Rediscovering Music
Music trends come and go and sometimes even come back again. I'm one of those people that think that what your parents listened to when you were a kid has a strong influence on what you listen to as an adult. It might mean that you avoid listening to it because your parents listened to it or you embrace it and wind up loving the music. My mom listened to a lot of Pink Floyd and the Doors when I was growing up. Eric Clapton and the Who were another staple in my house. To this day I still listen to them. Since I didn't really grow up with my dad, his music didn't have that big of an influence on me. There is only one song I can remember him singing when I was younger and that was "Every Kinda People" by Robert Palmer. I do like Robert Palmer but like I said...that's because of my mom. She listened to just about everything. She never got into country or even hip/hop for obvious reasons but she always liked classic rock. In elementary school my favorite was Michael Jackson. Say what you will about him now but back then he was awesome. I even had a purple short sleeved shirt with the cover of Thriller on it. I think the first rap artists/group that I heard was of course Run DMC and that song was "Walk This Way". The first song I ever heard by the Grateful Dead was Touch of Grey. Like most girls my age, New Kids on the Block was awesome back in 5th grade. Every girl had their favorite (Mine was Jordan...looking back I don't know why). But then came the year when I transitioned to middle school and NKOTB wasn't cool to listen to anymore. What became popular you ask? Why Vanilla Ice! "Ice, Ice, Baby" was everywhere when I was in 6th grade. I even had the video on tape...we didn't have cable back then so I saved some money to buy it. Probably one of the most embarrassing purchases I've copped to. Then came gangsta rap...N.W.A. was huge and when they broke up, Dr. Dre was it! Snoop followed and I found myself listening to more R&B than rock music. Boys II Men and Mariah Carey took over my stereo. I can remember waiting for the bell to ring outside of Southeast Middle school where I found a ruined tape of Cooleyhighharmony. I thought what a waste...what a great album.
Then high school hit. I started high school in 1993....I'm dating myself I know but it was a neat time to be alive and listening to music back then. My cousin, who is still into heavy, death, and speed metal, turned me on to music by Nirvana and Jane's Addiction. Now I know this is going to get me in a lot of trouble with some people but I didn't like Nirvana all that much. I didn't understand why there was so much hype behind this band. Sure I liked the songs...they were good but I didn't quite get why it was so life changing for people. Now when I heard Alice in Chains, that was a turning point for me. I like to think that if you were alive listening to rock music back then, you could choose from a handful of bands and pick which grunge band you liked best. Some liked Pearl Jam more than Nirvana; some preferred Soundgarden over Alice in Chains. To me though, Alice in Chains was it. To this day I listen to them...they don't get old. And while I'll never see them in concert due to the death of lead singer Lane Staley, I can look back and say "Wow! What a fantastic band". After the death of Kurt Cobain, things shifted. It was like an era ended when he died. He was a great songwriter and obviously he affected the lives of so many people. A friend of mine made me a mix tape...and like so many people of my generation it was a mix of just about everything from rap to rock to R&B. I started getting into the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cypress Hill, and *gulp* Metallica. (In my defense, it was old Metallica...before the whole Napster fiasco) Then I heard 2 bands that truly changed music for me....Dave Matthews Band and Sublime. The first CD I ever owned was Crash by Dave Matthews Band. I listened to it over and over again. I still have it to this day...it's no longer playable but I still have it. That year for Christmas each of us got a CD. I got DMB, Ali got Gloria Estefan's Destiny, and Amanda got Journey's Trial By Fire. No offense to the Gloria Estefan fans and Journey lovers out there but I think I got the better part of the deal there. I'm still a fan of DMB and I think that will continue for the rest of my life. Sublime got popular here shortly after the death of lead singer Brad Nowell from a drug overdose. I know a lot people just think it's stoner music but I like it. I think it's something that we never really heard before.
Music is constantly evolving and there is always some genre that is being revived. New Wave is making a comeback....80's music is more popular now than it was in the 80's. Disco is now known as techno. Hip/Hop is still going strong (and they said it was a passing fad). At times it seems like rock is dead or dying but another band comes along and revives it. Over a year ago the Killers came onto the scene and totally stole the show. They breathed new life into rock. Now it appears that there is a second British Invasion going on with bands like the Arctic Monkeys and Editors hitting it big here. I guess what I'm getting at is that we are very fortunate to be living in a time where music is readily available either by radio or online. We have access to all types of music and somewhere there is a kid that's hearing the Rolling Stones for the first time and it's changing his or her life. Some of those old rock acts like the Stones are still out touring and if you look at the audience, it's not just crusty old hippies but there are a slew of younger fans out there cheering them on. Neil Young, a personal favorite of mine, is still putting out protest songs. How cool is that?! I think if John Lennon and George Harrison were still alive, the Beatles would have gotten back together and would still be selling out shows. Just look at how many albums they sell still 25 years after John's death and 4 years after George's. They still have such a huge impact on music...kids today are discovering them for the first time and some people are rediscovering them. I remember the first Beatles tape I owned: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I can still listen to it and be amazed at how great it was and is. I listened to that tape non-stop for months. How many acts out there can say that they have that effect on people. Not many.
Then high school hit. I started high school in 1993....I'm dating myself I know but it was a neat time to be alive and listening to music back then. My cousin, who is still into heavy, death, and speed metal, turned me on to music by Nirvana and Jane's Addiction. Now I know this is going to get me in a lot of trouble with some people but I didn't like Nirvana all that much. I didn't understand why there was so much hype behind this band. Sure I liked the songs...they were good but I didn't quite get why it was so life changing for people. Now when I heard Alice in Chains, that was a turning point for me. I like to think that if you were alive listening to rock music back then, you could choose from a handful of bands and pick which grunge band you liked best. Some liked Pearl Jam more than Nirvana; some preferred Soundgarden over Alice in Chains. To me though, Alice in Chains was it. To this day I listen to them...they don't get old. And while I'll never see them in concert due to the death of lead singer Lane Staley, I can look back and say "Wow! What a fantastic band". After the death of Kurt Cobain, things shifted. It was like an era ended when he died. He was a great songwriter and obviously he affected the lives of so many people. A friend of mine made me a mix tape...and like so many people of my generation it was a mix of just about everything from rap to rock to R&B. I started getting into the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cypress Hill, and *gulp* Metallica. (In my defense, it was old Metallica...before the whole Napster fiasco) Then I heard 2 bands that truly changed music for me....Dave Matthews Band and Sublime. The first CD I ever owned was Crash by Dave Matthews Band. I listened to it over and over again. I still have it to this day...it's no longer playable but I still have it. That year for Christmas each of us got a CD. I got DMB, Ali got Gloria Estefan's Destiny, and Amanda got Journey's Trial By Fire. No offense to the Gloria Estefan fans and Journey lovers out there but I think I got the better part of the deal there. I'm still a fan of DMB and I think that will continue for the rest of my life. Sublime got popular here shortly after the death of lead singer Brad Nowell from a drug overdose. I know a lot people just think it's stoner music but I like it. I think it's something that we never really heard before.
Music is constantly evolving and there is always some genre that is being revived. New Wave is making a comeback....80's music is more popular now than it was in the 80's. Disco is now known as techno. Hip/Hop is still going strong (and they said it was a passing fad). At times it seems like rock is dead or dying but another band comes along and revives it. Over a year ago the Killers came onto the scene and totally stole the show. They breathed new life into rock. Now it appears that there is a second British Invasion going on with bands like the Arctic Monkeys and Editors hitting it big here. I guess what I'm getting at is that we are very fortunate to be living in a time where music is readily available either by radio or online. We have access to all types of music and somewhere there is a kid that's hearing the Rolling Stones for the first time and it's changing his or her life. Some of those old rock acts like the Stones are still out touring and if you look at the audience, it's not just crusty old hippies but there are a slew of younger fans out there cheering them on. Neil Young, a personal favorite of mine, is still putting out protest songs. How cool is that?! I think if John Lennon and George Harrison were still alive, the Beatles would have gotten back together and would still be selling out shows. Just look at how many albums they sell still 25 years after John's death and 4 years after George's. They still have such a huge impact on music...kids today are discovering them for the first time and some people are rediscovering them. I remember the first Beatles tape I owned: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I can still listen to it and be amazed at how great it was and is. I listened to that tape non-stop for months. How many acts out there can say that they have that effect on people. Not many.
posted by Kyleen at 4:48 AM
3 Comments:
I can remember listening to almost all of those bands/singers you mentioned, a faveorite of mine back then and still now are the proclaimers and the five man electrical band.
That's a lot of good music you listed.
I agree parents have a big influence on us musically - but that's true of almost everything else, too. Parents do a lot to mold our personalities, for better or for worse, as you said.
Remind me to tease you to complete shame and embarassment over Vanilla Ice the next time we talk.
8 )
Speaking of which: how come I never see you on AIM anymore?
Yeah I kinda figured I would get teased about Vanilla Ice. I'm online all the time but I don't use that s/n anymore. I'll IM you sometime so you have it :) It's been a while.
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