The Concept2 Holiday Challenge is fast upon us. Barring disaster (such as happened to a colleague's wife who tripped on a guy wire attached to a tree, fell and broke her arm), I plan on rowing the usual 200K between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. I have to take into account the days I won't be near an erg and not get too complacent at the beginning. I like to hit the halfway mark distance-wise before the calendar halfway mark. So we're off on that.
Always in search of interesting music to accompany the long rows (minimum 20 minutes, maximum can be 90 or so), I have landed on Tinariwen. Two weeks ago Saturday Morning Edition interviewed them (or the producer, I no longer remember). They featured two songs from the group's most recent album: Aman Iman: Water is Life.
Their music is rhythmic, hypnotic, a blend of Middle Eastern roots, and 1960s guitar riffs. The bass repeats over and over, there is call and response between the lead and the background women's vocals. The group (I hesitate to call it a band in the western sense) is Tuareg (in Arabic: 'abandoned by the gods' — a strange name for an auto as in Volkswagen's SUV, I think). They are nomadic, wandering the Saharan desert.
Justin Adams, guitarist of Sinead O'Connor, produced their first album, the Radio Tisdas Sessions, in December 2000. Electricity was rationed so all the recording took place between 7.00 PM and midnight over two weeks.
This first album is perhaps the most simple and really great for a mindless row. The music flows along at a steady at comfortable walking pace. It's not music to row a fast piece but good for just going along, as though you were out on a river, enjoying the day.
The call-and-response nature of the music reminds me of Krisna Das' music, also good rowing music for long pieces.
So I have just eliminated a few more excuses for not rowing.
3 comments:
What machine are you using?
I row on a Concept2 B model, which I bought in 1992. They seem to hold their value — I've seen them on eBay from anywhere from $150 to $500. I paid $700 for it back then. I have had to replace the bungee cord that hooks to the pull once in almost 2M kms.
I'll get some sort of exercise equipment when I have a place to put it and was curious. Of course, the garage/barn may not be finished till Easter at the rate they are going. Thanks.
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