Can music be life changing?

You hear about it all the time, someone says that a song/album/band changed or saved their life. Can it though?

From personal experience I would say yes, although other factors come into play, such as the influence of my aunty.

I believe I have written about her before. My aunty is 10 years older than me, so when I was 5/6 years old she was in her mid-teens. Her taste in music was Nirvana and it was her that introduced me to the band via their epic album ‘Nevermind’ by making a tape recording of it for me. Influenced by me ‘cool’ aunty, I began a life long love affair with all things rock. This was cemented in 1995 by my parents buying me a Smash Hits tape containing Green Day’s ‘Basket Case’. From then on the band soundtracked my life and I love them to this day. I feel I have ‘grown up’ with the band (which actually formed the year I was born!).

That is the early influence where someone else changed, or rather set the course, of my musical love. From then on certain songs and albums changed my life.

I would say it was 2005 and the release of ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ by My Chemical Romance (I know it was technically 2004, but I don’t recall finding a copy until 2005) that first changed my life. The whole album was dark and brooding and yet there was anger and defiance there. For the first time I knew I could fight for my beliefs and what I wanted from life. The music gave me hope of a positive future.

In 2008 I was in a mentally abusive relationship. It was then that I first heard William Control’s first album, ‘Hate Culture’. The pain and desperation behind some of the songs made me realised the situation I was in and the defiance and violence made me see I had to fight to get out and find my strength. You see, William Control is the creation of Wil Francis, formally of Aiden. At the time he was going through a bad patch in his relationship and the pain he felt resonated with my own. I call this time my ‘rebirth’ as I have been a totally different person since and it is this album that kick started the process for me.

From William Control came Fearless Vampire Killers. Through their music I have found some amazing and life long friends. These are people from all over the world who have come along and changed my life. I could not have done this without the music FVK make, who show that music is universal, unifying and can make the world a much smaller place. I discovered them through William Control, so I have two things to thank him for.

The Dead Lay Waiting were different again. From hearing about them through the grapevine and Kerrang I took an interest in their music. It open a new world of music to me and sparked an interest in metalcore, a genre I never thought I’d like. On top of that I met the guys, who all turned out to be the sweetest, most talented and down to earth people ever. Luke took me under his wing and gave me opportunities I never thought I’d have along the lines of promotion (for the band and his solo work) and also a ‘behind the scenes’ look at what the ‘underground/DIY’ music industry is all about.

TDLW also saved my life when I thought of doing something daft on holiday a couple of years ago. Again, I have written about this too and all you need to remember is that it was their music and the thought of meeting Luke for the first time that pulled me back. Of course they say ‘never meet your heroes’ because the fear is that they will disappoint, but this was definitely not the case for me as Luke was charming, caring and actually a good laugh. I have always felt comfortable around him since and I thank him for making it so easy on me.

Through TDLW I have also met two of my best friends and I will always thank them for that too.

It isn’t just me having a life changing experience with music though, my fiancé has too. Dave didn’t know half these bands existed and a few weeks back told me that he enjoys their music and the gigs we go to. That makes me happier than anything else.

How has music changed your life?