Likely each of us has a song or a singer whose very first note causes a contemptuous eye roll at best or a chilling sense of terror at worst. It is the type of song that we would avoid any cost, if somebody were to pay us to listen to it.
The Brentwood School of Music in Central Saanich is putting a twist on this familiar story as Mike Preston, who co-owns the school with his wife Sarah, is voluntarily exposing himself to one song he cannot stand for 12 hours inside his studio on Sunday, Dec. 20 to help the school raise money for the Mustard Seed Street Church.
“If you are far away and your community needs a donation, the school is happy for you to donate to that cause as well,” said, Preston, who teaches rock guitar and drums.
Preston said Tuesday that he not yet settled on a song. Candidates include the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, an ubiquitous song at sporting events. “Somebody suggested Stairway to Heaven,” he said. Other candidates include Rebecca Black’s Friday and AC/DC’s TNT. “Yellow Submarine (by The Beatles) would be fierce candidate,” he said. Game On, a song from the Adam Sandler movie Pixels, is another candidate with potential.
RELATED: Music fundraiser for Peninsula foodbank rocks new record
Christmas songs are eligible for selection and while Preston loves Paul McCartney, his song Wonderful Christmas Time is a candidate, with residents able to track the eventual choice on the school’s Facebook page.
So what makes a song bad for Preston? “It’s a combination of uninteresting and over-repetitive,” he said. Songs are also bad when they are loud, jarring and lack content.
Preston is still working out some of the details, such as the conditions under which he will have to listen to the song, but plans to start at noon on Sunday.
“Whether you want to vote for a song, watch Mike suffer (safely from outside the school) or simply make a donation, the music school has started a gofundme for the event,” the school said.
Find the page at bit.ly/3gTg4Ro.
