The Heart Is a Drum Machine

I saw this last night at the Phoenix Art Museum; it is always a treat to see the director, producers and some of those in the film appear at the film. Maynard James Keenan of Tool/A Perfect Circle, and Matt Sorum of Guns N Roses/Velvet Revolver attended.

My musical experience is limited to playing the saxophone for 3 years in grade school, so I am mostly just a fan.

The concept of the film, that there is something primal about music, came through exceptionally well as told by the musicians that were interviewed. I love any movie that helps me to see something I knew somewhat instinctively, yet subconsciously. That music forces us to stop and be in the moment was a strong element. There was a balanced amount of humor sprinkled throughout the interviews, and the theme of the golden record going out to space connected me with the idea that the best way to possibly communicate with alien life forms would be through music.

Having said that, I was surprised that none of the interviewees discussed the anticipation one feels with music. When I ponder the question, why does anyone listen to or perform a song more than once, I realize that it is the anticipation of a sound/hearing the sound feedback loop that is a powerful element of music.

The other disappointment was the celebrity interviews--to put it bluntly, I don't care what Juliette Lewis thinks about music.

All in all, a great experience, and a must-see for music fans and professionals.

I would highly recommend watching this movie if you love music, whether or not you're a musician. Even if you aren't, it will completely change your outlook on music and make you look at it in a way you never did before and just overall appreciate music much more than you did before. Netflix has it on instant stream right now, but I don't know for how long, so if you have Netflix, you can watch it on there or rent it from them. Even if you don't like documentaries, you'll like this movie. Not only do musicians give their take on music in this film, but some famous actors also talk about music in this film. I've recommended it to a bunch of friends of mine and every one of them that's watched it so far all said that they really enjoyed it. 10 out of 10! Definitely one worth watching more than once

Listening to the brief interviews of all the various artists both well-known and not-so-well-known, and hearing their thoughts on music and what it means to them, makes for an enlightening film; especially for those involved in musical creativity and for music lovers. The connection of music to living beings is explained in various ways and brings to light more open views on what music can really mean to someone and how music intertwines with life, energy, and emotion. The film also touches on some of the scientific views of music and its interactions with living beings via interviews with those in the field of science.

The DVD special feature of the hour-long full length interview of John Frusciante's perceptions of music adds a great deal to the DVD by allowing the opportunity to hear John's views more in depth. Fans of Frusciante, the former Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist, should not miss viewing the special feature.

"The Heart Is a Drum Machine" has the potential to not only inspire and teach those involved in creating music but also those who consider music a part of their daily life.