RockOm

[See Part I of this interview, "Every Instrument Has a Spirit," here.]

Trevor: As we at RockOm have been exploring the bond between music and spirituality and deeper meanings, percussion keeps coming up. Do you think there's some sort of essence about drumming or rhythm that's different?

Zakir: I guess rhythm is part of us from the time we're in our mother's womb. The heart is pumping, there is a pulse, so we respond to that. If you notice, most of the songs that are a hit are songs that you can tap your feet to or you can sing while you're walking. The tempos of the songs that have become hits are the tempos that either you walk in, you breathe in, or you make love in. So the rhythm is a central part of music which leaves an imprint on your mind. It's a very important part simply because you as a human being naturally respond to rhythm more quickly than you do to melody. Composers over the past many years have simplified and watered-down the melodies enough so that you can just as quickly relate to melody as well [sings “Na Na, Hey Hey, Kiss Them Goodbye” and the end of “Hey Jude”]. The composers have brought the melodies to the point where they almost are rhythmic. That's why rap is a big hit.

Shiva is shown with the damaru. He is the destroyer, but also the creator. His son, Lord Ganesha is shown with the pakhawaj, he's the protector. So the two very important gods in India are shown with drums. It is said that when Lord Shiva was called upon by the gods to go down to the earth and kill all the asuras (demons) he came down and he did what they call the “dance of destruction,” tandava. Now, Lord Shiva probably smoked a lot of weed. Because when he got into doing something, he just kept on doing it. (laughs) The point was that he started to destroy the demons and then there were not too many demons left, so he kept on destroying whatever was out there. And the gods got very worried and went, “Ok, pretty soon there's going to be no planet earth. So what to do?” So they sent out Parvati and her other name is Lasya, which means lust, romance, whatever you want to call it. She did the dance of lasya to calm down Shiva and established a balance, an order to all the chaos. Now it is believed that since the first word of the dance of destruction, tandava, is ta – and the first word of lasia, the dance of love and peace and order, is la - that's where the word “tala” comes from, which is rhythm.

So it is really written into the whole source of creation and because of that, I guess human beings are born with that connection, that connection of rhythm. The earth, when it rotates, creates a tone and that tone is Bb. When I hit this [hits table], there's no note, but if it's played a million times fast, it becomes a tone - “mmmm” - and that's Bb.

In the old days they used to bang the temple bells and the old drums to call people to prayers. When the king wanted a new law passed people went around the town, beating the drums and having people come and then explain to them what's going to happen next, who was going to get killed. Messages were sent on the law drums and there are talking drums in Africa to talk to. I guess it's all part of our process of living. And rhythm, pulse, heartbeat, and drums are an essential part of it – not just an important part of it. It is necessary to have that.

Tom: Would you say there could be an analogy in “ta-la” and, from the Bible, “in the Beginning was the Word”?

Zakir: Or in the word Om? We all draw upon something that we've heard and appeals to us. For instance, the growing up process of a musician in India is, OK now you want to become a professional artist. So you're to do the Chilla where you go away into the forest by yourself into that little hut where all the old gurus have gone before you. You live off the land, it doesn't matter how old you are - 15, 18, 20, whatever – and for forty days, you play your music. Where did the number 40 come from? And of course when you're living off the land, you're alone, you're with just your music, you're playing your music 16, 18, 20 hours a day. The vibration of it, the sound of it, the tone of it hypnotizes you. You see things; revelations come. You discover many things – what's inside of you. If there's ugliness inside of you, it will emerge, it will manifest and it may frighten you and tear your mind apart. It's like having an LSD experience of the most negative kind. Or if there's honesty and purity inside of you, that will emerge and enlighten you. So, the forty day period – the 40 days of Moses – the 40 days of flood or rain – that's what I wanted to say, that yes, there is this connection where 40 becomes a very important thing.

Why do we all have the same 12 notes whether we are in deep Africa or on the river in China or anywhere? Why do we have do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do and the flats and the sharps? It's the same in India and here and everywhere. And we say our music has been around for over 2,000 years, but we tuned our sitars and tablas to the machine 440, what the pianos are tuned to now. Why is that? Who knows? 4/4 is the same, 6/8 is the same all over the world. It has not changed or mutated into something else. Some people have gone further with the rhythmic signs, but in the west they've mainly still remained with 4/4 and 6/8. Dave Brubeck came in with “Take 5” and then that became known, while we have about 360 different ones in India which we play. The dance of destruction from Lord Shiva was supposed to be 14 beats; Lasya is supposed to be 8 beats.

Tom: Let's talk about some of your work with other instruments. You've worked with some unusual pairings before, pairing the tabla with the banjo, the bass, cello...

Zakir: It's not so unusual to me and I'll tell you why. Growing up as a young kid, our apprenticeship was in the Bollywood orchestras in India, film orchestras. Bollywood orchestras were all in one large room. At one end of the room was the string section: violins, violas, cellos, basses. Next to them on this side was the piano. Opposite the piano on this side of the room was a big riser which set the sitar player, the sarangi player, flute player, sarod player and there were two mics in there in between them. At this end, on the side of the indian musicians were the indian drums, tablas and all that. Opposite side on the piano line were the (western) drums. So, that's where we were and that's where we played. Under the baton of the conductor or composer, we all played together. That's what I grew up doing, playing with western musicians. Some days there would be a horn section there while we were doing the background score for a film. In those days the composer did not arrive with a complete, composed chart. He would look at the film and would see what the timing was and write the music there. So all of us had to be present because then he knew what he had at his command and what he could write for, what he needed at that time. At that time while he was doing that, we were jamming. The sitar player was sitting with the guitar playing and saying, “What do you got there?” – or the flute player is hanging out with the oboe player (coming up with ideas). So this was a common happening, day in and day out. For me, there wasn't anything unusual about these pairings.

100 years back, or even 60 years back, before that period, it was not so common for Indian musicians to play with musicians of other origins. But my generation, yes. My father was traveling with Ravi Shankar all over the world and would come home with records, LPs, of all varieties. That's where I first heard the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Starship, Yusuf Latif, Duke Ellington, The Doors, Bitches Brew or all these milestone albums. Having arrived here (in America) it was like walking right into the recording room with all those (Bollywood studio) musicians – the only thing was that the faces were different, the language was different and the approaches to the instruments were different.

When you pair with people, that's all one aspect of it – the other one is whether you get along. You can be with the greatest of musicians and sitting on the stage together and nothing happens. You just don't see eye to eye. Nothing's wrong with that, it just happens. So the pairings happen only because there's a connection, you see the same lighted path and you walk that path together so that connection is made and never broken.

Trevor: What do you have ahead of you, do you have new pairings you're working at, or what other adventures lie ahead?

Zakir: I'm still trying to strengthen the old pairings. Say, Mickey Hart for instance; I've known him since 1972 – that's when we did our first record called Rolling Thunder and I'm still working with him. The thing is after 10 or 12 years of working with someone, the valleys, the little corners and nooks and all, start to reveal themselves. I was a punk Indian musician wanting to impress the daylights out of everybody; I was gonna get on that drum and play as strong and as fast as possible. And I did that, but by the time I reached John McLaughlin and those guys, I understood that I needed to get to know them as people; I needed to go live where they lived, eat what they ate, go for walks with them, you know? Just be there, day in and day out. I went to the Shaman villages in South America with Airto (Moreira) to hang out there to just learn and to learn what Airto was all about, what Babatunde (Olantunji) was all about. That whole tradition – you can't just learn by listening to a record and saying hello to a person. That's just the surface; you've got to get to know them, then once you get to know them, that's when you can start finding the connection. Unless your hearts meet, your minds connect, and your eyes see the same lighted path, it's not possible to be paired together and make music together. I've been paired with a hundred different musicians over the years but there have been 2 or 3 that I am still working with because that walk has been taken. Sadly, some of those I have not been able to revist and maybe find that road and so the pairings didn't continue. But hopefully there are some more – like working with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. This is something that just began two years ago and has the makings of a very special brotherhood, so let's see what happens.

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More about Zakir

Moment Records

Photography by Susana Millman

Thanks to Regina Grande

RockOm alumni and singer/songwriter Trevor Hall has self-released a new album entitled This is Blue and is currently on tour with Matisyahu and K'naan (see full tour schedule here). To provide some insight into This is Blue, Trevor shared with RockOm some thoughts about the album, including the history and inspiration behind each of its 14 new tracks.

Giri's Song

Giri was a friend of mine who passed fighting cancer. I recently stayed in his home because I was in between places and one night I sat there with his picture and said, “Alright Giri, why don't you write me a song?” So I sat down, looked at his picture and it just kind of came through. I like to call it “Giri's Song” because I feel like he wrote it.

Mirror of the Sky

“Mirror of the Sky” is actually the title of a baul song from the Bauls of Bengal who are wandering minstrels who sing these love songs to God. It's a song about looking for that inspiration. It's a remembering song, trying to find your home again.

House of Cards

“House of Cards” was the song that I wrote after I found out that I got dropped from the label (Geffen). I thought, that's not going to stop me. I'm not going to give in; I'm going to keep on moving. It's a song about keeping your strength and continuing on the road.

The Love Song

“The Love Song” was actually a super old song from my senior year in high school, inspired by the relationship I was in. We had a nice relationship but went our separate ways. We still talk a lot, though I don't think she even knows the song's about her. I don't want to tell her, I don't want to weird her out or anything! (laughs)

Times Like These

“Times Like These” is another song about when you're at the bottom of the well and it just seems like everything is going wrong. It is a song about time as a healer. Whatever happens, everything's going to be alright.

The World Keeps Turning

That's one of my favorites on the album. Neem Karoli Baba said, “You can go a thousand miles in the blink of an eye.” I thought about everything going on in the world and the journey of life and the world turning, and was really inspired by that line.

Well I Say

“Well I Say” is about being a little fed up, I think. The first part is a little dark - this illusion of the world that's going on and things are going wrong - but the second half is about overcoming darker forces and standing up for righteousness.

Lady Love

“Lady Love” can go two ways. It could be that you're really in love with somebody and they've got you hypnotized. But I was writing it from the standpoint of a divine mother - that motherly love, lady love - while trying to disguise it in a way that was approachable. “Lady Love” is a song about being so in love that you can't see straight.

My Beating Heart

There's a saint named Ma Jaya Bhagavati, she's a Western saint, I'm looking at her picture right now. She is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba and the divine mother Kali. She has a beautiful ashram in Florida, is an amazing poet and wrote this one little book titled She Who Rides the Lion Rides My Beating Heart. When I heard that line, I was like “Oh my goodness!” That song is about fierce grace - “My mama is a great dark cloud coming to rain down.” No fear, she's just going to cut through all the mess and rain down.

The Lion's Mane

I had an experience in India in the Himalayas, coming back from the temple. I had some food in my hand and there was a beggar on the side of the road. I offered my food to the beggar and when he didn't take it, I got a little annoyed with him like, “Why isn't he taking my food?” When I was so fed up that I was just about to throw the banana into his hand, one of the members of my party said, “Oh, he's blind.” And I just lost it – it was a really intense teaching. “The Lion's Mane” was inspired by that day and that scenario.

As far as the dream imagery in this song, the deeper you go into the Himalayas, the more it just feels like a dream. In a dream, you're not really aware of time and during this day, time just wasn't there anymore. It just felt so magical. We're all kind of asleep to that divine energy, whatever you want to call it that's in all of us. We're just sleeping and I think that state of full awareness - being fully awake - is just waiting inside of us. It's that place where you're there and you're consciousness, you're divinity, you're atman, you're God - it's within every heart, but you can't see it. I feel like I'm asleep to this divinity, and a lot of yogis say that the dream is even more real than your waking state. There's a verse in the Bhagavad Gita that says, “What is day to all living beings is night for the yogi. And what is night to all living beings is day to the yogi.” And what that means is that what we think is day and lightness and pleasure is not. It's actually night and so I don't really know where I'm going with this, but sometimes you feel when you touch that place within yourself, you feel that similarity of being in a dream - there's no time, you're not really aware of your little self, you're kind of in the Supreme Self. I don't know what that feels like so I can't really talk about it, cause I haven't gone anywhere near there. But I feel that sometimes if you think about it enough or sing about it enough, talk about it enough, then slowly it will make its impression on you. Really, if you want to know the truth of it all, these songs just really come through. I feel like I don't really write them, I feel like they just come through. I'm learning from the songs too. I'm a listener too. If people saw my private life with the TV shows I watch, I'm not that special, I'm just a normal guy. But I think that something that's coming through me, I think that's a little special. This thing that's coming through I feel is coming through everyone, just in different ways.

Jago Ma

Jago means “Wake Up” and there's a song, a bhajan, a kirtan song that goes: “JAGADO DHARINI MATA DURGA, JAGO JAGO MA, JAGO JAGO MA.” It means “Come alive, Ma! Come alive! Wake up in my heart!” It was a song saying, “Wake me from this dream. I want to see you, I want to feel you.”

Stinky's Song

When we were in the studio, [percussionist] Chris Steele was like, “Hey man, what would you think of just doing a drum track?” I was like “Ya, let's do it, do a drum track.” We had a lot of fun with it, as you can hear - just being funny in the studio. But we didn't really know what to name it until a friend of mine text messaged me and said, “Hey, I ran into Stinky at this rehearsal space.” I had never heard that nickname for him before, so it just stuck. We just called the song “Stinky's Song.” I don't think Chris wanted to name the song “Stinky's Song,” but he had no choice.

Om Shakti Om

Shakti is the divine mother, the power, the creative energy of the divine. This was inspired by a woman here who founded a temple that I am affiliated with. She has a very funky personality – very full of Shakti. She said she wanted to write a song about Lord Shiva, so she came up with the line “My mama rides a lion, my dad wears ash and snakes. My mama is a warrior...” We kind of wrote that song together and it's just a fun song about Lord Shiva.

Once in a While

I don't know what the song is about really. Sometimes you have songs that just come out and you don't really understand them until later on in your life. I like the song a lot; it's very mysterious to me. It's also kind of relaxing. But I really don't remember how it came about or when I wrote that song.

Trevor is on tour with Matisyahu and K'naan currently. For a full tour schedule, ordering information and more samples of This is Blue, see www.trevorhallmusic.com.

[By Tom Crenshaw, tom@RockOm.net]

RockOm August 2008 Featured Article

Musician Trevor Hall's credits include 2006's John Alagia-produced, four-song EP, The Rascals Have Returned, on Geffen Records, a six-track live EP, Trevor Hall Live, recorded at the Mint and Hotel Café in Los Angeles, and his 2004 indie debut, Lace Up Your Shoes, also produced by Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz).

Trevor's songs have appeared in numerous feature films and television shows. Most recently his song "Other Ways" appeared on the Shrek the Third soundtrack. He also covered the Band's "Life is a Carnival" for the recent star-studded tribute album Endless Highway: The Music of the Band.

Trevor has toured extensively with Steel Pulse, Rusted Root, Keb' Mo', Ziggy Marley, Stevie Nicks, Matisyahu, and Colbie Caillat to name a few, and has also opened for Jason Mraz, Donovan Frankenreiter and Ben Harper. RockOm's Tom Crenshaw met up with Trevor at Erskine College in South Carolina, where he was performing with percussionist and close friend Chris Steele.
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RockOm: I asked Abigail Washburn a couple of weeks back a long convoluted question and she let me know that what I really should have asked her was summed up in the simple question, "Why do you sing?" and so I'm going to ask you: "Why do you sing?"

T: Why do I sing? I like the feeling of singing. Melodies, they just make me feel good. Singing is a good way of expressing yourself and a good way of talking to other people through song. That's a good question; I never really thought about it. I think it's just a natural thing. I've always sang and keep on singing.

Tom: Tell our readers about your new acoustic CD coming out soon, titled This is Blue.

Trevor Hall: This is Blue is a CD that I just recently recorded with my friend, percussionist Chris Steele. The CD was inspired by a number of things. While recording this record, I was meditating on the simplicity of life and bringing things back to their roots. I have always wanted to record a "stripped down" CD. Over the years, I have written numerous acoustic/folk songs that I have kept locked in my "vault," so to speak, and have never had the chance to play them anywhere. I recorded some of those as well as many new tracks just recently written.

RO: What inspired this CD?

Trevor: Most of the songs are in the theme of rising above and keeping strength. While things may not always go the way you thought they would, I try to remember that everything is the Grace of the Almighty and to keep my strength in the Higher Presence alone. . . the Source of all things seen and unseen.

RO: What's it like collaborating with percussionist Chris Steele- how did you two hook up?

Trevor: Chris Steele is my main brethren. We must have linked up and created some wacky music in another life because we get along too well. I don't think we've ever fought with each other, and that is a lot to say when being with that person 24/7 while touring and playing around the country. We met at an audition a couple of years ago. I was looking for a percussion player to start playing acoustic shows. He was the first guy I saw. After hearing him play, I didn't need to see anybody else. He's been playing with me ever since. It's that simple.

RO: What should listeners expect from This is Blue?

Trevor: I don't know what people should expect. Because no label or producer was involved in recording this record, we had a lot of freedom and really just tried to be true and pure and most importantly... have a great time. Things are more stripped down musically on this record, but not stripped of content. I really poured my heart into these songs and tried to share my thoughts on strength, positivity, life, and the Almighty. I am just happy that I am able to share some new music with everyone. It's been such a long time. It looks like the album will be out late summer or early fall...God willing. Until then...only love.

RO: You also have your debut LP with Geffen out later this year, called The Elephant's Door. It's produced by Abe and Matteo Laboriel; Abe is Paul McCartney's drummer. How did that happen?

T: I met them through Ron Fair, who is the president of Geffen. He introduced me to Abe and his brother and I was asked to collaborate with them for a bit and to see if it vibed and it went really, really well. We did a couple songs and we showed Ron, who said, "Why don't you do a whole album?" We stuck it out and did a record together.

RO: What was the process like working with Abe and Matteo versus what you've done in the past? These are some pretty heavy hitters.

T: These guys were heavy hitters but they came off as teddy bears. When you see them you're like, "Oh, man!" because they're big guys. Abe's got a shaved head and big earrings and you're like, "Wow, these guys are intense," but they're the nicest guys in the world. They have the biggest hearts. This was a lot different because it was more intimate, it was just us three. We had nobody coming in and out of the studio, nobody checking in on us, which sometimes can be a little bit of a distraction. It was really focused. We didn't have many plans, we were like "Whatever comes up today, let's record this song." It wasn't like, "Okay, we're going to record THIS group of songs." It was very free and very: "Lets just see what happens."

RO: It sounds like Geffen is being really good to you, giving you the opportunity to expand and search and find what you want to do. It's kind of opposite of what a lot of labels do now, telling folks what to do, how to do it, how fast they're going to do it, how much they're going to make. What do you feel is different with you and Geffen?

T: I don't know; we definitely have our hiccups. It's not all [perfect]. You just work through it and figure it out.

RO: You no doubt have a very deep spirituality which you communicate through your music and songwriting. You reference one of my heroes, Neem Karoli Baba, and there's a reference to Shiva in a couple of your songs. What's been your spiritual journey? How did you get started down this particular path of spirituatlity?

T: It's all grace, really. I didn't ask for any of it, it just struck a chord. In boarding school, one of my good friends had a picture of Neem Karoli Baba on his wall and his father was with Neem Karoli Baba in the body. I saw the picture and I was really attracted to the photograph and said, "Who is that?" We stayed up all night and he was telling me stories of Neem Karoli Baba. That's how I started and from there it gets deeper and deeper with every blink of an eye. Before I knew it, here I am. I didn't ask to be in this path but when you feel love, you want to give it back.

RO: You've toured with some different acts, a lot of diverse groups, but one thing that struck me as interesting is your touring with Matisyahu. You guys are from totally different faith traditions. Where did you find your connection spiritually?

T: 'Matis' is a devotee and I am a devotee. He is Jewish and I am not Jewish, but we both love God. We love divinity, we love singing for the Almighty. I think that connection right off the bat was what brought us together. He's been kind of like my big brother throughout the game, giving me advice and taking me under his wing. He showed me some stuff that just inspired me because it's really quite something that he's doing. We talk about our beliefs all the time, but it's never an argument. It's always a comparison, how things are similar. It's never been an issue of "I'm right and you're wrong." 'Matis' is a very open guy, he's open minded not only in his beliefs, but in his music and new ideas so that's what makes him so much fun to be around. It's not his way or the highway, it's just, "Let's get together and see what happens."

RO: Is it risky being as transparent as you are, as Matisyahu is, in regard to spirituality? Is it risky to do it as blatantly as you guys do with your music?

T: Well I think he's a little more out there (laughs). I'm not, like, going on stage with a sheet around me or anything. But I don't think it's risky at all. At his concerts, not everybody's Jewish, but people feel the love. It starts a core and everybody wants to feel it. He's not up there singing, "My way is the only way," he's singing about love, or his love for his ideal. And I'm doing the same thing, we're all in it together, we're all in it to figure things out.

RO: I've had an opportunity to see how audiences react to what you sing and there's no doubt that what you're doing emanates from the heart and really communicates. Who gives you inspiration musically? Who do you look to that you get that from?

T: I'd say the biggest influence is Bob Marley, not just from a musical standpoint but from the way he lived his life. I've read countless books and biographies and everytime I hear his voice and think about him, he's really a strong presence, even now. His body is gone but I think he's still hanging around. It's really inspiring because every time you hear a Bob Marley song, it's joy, it's happiness. It's so positive, no matter who you are. And he was doing the same thing, he wasn't saying "my way is the only way." He's a big influence and Matisyahu is a big influence, but musically I listen to a wide range of music.

RO: You traveled to India twice recently. What's that like?

T: (laughs) It's the best place on earth. India is a golden bird. She is a golden bird. Everything there is gold. Everywhere you look is just shining, even the poverty. It's just so vibrant. Every minute you are getting cut up - your ego's getting cut up, your attachments, you are getting sliced up left and right. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's fierce grace, but it's just a magical place.

RO: You did some charity over there...

T: My teacher's ashram, my teacher's temple, is called the Yoga Vedanta Kutir. It's where they take these young orphan boys and they teach them yoga and religion and send them to school; they're poor boys. I really love kids in general and while we were there, for ten days, I just fell in love with these magic boys. They're divine children. When I got back and thought we should do something so I did a little benefit concert and accepted donations on their behalf. We set up an account for them at a bank over there and we put money in there every couple months, so it's a very low key kind of thing, but it's a great gift.

RO: What do you do right now for practice spiritually? Do you meditate? Do you sit and meditate, do you walk and meditate? Is being on stage meditation for you?

T: Everything is meditation. Everything is the guru's words. Every situation is the guru's situation. When I first started being on the road, I was getting really frustrated because nothing is on time, nothing is where it's supposed to be, what it's supposed to be. At first I got really frustrated and tight and then over time, it's a total practice. Everything is a practice. For me, I've accepted, "Okay, this is my practice." I really had to surrender to everything, where you are, the people. You can't have any attachments on the road because nothing's going to last. Same thing in life, too. Neem Karoli Baba said, " A yogi who's always on the move is like flowing water, no impurities can stick to him." When you're on the road, you meet people but that's it. That night, that's it. Next night, that's it. You can't get attached to anything so it's a good lesson. On the road, I sit. I always sit every morning, no matter if I got four hours sleep, if it's for five minutes, I sit. You gotta sit. Baba said that everybody's highest duty no matter what is to sit. A set offering every day, no matter if you sit for five minutes, say one prayer, or whatever. I have to follow my teacher's teaching.

RO: Do you feel like you're here to accomplish anything in particular?

T: I am an instrument myself. I don't know what there is to accomplish. I have my own goals within myself and in my spiritual life, but as far as musically, this is where I am and this is how I'm being played on the chessboard. I don't really have any goals. I have things I want to do, obviously, maybe some charities once I get more cash flow and set up some things I can do. But it's enough for me to get off stage and someone says a comment, even if it's one person. Some things people tell me are such nice things, but again I have to remember that it's not me, that it's something that's working through me. Because if I take credit for it, I get my head chopped off. You have to stay humble.

RO: How do you see the dance that's moving through you playing out over the next five to ten years?

T: Man, like I said about the road - you always think you know how it's going to go, but you don't. It's truly in some other thing's hands - whether you want to call it God or Jesus or Ram, Sita, Krishna, Shiva, Allah, Love, whatever - something else is going on. For me, until I accepted that fact that there was something else, my life was just miserable. I would get so frustrated. But you have to have faith and devotion that everything will change and everything's alright. That everywhere you are, that's where the action is. That's where the temple is. That's some of the greatest advice that anyone's ever given me. Because when I went on the road at first, I always wanted to be in the temple, I didn't want to be on the road. But a great friend of mine, a great role model of mine, said to me, "No, you have it all wrong. Wherever you are, that's where the temple is. That's where the action is. Wherever you are, that's where you worship." I haven't figured it out yet, but I try to remember that as much as I can. Wherever you are, that's where the action is.

www.trevorhallmusic.com

www.myspace.com/trevorhall

Listen to Trevor Hall on

Photography by Joe Mozdzen - http://mozdzen.com/

[Interview Edited by Andrew Hoogheem]

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Not much goes with music more than dancing. As it is, enjoy the following poem written by RockOm staffer Tom Crenshaw. While reading through these words, one can almost hear the music playing...

When Shiva Dances

When Shiva dances with arms whirling
I sit in the fields watching the morning sun appear,

When Shiva bends gracefully touching hand to foot
I rise, tending to obligations appearing,

When Shiva arches, with head gazing high
I churn over thoughts while walking homeward,

When Shiva leaps, keeping solemn tempo
I sit in the fields watching the afternoon sun descend,

Morning-rise, from collapsing night
Dream death into dream life
All measures found sufficient
As twilight falls, as radiant day surrenders

What is destroyed but all illusion?

[By Tom Crenshaw, 2004]