Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

“Ashes to Ashes“, David Bowie (1947 – 2016)

If there’s one thing that’s been important in Walski’s life, apart from visual art, it’s music. He feels blessed that he was introduced to music at a very young age, primarily through his late dad. Never mind if that music came in the form of what dad liked: Andy Williams, the Ray Conniff Singers, Bing Crosby… these became important touchstones that would be the seeds germinating to become Walski’s own eclectic music sensibility.

One thing about Walski’s dad, when it came to music, while he liked what he liked, dad never tried to impose his likes onto Walski. Apart from introducing stuff (that he liked) for Walski to listen to; but to impose what could or couldn’t be listened to, not ever. At least that’s how Walski remembers it.

Walski’s not entirely sure why he’s penning this, to be absolutely honest. Maybe it’s because of the visit to see mom yesterday (we talked about dad for a spell). Or that it’s approaching the end of another year. Or maybe the news of Terry Hall‘s death today, reminding Walski of the many music icons in his life that have passed on, particularly in the past decade.

2012 was the year that Andy Williams died, the same year that saw the passing of Robin Gibb, Whitney Houston, Ravi Shankar, and Donna Summer, to name a few personalities from the music world, all of whom died that year. And in the years following, more and more personalities from the music world that played a part in shaping Walski’s musical spectrum began dropping out.

This year alone, in addition to Terry Hall: Angelo Badalamenti (composer), Julee Cruise (singer of “Falling”, the iconic Twin Peaks theme song, composed by Badalamenti), Anton Fier (musician and producer), Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Keith Levene (The Clash, Public Image Ltd.), Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Meat Loaf (actor/singer), D. H. Peligro (Dead Kennedys, and briefly with Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pharoah Sanders (jazz saxophonist), Vangelis (composer), Don Wilson (The Ventures)… and many more, all inducted into the ever-growing Choir Invisible this year.

Gone, but certainly not forgotten. Certainly never to be forgotten is the biggest demise of 2016, David Bowie… by any measure a tremendous loss to popular music. That passing still lingers on Walski’s mind even over six years later.

But Walski reckons that’s what happens when we grow older… one by one our “heroes” fade permanently into the sunset. Each and everyone leaving a mark in the world of music they helped shape.

Which brings him to this thought: when the day comes, how will Walski, the undisputed self-proclaimed Maestro of Abandoned Dreams, be remembered?

Or, the more realistic question, will anyone even bat an eye?