2001 - an american odyssey
2001 was an important year in many respects. for me, it was the first time i got to travel to America and i went there two times that year. let's just say it marked the beginning of a long and rewarding relationship.
the first trip of 2001 was to nashville, tennessee with a quick stopover in chicago, illinois. nashville is a really cool place, not too different from my hometown of oslo, norway, but bigger in almost every aspect of the word.
the second trip was to new york city and after that, a trip down to florida for some downtime in orlando before touring through the orange state, all the way out to key west.
on june 11th, 2001 i was at the top of the world, literally and figuratively speaking. on the 107th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center i felt at home. the greatest city in the world at your feet; constantly throbbing, pulsating and flowing with life - an abundant outburst of diversity. you felt the building sway as the wind hit it hard, but there was no sense of danger. more like that of a calming sensation when you're at sea and the waves break against the hull of the ship. walking around, staring out of the windows...spotting each and every spot you ever heard of in the city of tourists. and then some. even the rumors were true: when the skies are blue, as they were on that particular day, you could even see the earth curve slightly when looking at the horizon. maybe it's just an optical illusion, but who cares?
on september 11th, three months later to the day, i was in the studio working on some tracks when i got the message. i followed what happened that morning in NYC 'live online' and witnessed the world change, along with all the other hundreds of thousands watching online, watching tv and those listening to the radio.
in a dark movie theatre late december 2001, 'lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring' is having it's premier and as the first words of the movie are spoken, the hair on my arms stood up:
the world has changed.
i feel it in the water.
i feel it in the earth.
i smell it in the air.
much that once was, is lost.
for none now live, who remember it.
it's been 8 years now and the world has indeed changed. in some ways it feels like the modern, western world lost its innocence on that day - or you could say it came to its senses. we are the generation that witnessed what happen. let's not forget.
much love to everyone who lost someone or got affected by the tragedy 8 years ago in one way or another.
-stereosaint-
