The internet is a seething, simmering, pulsating pit of dirt, nudity, self-importance, and masturbation (both literal and figurative). I suppose that’s why this feature was created in the first place: To laud the worst moments of music on the internet. To champion the most spine-cringing and uncomfortable videos one could possibly find on the series of tubes that is the world wide web.
As we all know, anyone with a webcam can videotape themselves doing a solo acoustic cover of their favorite Dashboard Confessional sobfest or some kooky remake of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” that they recorded on Garage Band and then did a lip synch to. However, there is the other side of YouTube amazingness where videos pre-internet can also get posted. It leaves us with hours and hours of entertainment, not to mention a reason to have this amazing feature here at Consequence of Sound.
I could’ve written about anything this week, but I decided to pick an amazing video that was given to me by a friend. This is a video that seems to be from the pre-internet era, and it will make you feel absolutely joyous and upbeat after you see it.
It’s a simple set-up. Just an older man, a tripod, a camera, and a song in his heart. A heart, that we come to find out, was once stopped by a heart attack. The gentleman’s name is Joe Sandler and he survived, obviously, and now he wants to share his new found optimism with….the world? I guess? I mean, if it was from before the Net, how would he share it? My hope is by through some sort of chain letter type correspondence with everyone within a 200 mile radius. Now, he can share it with millions of people. He has a YouTube channel with 20 videos on it of him singing. It claims that he has albums for sale of his music. But I don’t trust anything on the internet really, so I’m not sure.
The video starts with a quick stretch and a deep reassuring breath. He then launches into a fat leg drum solo to start the song off. He starts crooning through some upbeat lyrics about his heart attack, the out of body experience that occurred after his death, the people he met on the journey (angels!!), and then how he was brought back to life by the doctors. He also explains his new-found enthusiasm for life.
It will touch you in your own heart. It will make you sing and smile. It’ll make you want to write your own one-man-band songs with plenty of leg drums and you as your own back-up singers. I could write more about this, but I mean seriously…seeing is completely believing. So I’ll stop yapping and let you get to watching. Please do watch. It’ll make your day better.
PS: Go to his YouTube channel and watch his other classics such as “Sexual Illusion”, “Romantic Rendezvous” (both with his shirt off), and “Christmas Skitzo Maniac”. He’s a real gem.
