#111 Machines

When I was about to leave Ireland, one of my last new songs was “That Golden Rule” by the Scottish trio Biffy Clyro. I haven’t listened to this band much, but I liked the heavy music and chaotic video. The line that stuck with me was, “I am looking for a reason to secure a forward motion”.

I have said to a few friends that I believe that we, humans, are just machines. We have feelings and stories and a fire inside, but everything is rooted in the genetic machinery that we bring into this world and the learnings along our life. If my senses are stimulated by anything, the biological circuits inside me will result in my actions. This is my driver to try to understand rationally whatever I go through.

In 2018, I heard for the first time the song “Machines” also by Biffy Clyro. It grabbed my full attention from the first moment. I started learning those chords in the guitar. In my naive and basic attempt at playing, I tried to reproduce the riff as good as I could. In any case, no one will listen to me. There is nothing to lose.

A friend was visiting one day. I was showing how I was learning to play with an app that could figure out chords of any song. Then I proceeded to play the chords for Machines. The friend then asked about how it sounded like different chords were being played. Janne explained immediately that I was strumming all strings first, but then I would strum only some of the strings a few more times. I didn’t realize until then that she was actually paying attention to my playing. It felt like getting her musical approval.

Machines is the closer of the album Puzzle inspired after the death of the mother of the singer, Simon Neil. Even though the lyrics talk about death and depression, it ends on a hopeful note.

Music still helps me secure my own forward motion and, yet, Janne luckily continues along with me.

Cause I’ve started falling apart,
I’m not savoring life
I’ve forgotten how good
it could be to feel alive

Crazy as it sounds, you won’t
feel as low as you feel right now
At least that’s what I’ve been told by everyone
I whisper empty sounds in your ear
and hope that you won’t let go
Take the pieces and build them skywards