Relax Max Apparel aims to create pieces that have "simplicity with a rock and roll flare," so it's only fitting that the Relax Max mural in Nashville takes Music City's progressive current and combines it with the obvious reputation of music to make a mural with a moral compass that all Nashville natives can live by.  Everyone knows that Nashville's nickname is "Music City," and no one needs to question why. However, Allan Geiger’s mural has a message that is jam packed into a simple phrase.

When asked about the concept for the mural, Geiger stated, “I'm a fan of saying powerful messages in the shortest amount of words.  At first, I created this message on a graphic tee but with my love for street art, it felt right to have it painted somewhere in a public area.”  He sees music as a form of therapy, and believes his art is the way he can spread love through the world. Most of his art is in black and white, much like the mural, to allow audiences to radiate color themselves.

Photo: Nashville Public Art

It is interesting to stumble upon a mural featuring records in a digital age.  Music is at our fingertips, and chances are you’ll spot passerby sporting headphones even as you stand looking at the mural in 12 South.  Geiger believes, “Records are an art piece itself. CDs you will take a pen or car keys to crack it open, streaming is just a click away... but records you handle with care and reminds me of how music is a form of therapy.”  

The most common factor that draws people to Nashville is music.  Many residents create music themselves and have been immensely drawn to a strong melody and the power of lyrics to heal hearts, calm minds, and unite audiences.  Living in Nashville offers the opportunity to deepen that experience with music and allows locals to become more in tune with the community that music creates. Geiger noted “I want for people to understand that we only get one shot at this thing called, life.  So listen or make some music and let it inspire you.”

Music speaks a language that transcends all people.  It is through music that many of us cope with life, and music can serve as a platform to start an important dialogue that will enable us to shift to acceptance instead of exceptions.

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Heather Brown, a Nashville Guide writer
Hailing from the Old Dominion, I've easily adapted my "Virginia is for Lovers" slogan to the "Nashville is for Music Lovers" lifestyle. After moving to Music City from Oklahoma City, I've explored middle Tennessee through the lens of artists' paintbrushes and urban canvasses. I've enjoyed eating, sipping, and dancing my way through Tennessee's capital while pausing periodically to strike a pose throughout the journey.