Music and Design...what's the connection?

So anyone that knows me at all, knows that I am a huge U2 fan. I actually got into a concert, back in my college days, pretending with the mind set and attitude that I was a reporter from Rolling Stone. My friends and I ended up meeting them that night, long story, and even going to the same club as them. AWESOME night! Then, many years later, I was back in Atlanta and we got wind that Bono and a few other celebrities were in town. Well, we were already headed to a bar/restaurant named One, which happens to be one of my all time favorite U2 songs. (Another long story.) Low and behold, he was there. Now my attraction to the group is nothing but pure love of their music, the Christian beliefs and even the struggle they have with their faith and the amazing things they (mostly Bono) have done socially in Africa etc. (Well , if I am being honest, I always had a major crush on Larry!) Well, I got a chance to talk to Bono that night, one on one for just a few minutes and it really touched me, the dialogue I was able to have with him was amazing. Truly in the pressence of a great man.

So what does this have to do with design? My father always use to tell me that if you run with the turkeys you can't soar with the eagles. I have always tried to surround myself with like-minded people, those with high ideals and principles, (even if they don't agree with mine) ambition, and creativity in some manner. It is a strange thing connection, but I have always felt a deep one with this group. I recently auditioned for a TV Design show and a question we had to be prepared to answer is who would you most like to be a client. Immediately I thought of Bono and Simon Cowell. Simon because I so appreciate his honesty, it's refreshing. And Bono because I always thought he would be kind and would allow me to push the envelope and even make mistakes. I have read about the tourtured process of them making an albulm and can relate to this in designing.

I just finished U2 by U2, a great book of just dialogue between the band mates. As it turns out our connection is real. They often start a song, just with a few guitar rifts or drum beats, work on it, sometimes it becomes a song, sometimes it goes in the vault for "later". Throughout the book they comment on how they would love to go back and work on this or that song. Even a song that the public loved and was even a hit. But in their mind, it would be better if they only did this or changed that. I believe this is the anthem of any artist. I am always wanting to change something or think to myself, if I only changed that fabric or used a different color etc., it would be so much better, even though it maybe even great as it is. The point here in using U2 is to be inspired in all that you do and surround yourself with greatness. Whether it be the music you listen to, the TV that you watch, the books that you read, the people you surround yourself with...you never know what dreams may come or how these things or poeple will influence you. Make it count!