When I was younger, I had a much better connection between words and music. Somewhere along the way, I had kind of an aspiration to disconnect them, to just kind of go into a totally musical world.
I think my style is quite grungy and punky. I love the ’90s and the music from that time, and I love punk music. I’m also a fan of mixing vintage with some high fashion, which links back to my musical taste because I tend to mix old music with newer songs.
For me, learning is a continuous process and an all-inclusive one – reading a book, learning a musical instrument or learning the martial art called taekwondo. Teach myself something new – that’s my prayer.
Yeah, I’ve always considered myself a musical person.
Hearing that the same men who brought us ‘South Park’ were mounting a musical to be called ‘The Book of Mormon,’ we were tempted to turn away, as from an inevitable massacre.
I’m just a musical prostitute, my dear.
Overall, Korean pop serves as the foundation of my musical upbringing. As a result, the melodies that I create just exude that type of vibe.
On the grounds of prestigious musical organizations that come and go, New York has the edge.
I was really fortunate growing up to have a broad musical education. My parents listened to all kinds of music, rock, soul, Motown, jazz, Frank Sinatra, everything.
In the theater, it’s about taking time in a musical segment, a pause in a musical way and then moving on.
My musical tastes go from Zeppelin to Bob Dylan to Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne. Anything modern and progressive.
I write plays, and I have a musical that’s starting to get produced now. That’s what I would love to do, but it’s so hard. The only reason people are reading my plays and musicals is because I’m in movies.
In no instance is there to be a musical or opera of Inherit the Wind because it doesn’t sing. It’s an intellectual play.
One of my insecurities was my looks. I was short, cute and chubby, and Dad used to call me his ‘little fat sausage.’ But I always knew I had musical talent.
The Western musical canon came about not merely by accumulation, but by opposition and subversion, both to the ruling powers on whom composers depended for their livelihoods and to other musics.
I grew up in a family that was very musical, learned the blues and everything like that. And I became a little bit frustrated with the simplicity of rock n’ roll and blues. I started listening to a lot of classical music – mainly Bach, Vivaldi.
Although my other ambition was to be a musical theater star (and I would attend college on a voice scholarship), writing was never far from my mind.
It was only after Pather Panchali had some success at home that I decided to do a second part. But I didn’t want to do the same kind of film again, so I made a musical.
I’d like to say I’m R&B’s savior. Whether that’s the truth or not, I’m definitely going out there with my mic and my shield to declare, ‘I am here to save R&B.’ I will have the people saying, ‘Sir, there is a man at the musical gates saying he is here to save R&B.’
I’ve never done a musical, and I don’t think I could do one, but I would love to play Sally Bowles in ‘Cabaret.’
I have always taken things slow, I never wanted to run through my musical journey, I wanted to enjoy every step and challenge.
I wanted something that had the feel of a complete band and a variety of instrument. Apart from doing the album for musical satisfaction, I felt it was an important statement for other women – showing you don’t have to rely on other people to do things for you.
I’ve always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks.
My music had roots which I’d dug up from my own childhood, musical roots buried in the darkest soil.
‘The Sound of Music’ is one of my favourite old musical films.
It’s like a novelist writing far out things. If it makes a point and makes sense, then people like to read that. But if it’s off in left field and goes over the edge, you lose it. The same with musical talent, I think.
In recording, you’re trying to make something work sonically – getting the right inflection on the right guitar sound – and maybe a part that would be musically great doesn’t sound as cool. On paper, though, it’s all stripped back. The musical idea is the one that wins.
I was a jazz major in high school, in an all-jazz band. No matter what I do, it features my musical influences.
It’s true that my mom loved it when I played Joanie Cunningham in the musical ‘Happy Days,’ but I think she finally realized I am never going to do ‘Oklahoma!’
Learning a musical instrument is challenging, it demands fine motor skills and coordination. It develops children’s listening, thinking skills, imagination and perseverance. It brings out the very best in the children as they work collaboratively with their peers and teachers.
I’m American. I’m eclectic. I’m going to follow my musical passions. And if people don’t like it, and it hurts my legacy, I’m not going to worry about that.
I went through my adolescence having this revelatory experience – I can have any music I want, and I can get it immediately. For me and for a lot of people I know, there’s this musical eclecticism that happened.
I’m a Mexican girl from California, and I never grew up thinking I could be in a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. I didn’t really see myself in that. Not that I didn’t grow up loving Rodgers and Hammerstein, but I don’t know – I just never put myself there.
I have a pretty wide range of musical tastes.
Musical theatre is something that I always wanted to be a part of, and my first ever role on the West End as Joseph in ‘Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat’ gave me a taste for it.
I’ve never had any feeling of disconnection between the classical theater, or the contemporary theater, or musical theater, or the thing that we call opera.
At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, ‘Well, one day I’ll be able to put all the music away and become a real comedian.’ But then I realized there are amazing musical comedians out there, that musical comedy is probably something I’ll always want to pursue.
Few occupations pass the solitary hours more fruitfully than the playing of a musical instrument.
I have a pretty good math mind, so I can see patterns, but I don’t have a great ear. It’s like a tragedy – I can see so much more natural musical ability in so many other people.
With ‘Acid Rap,’ I allowed myself to be really open-minded and free with who I allowed into my musical space. I wanted to make a cohesive product, but I also just want to make a bunch of dope songs inspired by whatever sounds I liked.
So, essentially my contribution was to introduce repetition into Western music as the main ingredient without any melody over it, without anything just repeated patterns, musical patterns.
