I Know I’m a Little Late but…

I feel like I have come out of my shell in the last year when it comes to musical taste. What your friends listen to seems to have a huge impact on what most people listen to these days (myself included). All it really comes down to is exposure. What your ear hears on a day to day basis will naturally have some impact on your life and your interaction with music (unless you are one of those people who has the uncanny ability to tune out the world). Therefore, my musical journey began with what my parents gave me: The Wee-Sing series of tapes. I spent hours in my room listening and singing with my monophonic boom box (with I subsequently brought with me on all family road trips until I got my first Walkman for Christmas). Eventually I moved on to radio to seek out some more serious music. As I lived in Texas for elementary school, the selection was limited and I went through my first and only country phase (unless you count Bluegrass to be country, and I don’t). That’s what was there for me to listen to and I loved the hell out of it. The radio was on all the time; in my bedroom, while I was on the computer (yes I started my geekdom quite early on), in the driveway, I couldn’t get enough.

For those of you that don't know me, I have moved on. Phase after phase, my tastes have changed, but one thing has seemed to keep in common. I listen to the same shit my friends do. Not because it’s cool or fresh or I need to fit in, but because that’s what is available. Obviously my ear has developed and I’m not going to love everything you put in front of me, but I am willing to give it a try. (Yesterday, Zack and I stumbled upon a free festival of music in Golden Gate Park. As we were walking up behind the stage my cohort turns and says, “Hmm, they sound pretty good.” In hindsight what he should have said was, “Hmm, they sound pretty tight.” And they did. We find a place to sit because at this point we had been walking around for close to five hours and needed a nap. We sat there for three songs (and I had my suspicions earlier), when “We are America” kicked us in the nuts. That’s right we sat through as much as 10 minutes of the “Coug” before leaving. But hey, we gave it a chance. I’m not trying to dog on the guy or anything because your ear is not my ear, but mine were bleeding.)

Anyway, back to the point (you know, that semi-thesis up at the top). I have finally started serving my own music from the seemingly endless Vegas buffet (the MGM Grand comes to mind). I feel like I am finally free from the whole Jamband thing (don’t get me wrong, the Dead, Phish, Cheese, will always hold a special place in my heart, it just isn’t what I need to hear anymore). I know what I am looking for and I’m figuring out how to find it on my own. I guess I must have come to this realization as I settled into my fourth metal stage. There must be some reason that I keep coming back to the comfort of these heavy fucking riffs, why my favorite touring band of 2004 was Umphrey’s McGee, and why Metallica not only holds a nostalgic value but continues to make me rock out. (…And Justice For All being my favorite because I think they hit their most mature stage while still retaining their excessively heavy background. Some might argue that the Black Album was the perfect balance between metal and melody. Say what you will, if you care.) Most of my favorite music today still retains that heavy element in it whether it be Battles of GY!BE.

Symbolically, and this is why I’m writing this now, an album I bought at Bart’s is my graduation into musical self-discovery. I learned of the band because they are on Constellation, one of my favorite labels, and just had to hear them (experimental buying I guess?). Either way, I’m really happy with my purchase, and I’ve learned that I don’t have to rely on the hard drives of my friends all the time. However, what you are all listening to I’ll always hear and I’m always open to suggestion. Thanks to all my friends past, present, and future. Check out Feu Therese!