About my music

It has been said about my music that there's a strong Celtic influence in sounds and images, which reflects my Scottish upbringing. This has never been a conscious thing on my part so it must spring from a natural relationship with my roots.

Of course there is a wider world to explore outside of one's own small corner of the planet. In a cultural climate of, on the one hand ease of consumption, hype and homogenised commercial banality, and on the other hand the centuries old traditions of literature, music, philosophy and academic endeavours, is there any way of bridging the gulf between all or nothing?

To speak or remain silent, how much to express and to whom do we address and commune with? How long do our attention spans allow? What of our appetites for attentive absorption? How often does the art of conversation even remotely come close to bridging the gulf between something or nothing? So here I am, one voice amidst many. Whether the mood of my writing is light or dark, I hope it contains something of value beyond merely the superficial. Bob Theil

There are no angels to be found anywhere
No bearers of burdens with whom we can share
The briefest of pleasures, a story untold
Looking so wildly for someone to hold
All this continues though it seems like the end
There's only so far that the spirit can bend
All of the beauty that passes unseen
Lost in our lifescapes, invective and spleen
I want you to feel this, I just want to dare
Reach for expression to tell you I'm there

From "Reach", Copyright Bob Theil 1998