Simon, how ON EARTH, do you find the time to listen to 600 albums in a year? And in the kind of detail that allows you to write convincingly about them?
Hi Tom – well, you do realise that i’m not actually a person but just a bot with cleverly-programmed AI listening and writing skills, right?
In all seriousness, being freelance – i.e. not having a real job – helps i suppose, plus the fact that i don’t need huge amounts of sleep (i do a lot of listening at night). Ultimately, listening is kind of my ‘default position’ in life: if i’m not composing or writing, socialising and whatnot, or doing other recreational stuff, i’ll be listening to something. i’ve often wondered whether i ought to describe myself, first and foremost, as a “professional listener”.
“Professional listener” , I like this. It is a reminder that music listening can be done in a very focused and committed manner.
I’m impressed with your musical memory , Simon. Not only you comment in detail on your latest listening but sometimes you juxtapose it with details of something you listened to years ago. Do you have any techniques to aid your memory or is it just naturally good ?
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Simon, how ON EARTH, do you find the time to listen to 600 albums in a year? And in the kind of detail that allows you to write convincingly about them?
Hi Tom – well, you do realise that i’m not actually a person but just a bot with cleverly-programmed AI listening and writing skills, right?
In all seriousness, being freelance – i.e. not having a real job – helps i suppose, plus the fact that i don’t need huge amounts of sleep (i do a lot of listening at night). Ultimately, listening is kind of my ‘default position’ in life: if i’m not composing or writing, socialising and whatnot, or doing other recreational stuff, i’ll be listening to something. i’ve often wondered whether i ought to describe myself, first and foremost, as a “professional listener”.
“Professional listener” , I like this. It is a reminder that music listening can be done in a very focused and committed manner.
I’m impressed with your musical memory , Simon. Not only you comment in detail on your latest listening but sometimes you juxtapose it with details of something you listened to years ago. Do you have any techniques to aid your memory or is it just naturally good ?
i think i’m just fortunate to have a good cross-referencing memory, Spiros!