Concrete Dreamland, my memoir of sorts is relayed in 50 short stories that chronicle moments from the extraordinary journey that has been my life to this point. I could have easily found a song that related specifically to each of the 50 chapters, but my guess is that might be a bit too much! So, with some difficulty and much deliberation I’ve narrowed my playlist down to 12 tracks. I need to send this off immediately less I go back and start making changes, adding and deleting selections.
It’s been a great exercise to think in terms of how music has informed, inspired and influenced my writing. In many ways as a musician, artist and now author, I’ve always viewed these “separate” disciplines as simply part of the whole. Often interchangeable vehicles for creativity and expression.
Because Concrete Dreamland is a memoir, this playlist not only relates to the book but is in fact a soundtrack for my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to compile and share this list.
- Family Affair – Sly and the Family Stone
Although I am not offering this list in order of importance in how these songs relate to Concrete Dreamland, I start with this song that so captures in a lyrical and in “vibe” the essence of my book. To me it so well captures the feeling of growing up in a family filled with love and dysfunction.
- Can’t Find My Way Home – Blind Faith
This beautifully haunting song that never fails to make me cry speaks to my struggles with addiction as chronicled in Concrete Dreamland. The line “…and I’m wasted – and I can’t find my way home” says it all.
- Blackbird – The Beatles
The Beatles were my first musical heroes and a forever favorite. Like many of the bands/ artists on this list I was hard pressed to pick just one tune that I feel relates to my book but I think this track has always had a special place in my heart and the line “Black bird fly…” always gave me a sense of hope even in my darkest moments.
- Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) – Bob Marley and The Wailers
Honestly this whole list could have been songs by Bob Marley and The Wailers, but I think this track in particular speaks to the sense of social justice and spirituality that is an underlying theme in Concrete Dreamland. I had a hard time choosing between this Marley track and “Concrete Jungle” which also (as evident in the title) relates closely to my book.
- Love is the Message – MFSB
I’d be remiss to exclude this track from my list. This song is the forever “Brooklyn Block Party” anthem. I believe it is mentioned in Concrete Dreamland a few times. It is the soundtrack for that place and time. Like Brooklyn it’s funky, sophisticated and epic.
- AS – Stevie Wonder
If I had to pick just one LP that would be the playlist for Concrete Dreamland it would probably be “Songs in the Key of Life” by Stevie Wonder. This track from that LP speaks to my soul and moves my spirit every time.
- One Nation Under a Groove – Parliament / Funkadelic
Another anthem, this time from one of my all-time favorite bands. There are so many Parliament / Funkadelic songs that I could have gone with, but this funky dance track always felt like a rallying cry for unity and progress. The line “…feet don’t fail me now” is so clever because it has the double connotation of speaking to dancing but also moving forward. I literally wore out the “grooves” of this vinyl record out from playing it so much.
- White Man in Hammersmith Palais – The Clash
The same year (1978) that I was grooving to “One Nation Under A Groove” I was raging to the first LP by The Clash. This band was so important to almost every aspect of my life. As detailed in Concrete Dreamland, The Clash first introduced me to the music, style and ideology of punk rock. This song in particular so captured my teenage angst and aggression.
- I against I – Bad Brains
From the LP of the same name. This song so perfectly captures what it felt like to be a Black Punk Rocker-Rasta. The raw aggression mixed with the yearning for spirituality. In 1986 when it was released, I was struggling to find myself and this song and its title felt like it captured that struggle in 3 simple words. In Concrete Dreamland, I speak about this band and the time I had the opportunity to reason with HR the lead singer on a bench in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village.
- Us and Them – Easy Star Allstars
This is from the “Dub Side of the Moon” LP which is a reggae reimagining of the classic Pink Floyd album “Dark Side of the Moon.” I played drums on this track at a time when I was hitting a bottom with my addictions as described in Concrete Dreamland. Although I got paid very little to play drums on the album it went on to be a best seller and iconic in its genre.
- Things Done Changed – Notorious B.I.G.
Although this is the only Hip-Hop track on this list its important to note that Hip-Hop is really the soundtrack for Concrete Dreamland which somewhat chronicles the birth of the genre and cultural movement. This track in particular, as evident in its title speaks to “back in the day” and the changes the city has gone through since the late 70’s. It’s a haunting and in some ways scary track but so captures a time in Brooklyn when it was very different from today.
- Portal – Lions Gate
I include this instrument track because I feel like the overall vibe is a perfect soundtrack to Concrete Dreamland. I co-wrote and played drums on this reggae / hip-hop flavored track at the same time that I was in the midst of writing Concrete Dreamland so the two will always be intertwined in my conscious.