A lost sound
Elise Bassett
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Campus
The Salt Lake Community College psychology department has hired a former rock and roll star.
Eddie Hughes, one of SLCC's psych professors, released about 60 songs back in the day. Hughes' CD, Waltzing In Four Time, sends the listener to a time when classic 70's songs like Bad Bad Leroy Brown and a Boy Named Sue told a story that let you step into another life; back to the time when lyrics were actually creative.
Hughes sounds like a cross between Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. His style is reminiscent of the folk rock music of the early 70's. He credits a lot of his inspiration to personal experiences. For example: a lot of his songs mention his ex-wife.
"The songs that turned out the best were the ones that wrote themselves," explains Hughes.
He started writing songs in the early 80's in Greenwich Village, New York City where he would play at open mic clubs and gathered a bit of a following.
"I hadn't even intended to take this seriously," Hughes remembers.
After he won a songwriting award from the National Academy of Popular Music, a lot of doors began to open up.
Hughes played at the 20th anniversary of the Woodstock festival in 1989. He got more and more prestigious job offers.
"I got to open or close for some fairly famous people," says Hughes.
He did all of this while working on his PHD.
After 10 years of the rock and roll lifestyle, he had to choose between science and music.
"It's two very different worlds," says Hughes.
Surprisingly, life as a musician prepared him for teaching. He says that his experience in playing in front of a crowd has made it easy to stand in front of a class without getting nervous.
"I'm a little bit of a ham," says Hughes while describing his teaching style, "I like to perform while I do stuff."
Hughes has given up the life of a performer, "But I could be arm twisted into doing it again, if somebody wanted me to." So all of Hughes students: start twisting! The world should experience the classic 80's one more time.
Eddie Hughes, one of SLCC's psych professors, released about 60 songs back in the day. Hughes' CD, Waltzing In Four Time, sends the listener to a time when classic 70's songs like Bad Bad Leroy Brown and a Boy Named Sue told a story that let you step into another life; back to the time when lyrics were actually creative.
Hughes sounds like a cross between Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. His style is reminiscent of the folk rock music of the early 70's. He credits a lot of his inspiration to personal experiences. For example: a lot of his songs mention his ex-wife.
"The songs that turned out the best were the ones that wrote themselves," explains Hughes.
He started writing songs in the early 80's in Greenwich Village, New York City where he would play at open mic clubs and gathered a bit of a following.
"I hadn't even intended to take this seriously," Hughes remembers.
After he won a songwriting award from the National Academy of Popular Music, a lot of doors began to open up.
Hughes played at the 20th anniversary of the Woodstock festival in 1989. He got more and more prestigious job offers.
"I got to open or close for some fairly famous people," says Hughes.
He did all of this while working on his PHD.
After 10 years of the rock and roll lifestyle, he had to choose between science and music.
"It's two very different worlds," says Hughes.
Surprisingly, life as a musician prepared him for teaching. He says that his experience in playing in front of a crowd has made it easy to stand in front of a class without getting nervous.
"I'm a little bit of a ham," says Hughes while describing his teaching style, "I like to perform while I do stuff."
Hughes has given up the life of a performer, "But I could be arm twisted into doing it again, if somebody wanted me to." So all of Hughes students: start twisting! The world should experience the classic 80's one more time.
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