My Music ABC: I

In my teens and twenties, Iron Maiden was one of my best of the bests - one of my most favourites. It did not mean that I listened only to their music then. On the contrary - I listened to many bands and music genres, but Iron Maiden was that really something. Nevertheless, due to my complex taste in music, I never looked like a typical heavy metal fan - I was not one. It was just a kind of music I very much enjoyed. So energetic, joyful and full of power! Although I was a quiet and calm person, I was filled with so much invisible, positive inner energy as well. And that inner power needed to be exhaled and breathed out ... In that meaning, listening to the music by Iron Maiden was like expressing my soul. However, it was much more at the same time. In their songs, I found interesting and expressive melody lines. The guitars, percussion, music tempo, the voice of the lead singer and the lyrics created plenty of magnificent impressions called Iron Maiden.

Anyway, my image/everyday look and dress style have always been rather classical, certainly not 'the heavy metal' one. Adding my calm demeanour to it, I can see a reason, why most people did not even think or suspect I would like such music. Besides my neighbours. They knew. At that time, I believed all great music should be possibly shared with others, to let them enjoy the beauty of it.

So I did share it. Loud. The speakers which I had, were not very big, though - only 15 W each. But they were loud and powerful enough, believe me. Somehow, that kind of songs seemed to sound better when the sound was up. However, at some point, I chose to switch to headphones - the neighbourhood had been presented with the music already so I was merciful. :-)
Besides, I needed some more personal music experience too.

My cousin, also an Iron Maiden fan, had much bigger, 100 W speakers. And he lived on the last floor, fourth I think, of a block of flats. When I was visiting him while he was listening to his records, I had to wait for a silence break between music tracks, to ring the door bell and be heard. Can you imagine heavy metal sounds amplified by 2 times 100 W, in a small apartment room? Well, that kind of sound sharing was too loud, even for myself.

I have never had an Iron Maiden t-shirt but I did see the band live when they were on tour in Poland. It was on 09/23/86 - quite an anniversary of that concert this year/month.

In my early 20s, I also happened to go to a discotheque. From time to time. Considering this sort of music, except well-known world disco hits, something called 'Italo disco' was really popular in Poland then. They were songs sang (in English and Italian) by mostly, but not only, Italian bands and singers. The Italian disco music was lively and cheerful, and certainly nothing you could call ambitious compositions. But they were so good to dance to! I did have fun dancing to those tunes, which was a different way of expressing/exhaling my inner power and energy as well. That was why I sometimes listened to those songs at home and danced in my room too.

Clannad was the first Celtic music band which music I found interesting. Later, I learned about other musicians and traditional Irish songs. My husband and I met each other thanks to our mutual interest in the Irish music and culture. We go to North Texas Irish Festival together and enjoy experiencing live Celtic tunes whenever we can.

About NTIF

About Irish Music & Celtic Woman

There are loads of Irish songs which I find my favourite ones. It would be not possible to name them all in this entry. Therefore I list only a few in 'My Hit Parade' below.

Iron Maiden - just a few tracks chosen from so many

1. The Trooper
2. Flight of the Icarus
3. Déjà Vu
4. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
5. Purgatory - from the album Killers (1981) -  their #1 album according to myself

Italo Disco

1. Mr. Zivago - Little Russian
2. Ken Laszlo - Tonight
3. Savage - Don't Cry Tonight
4. Fancy -  Flames of Love
5. Schrottnach 8 - Zupppa Romana

Irish Music

1. Red Velvet Band
2. Fiddler's Green
3. Noel McLaughlin - Carrickfergus
4. Blarney Folk - Rattlin' Bog
5. Canticle - The Holy Ground (medley)