In 2016, when Prince and David Bowie died I remember hearing someone say, “It’s a bad sign when the aliens start leaving the planet.”
Today, in 2020, that sentiment feels more prescient than ever, and music feels more meaningful than ever. But back when I first heard that quote, music was no more a part of my life than anything else, and Sonika had only been part of my life for a few years. In fact, despite going to school together for several years, we only connected at the tail end of our time in college. Despite that, and somewhat unexpectedly, our friendship became one of the most defining relationships of that time in my life...and what brought us together was music.
Music is what connects us still. Whether separated by thousands of miles, or just mere minutes, we have consistently and almost religiously shared songs with each other, made playlists for one another, and stayed in touch even as other people in our lives came and went.
We don’t always like the same bands or songs but as is usually the case with music, it is about much more than that. It is about knowing that you have a kindred spirit. Beyond that, it is about knowing that someone loves something the same way you do. Because in the end that’s what art is about. Finding comfort in knowing that someone sees the world through the same lens you do.
One of the best things I ever heard said about music is that a song can make the most banal scenes suddenly invested with so much meaning. The banal moments of life can, in the blink of an eye, be turned into these beautiful, effervescent pearls.
With that in mind, I made this playlist and I consider it to be a fitting tribute to a friendship with a fellow alien. It is filled with music written by people like Joe Strummer, Lou Reed, David Byrne, and Michael Stipe. A collection of people who were never afraid to be themselves, and who, as a result, made the world feel a little less lonely for generations.
Anyway, here’s to the aliens.
ZLS
What's your opinion?