Last updated 31 May 2021: removed dead link to Kent and East Sussex gig guide.
Music - an integral part of human culture and, especially within the past 100 years, also a part of social culture, for better or worse helping to shape our mores and values. From blowing on ram's horns to scratching vinyl, humanity values music as an activity, whether for worship, inspiration, dancing or just having fun. Even in supposedly puritanical or disapproving times, music has often been important and attracted some of the greatest creative minds.
This page is a smorgasbord of various aspects of music, including my own experiences of playing different instruments within and without the church. Some of what I originally put up when the website started has now been overtaken by better equipped sites on the Web, so I refer you to those if you want to find local venues in your area, for example, or get the feedback on a piece of musical equipment.
A reader once kindly complemented me on the herp material but noted that he didn't care for the bands, mainly because of their lifestyles. I should therefore add that the inclusion of some of the groups on here is mainly for a musical discussion and is in no way intended as an endorsement of substance abuse, promiscuous sex or other evils. In fact I think one of the lamest excuses on the planet is "it's rock 'n' roll". Rock, or any other, musicians are not magically exempted from the moral law any more than politicians, lawyers, estate agents, corporate businessmen or dictators. It is high time we laid this particular myth to rest.
If you want a laugh or to feel better about yourself, read Cyberlizard's chequered musical history
Cyberlizard's band page
More bands.
Some Thoughts on Church Music (playing it and writing it)
Guitars - some personal notes and observations
A sideways look at keyboard playing
Further confessions of a keyboard player
Keyboards and hi-tech muso gear
Noise Annoys - some heartfelt thoughts on a modern form of pollution
Music Literature - biographies, histories, etc.
Harmony Central - one of the best websites for musicians, particularly with discussion of gear.
Allmusic - portal containing large number of articles on various genres.
MySpace has become a well-used site for musicians and bands to place their own profiles.