“Oh, but what else could one call it, Mr. Parker? Surely you’ve had occasion to observe the audience as well as the players. A few musicians, and usually one lead performer, exercising what amounts to total emotional control over thousands and thousands of rapt spectators. Playing with their feelings, juggling their thoughts, all but directing their bodily movements with their music.”
Sam chuckled. “You make it sound like witchcraft.”
Collins did not chuckle back. Instead, he nodded. “In old times it would be called exactly that. In fact, music sometimes often was called a power of the devil. But it’s all far from supernatural. Psychic powers have long been postulated, Mr. Parker. The ability to control others through the power of one mind. Somehow music seems to increase the projection of the performer and the receptivity of his audience. All music does this to a certain extent, but rock music seems to do so to a far greater extent than any believe possible. And my counterparts are still playing with Rhine cards!” The last was uttered almost contemptuously.
“Tell me, what do you suppose a youth at one of these performances is thinking about? Someone who is totally ‘with’ the music, as they try to be?”
“Beats me. I’m not one of these kids. Whatever the singer is singing about, I suppose.”
“Correct, Mr. Parker. And he is thinking that to the exclusion of everything else. Except for the music, his or her mind is a complete blank. ‘Becoming one with the music,’ it’s called. When the music ‘moves’ them, it really moves them.