May 2008 | From the Editor
Let’s Face the Music
It’s been said many times over that music is the soundtrack of our lives, and while that adage has been overused enough at this point to officially border on cliché, it’s just... so... true. I beseech you to unearth some of your most thrilling triumphs or fantastic embarrassments from the nether regions of your mind — chances are they are attached to a song.
For me, classic James Taylor still takes me directly back to the worry-free days of my middle America childhood, when my folks were still married to each other and my biggest responsibility was finding my way out of the cornfield behind my house in time for dinner. Hearing Pearl Jam, Nirvana and all their grunge brethren is like taking a time machine right back to high school. Hippie jam bands and psychedelic rock conjure up cheerful (albeit blurred) memories of college.
It’s no coincidence that first dates, world travel, dubious starter apartments, hookups, breakups, flashes of enlightenment and other character-shaping occasions all have their specific, emotionally charged soundtrack — moments that can be resurrected from memory by the mere strum of a chord or beat of a drum. Studies have shown over and over that our brains truly are hardwired to have a chartable response to music — it can soothe pain, ease stress and improve verbal communication skills — but it doesn’t take a scientist to understand that, like a best friend, music is always with us.
That’s why we here at Whole Life Times are super excited to bring you our first ever music issue, ’cause we know that if there’s one universal language, music is it. (Okay, and maybe amour, but I digress...)
This month we talk to reggae rocker, activist and yogi Michael Franti, a tireless crusader for peace and social justice issues and organizer of the annual Power to the Peaceful Festival in San Francisco. We also chat with rising folk-pop star Brett Dennen, who works with communities to highlight local nonprofits at each of his shows. Both of these artists are admirably using their mics not just to entertain the masses, but also to speak out about some of the most pressing issues of the day.
We’ve also got a bunch of other great stories this month, including how to be a (socially and environmentally conscious) rock star, bands that favor bicycle caravans over gas guzzling tour busses, and a guide to the hottest — and greenest — music festivals happening around the country this summer.
And finally, we’re delighted to formally announce our recent partnership with the healthy living website LIME.com! To celebrate, we’ve compiled a playlist called Soundtrack for Change, which includes many of the worldchanging artists featured in these pages. And it’s available to you, dear readers, absolutely free! It’s our way of saying thanks for reading — and thanks for listening.
Rock on!
— Jessica Ridenour, Editor
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