The Heart Is a Drum Machine

Over the weekend, the Phoenix New Times published an interview via their music blog, Up on the Sun, between NT writer Mike Escoto and Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips. Drozd was being interviewed about the soundtrack he wrote and recorded for a 2009 documentary. The film, The Heart Is a Drum Machine, is a look at the purpose, or the fundamental functions, of music in the lives of human beings. Resonate with my vibrations, New Times:

Arizona filmmakers Christopher Pomerenke and Ryan Page, the duo behind the Maynard James Keenan wine making documentary Blood Into Wine, interviewed everyone from musicians, actors and scientists to find out what music is.

[Drozd:]"No one really answers the question, I mean who could answer the question, you know. But I do feel like there is some deep...there must be some evolutionary primordial connection between vibration and rhythm and human beings. There's got to be.

Everything has rhythms to it, the rotation of the earth, the days, the hours of the day, everything. Life and death all have rhythm and stuff, so I think it's just something that has evolved over millions of years. I guess the complicated thing is how it affects people differently, like a melody could mean nothing to one person and make another person cry. I don't know, to say what is music, you can't really answer it in a quick sentence, I wish I knew a good answer."

Now, there is a man after my own heart - bringing astronomy, physics and science into the exploration of music's significance. Also featured in the film are musicians such as fellow Flaming Lip Wayne Coyne, Arizona's own Jim Adkins, George Clinton, Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, Tool's Maynard James Keenan, and Jason Schwartzman. I haven't yet seen the movie but, as soon as I do, expect to see a review posted. Have any of you seen this? Read the full interview for more about the film's soundtrack, and about the Flaming Lips' desire to release one new song every month this year.

And, for an extra treat, I've included a killer live version of Cake covering Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," featuring Steven Drozd.